Daily Archives: December 26, 2013

12 Days of Christmas for My Priest: Day 2

Christmas

On the second day of Christmas, my friend Jenn gave to me:  two photographs and one hour of adoration!

OLGC Adoration Chapel
OLGC’s Adoration Chapel in downtown Plymouth

Unexpectedly, I was the only one in the chapel for Adoration! On one hand, I like having Him all to myself. On the other hand, I was sad that He was by Himself.

After Adoration, I spent some time taking photos. It was cold outside and I just had my cell phone, so they aren’t the best pictures ever…

Lamppost by OLGC School
This lamppost was pretty cute — all decorated for Christmas — but I have quite a bit of streaking from the light. I’ll have to return with a proper camera. Hopefully, on a warmer day. 🙂

While I was there, I got to watch a car slide out of the school parking lot. Make a loop around the block, then return to the parking lot to do donuts in the snow. Unfortunately, he left before I could take a video. 🙂

The Second Day of Christmas

Holidays

On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: two turtle doves (and a partridge in a pear tree)!

The doves stand for the Old and New Testaments, but also may represent the doves that were required as an offering when a male child was dedicated in the Temple at the age of 12.

Isn’t 2 doves also the offering for poorer families when the male child is presented at the Temple shortly after birth? I think that’s somewhere in Leviticus… Let me look… Yes. Leviticus 12 is all about this. This offering, for a male child, would happen about 33 days after birth, after the period of purification for the mother.

In an aside, I also recently learned that turtle doves are the same as mourning doves, which is the name by which I am more familiar.

Mourning Dove
Mourning Dove

As doves represent peace, the book recommends thinking up ways to spread peace. Hmmm… perhaps a good way would be to understand the position of people who do not agree with you. Even if you don’t come to a common understanding, if you have an idea of why they believe what they believe, then you can at least have sympathy for their position. Another way might be to practice humility in your daily life. If you are in the habit of being humble, you probably will be less inclined to being stubborn or prideful and letting disagreements escalate.

What are you thoughts on how we can spread peace?