THE MUMMERS, THEIR HISTORY & PARADE

Ghouls Leading the Parade in Philadelphia

Hello My Friend and Welcome.

Our five-week trek through All Things Christmas draws to a close with Monday’s post on the Wise Men. But for today we’ll examining a group whose roots go back to ancient Rome. On New Year’s Day while everyone on the West Coast lines up in sunny Pasadena to watch the Rose Parade on the other side of the continent folks in Philadelphia, despite the frigid weather, will be enjoying their own event — the Mummers’ Parade.

ORIGINS IN ANCIENT ROME

The Mummers and their parade continue a tradition that extends back to about 400 BC and the Roman Festival of Saturnalia. A time of topsy-turvy turn around, during Saturnalia the slaves became the masters and the masters the slaves. People wore masks, celebrated with charades and satire, sang and danced in the streets, and exchanged gifts. When the Roman Empire forced its way into Britannia, the Celts and Druids gave the festival their own twist. Time passed, and by the Middle Ages this day of festivity had become an integral part of most Christmas celebrations.

The word Mummer comes from the term for silence...as in Mum’s the word. Going further back in history, we find the ancient Greek god, Momus, who was the personification of mockery, blame, ridicule, scorn, and stinging criticism. In Greek mythology Momus was expelled from heaven for criticizing and ridiculing the other gods. In other words, Momus was silenced.

TRAPPING A WREN ON ST. STEPHEN'S DAY

Before the festival moved to New Year’s Day, boys trapped a wren on St. Stephen’s Day (December 26th) and killed it. A legend held that St. Stephen hid from his attackers in a bush and his position was given away by a wren perched in the branches. The boys were punishing the wren for its part in the stoning of St. Stephen 1,500 or so years earlier. Having killed the wren, the boys tied its body to a stick and blackened their faces with charcoal, presumably so they wouldn’t be recognized. Then they went door to door in a sort of trick or treat mode, waving the dead bird in people’s faces and waiting for them to give them some reward. You’ll be happy to know that in the few places where this part of the festival still survives, they now use a fake bird.

DANCERS AND THE MUMMERS' PLAY

A second part of the celebration is the presence of Morris Dancers or Mummers. These groups dressed in wildly outrageous costumes and performed what came to be called the Mummer's Play. The play’s cast consists of a King, usually Saint George, who expresses the need to kill someone, typically a Saracen knight. Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people, ethnically distinct from the Arabs, who inhabited the deserts near the Roman province of Syria. One of earliest references to them is in Ptolemy's Geography, in which he uses the Greek term Sarakenoi when referring to a non-Arabic people living in the northwestern Arabian peninsula.

In Christian writing, the name came to be interpreted to mean those empty of Sarah or not from Sarah. In the Eighth Century St. John of Damascus wrote, “There is also a people-deceiving cult of the Ishmaelites, the forerunner of the Antichrist, which prevails now. It derives from Ishmael, who was born to Abraham from Hagar, wherefore they are called Hagarenes and Ishmaelites. And we call them Saracens, inasmuch as they were sent away empty-handed by Sarah; for it was said to the angel by Hagar, Sarah has sent me away empty-handed."

BACK TO THE ACTION ON STAGE

Returning to our play; as it turns out, just such a Saracen Knight happens to be available, often with the name of Slasher. The two go at it until Slasher is mortally wounded. At this point, either Slasher's mother appears, wailing for a doctor, or the George character has a change of heart and requests the aid of a doctor himself. The call goes out for a ten dollar doctor, but a voice from offstage replies, “There is no ten dollar doctor.” The request is then changed to a five dollar doctor. The less expensive doctor appears and cures the injured Knight.

While the play itself is still preformed in some parts of England, Mummers in Philadelphia have opted for a lavish, and suitably garish, parade instead. Their huge fan of feathers and electric colors bring to mind Rio de Janeiro’s Carnaval rather than a Medieval morality play, though the Mummers Parade features decidedly fewer women and no nudity. They have also dispensed with the now politically incorrect blackface.

MUMMERS IN AMERICAN HISTORY

The Mummers has a long and proud history in the city of Brotherly Love. Reports of rowdy groups parading on New Year’s Day in Philadelphia date back to before the American Revolution. Prizes were offered by merchants in the late 1800’s. In January, 1901 the first official parade offered about $1,725 in prize money from the city.

The Mummers Parade is serious business in Philadelphia. Like its companion, The Rose Parade, clubs and organizations work on the costumes and practice all year for their one day in the sun, or as is the case in Philadelphia, the wind, rain or snow. Performances and costumes are judged and there is a complicated set of rules the marchers must follow when being judged.

Elaborate Costumes

We hope you've enjoyed this foray into the lore, legend, and history of All Things Christmas. I’ve assembled all of these Christmas posts into an Ebook. It also includes a bonus supplement consisting of a five-chapter segment consisting of the Christmas story from my novel WITNESS. If you'd like to have this material to refer back to in the future, it's only $3.99 in formats compatible with all popular Ereaders as well as for on-screen reading.

It’s available from Amazon for their Kindle HERE.

It’s available from Barnes & Nobel for their Nook HERE.

You'll also find it at Smashwords HERE.

As mentioned earlier, our final post of the Christmas season, devoted to the Wise Men, will be on Monday, January 2^nd.

Until then, we wish Peace, Blessings and a Happy New Year!

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THE CHRISTMAS SHEPHERDS

Hello My Friend and Welcome.

“And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.” —Luke 2:8-9

EVERY CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

No Christmas pageant is complete without its little band of gunnysack shepherds. Frightened by the angel’s sudden appearance, they marvel at the good news from the angel and rush to Bethlehem to see their Savior-King. As they return to their flocks, they praise God and tell all who will listen about the birth of the chosen Child.

They finish spreading the good tidings, leave the stage, and we hardly give them another thought. But why did the announcement come to them at all? Shouldn’t the angels have gone to priests and kings instead? Who were they that they should be eyewitnesses of God’s glory and receive history’s greatest birth announcement? In Christ’s day, shepherds stood on the bottom rung of the Palestinian social ladder. They shared the same unenviable status as tax collectors and dung sweepers. Of the four evangelists, only Luke mentions them.

 ISRAEL AS A NATION OF SHEPHERDS

During the time of the Patriarchs, sheepherding was a noble occupation. Shepherds are mentioned early in Genesis 4:20 where Jabal is called the father of those living in tents and raising livestock. In nomadic societies, everyone—whether sheikh or slave—was a shepherd. The wealthy sons of Isaac and Jacob tended flocks (Genesis 30:29; 37:12). Jethro, the priest of Midian, employed his daughters as shepherdesses (Exodus 2:16).

When the twelve tribes of Israel migrated to Egypt, they encountered a lifestyle foreign to them. The Egyptians were agriculturalists. As farmers, growers of crops, they despised shepherding because sheep and goats grazed on the crops.

Battles between farmers and shepherds are as old as they are fierce. The first murder in history erupted over a farmer’s resentment of a shepherd (Genesis 4:1-8). Egyptians considered sheep worthless for food and sacrifice. Egyptian art forms and historical records portray shepherds in a negative light. Neighboring Arabs, the Egyptian’s enemy, were shepherds. Egyptian hatred of sheep herders climaxed when shepherd kings seized Lower Egypt.

Pharaoh’s clean-shaven court looked down on the rugged shepherd sons of Jacob. Joseph matter-of-factly informed his brothers, “Every shepherd is detestable to the Egyptians.” (Genesis 46:34)  Over the course of 400 years, the Egyptian prejudices rubbed off on the Israelites’ and affected their attitude toward shepherding. Unbelievably, Jacob’s descendants became accustomed to a settled lifestyle and forgot their nomadic roots.

When the Israelites settled in Canaan (c. 1400 BC), the few tribes that still retained a fondness for the pastoral lifestyle chose to live in the Trans-Jordan (Numbers 32:1). After settling in Palestine, shepherding ceased to hold its prominent position. As the Israelites acquired more farmland, pasturing decreased. Shepherding became a menial vocation for the laboring class.

FROM HERDING SHEEP TO LEADING A NATION

Around 1000 BC, former shepherd David emerged as king and temporarily raised the shepherd’s image. The lowliness of his trade made David’s promotion all the more striking (2 Samuel 7:8). While poetic sections of Scripture record positive allusions to shepherding, scholars believe these references reflect a literary ideal, not reality.

THE PROPHECTIC VIEW

In the days of the Prophets, sheepherders symbolized judgment and social desolation (Zephaniah 2:6). Amos contrasted his high calling as prophet with his former role as a shepherd (Amos 7:14). In general, shepherds were considered second-class citizens and unworthy of trust. Sheep herding had not just lost its appeal; it eventually forfeited its social acceptability. Some shepherds earned their poor reputations, but others became victims of a cruel stereotype. The religious leaders maligned the shepherd’s good name; rabbis banned pasturing sheep and goats in Israel, except on the desert plains.

AN ENDURING PREJUDICE

The Mishnah, Judaism’s written record of the oral law, also reflects this prejudice, referring to shepherds in belittling terms. One passage describes them as incompetent; another says no one should ever feel obligated to rescue a shepherd who has fallen into a pit. Shepherds were deprived of their civil rights. They could not hold judicial offices or be admitted in court as witnesses. It was written, “To buy wool, milk or a kid from a shepherd was forbidden on the assumption that it would be stolen property.”

In Jerusalem in the time of Jesus, the rabbis asked with amazement how, in view of the despicable nature of shepherds, one could explain why God was called my shepherd in Psalm 23. Smug religious leaders maintained a strict caste system at the expense of shepherds and other common folk. Shepherds were officially labeled sinners, a technical term for a class of despised people. Into this social context of religious snobbery and class prejudice, Jesus stepped forth. How surprising and significant that God handpicked lowly, unpretentious shepherds to first hear the joyous news that the long-awaited Mashiach had been born.

The Good Shepherd

What an affront to the religious leaders who were so conspicuously absent from the divine mailing list. Even from birth, Christ moved among the lowly. It was the sinners, not the self-righteous, that he came to save. And, interestingly enough, though Jesus spoke of many occupations in his parables, the only job title he ever claimed was that of a shepherd.

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Christ is also the Great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20) and the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). No other illustration so vividly portrays His tender care and guiding hand as that of the shepherd.

On Friday we'll be examining the Mummers as we head into the New Year's weekend.

Until then, we wish you Peace and Blessings

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THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

A Cozy Fire Beside the Christmas Tree

Hello My Friend and Welcome.

Christmas may have come and gone, but the Christmas Season continues and so do our Christmas posts.

Christmas Day, known as the Day of Nativity in the Eastern Church, begins with the vigil Mass on Christmas Eve. However, Christmas lasts more than just a day; it's also a season, traditionally known as Christmastide. Unlike the mercantile Christmas season which begins sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving and ends at midnight December 25^th so as not to intrude on the after-Christmas sales beginning on December 26^th  the tradional Christmas season extends well beyond just a single day.

THE SEASON KNOWN AS CHRISTMASTIDE

Christmastide, however, has always lasted from December 25th until the Baptism of our Lord, which is celebrated the Sunday following the Epiphany. Nestled within Christmastide are two traditional festive seasons: the Octave of Christmas and the Twelve Days of Christmas. The Octave of Christmas (from the Latin octava, meaning eight) finds its roots in the Old Testament where many of the Hebrew feasts and festivals lasted for eight days. The Festival of Tabernacles, Sukkoth, and the Festival of Light, Chanukah, are two examples. Today the Church honors two festive seasons with an Octave, Easter and Christmas.

The Octave of Christmas runs from December 25^th until January 1st...eight days inclusive. The eighth, and final, day of the Octave is the feast of the circumcision. As stipulated in the Torah, the rite of circumcision, or Brit miloh was performed and the infant boy named, when he was eight days old. (Leviticus 12.3) Interestingly enough, the clotting factor only becomes active eight days after birth.

Victorian Carolers in Full Regalia

The Twelve Days of Christmas are counted from Christmas Day until the eve of the Epiphany, January 5th. Several notable feast days occur during this period. The first of these is the Feast of St. Stephen which occurs the day after Christmas. Known as Boxing Day throughout the British Empire, it draws its name from the alms box in which worshippers deposited a gift for the poor when they attended church on Christmas day.

IMPORTANT FEAST DAYS WITHIN THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

St. Stephen, you will recall, was one of the first deacons and his task was to make the daily distribution of food to the believers. The morning after Christmas, December 26th, the alms box was opened and the gifts distributed. We learn that this custom was not restricted to the British Isles from the Carol depicting a 10th Century Bohemian King distributing alms to the poor: Good King Wenceslas looked out on the feast of Stephen…”

St. John the Evangelist, commemorated on December 27, is the only one of the twelve Apostles who did not die as a martyr. Rather, John witnessed to the Incarnation through his words, turning Greek philosophy on its head with his affirmation, "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." (John 1:14).

On December 28, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Innocents, the children murdered by Herod. These were not martyrs like Stephen, who died heroically with a vision of the glorified Christ. They were not inspired as John was to speak the Word of life and understand the mysteries of God. They died unjustly before they had a chance to know or to will — but they died for Christ nonetheless.

In these Holy Innocents we see the agony of any who suffer and die through human injustice, never knowing that they have been redeemed. In them, we remember the victims of abortion, of war, abuse, and injustice. We renew our faith that the coming of Christ brings hope to the most hopeless. And, in the most radical way possible, we confess that like these murdered children we are saved by the sheer mercy of Christ, not by our own doing.

Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

TWELFTH NIGHT

The Twelve Days of Christmas ends on the eve of the Epiphany or, as it is appropriately called, the Twelfth Night. During the Middle Ages the Twelve Days of Christmas became a time of revelry and foolishness. The Shakespearean play Twelfth Night is built around this celebration of Christmas madness and features one of his many wise fools who understand the real meaning of life better than those who think they are sane.

In the United States, the celebration of the Epiphany has unfortunately become a moveable feast. It now comes on the Sunday between January 2nd and January 8th, which has lessened the awareness and festive significance of the 12 days.

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS IN SONG

And finally, while most everyone is familiar with the song The Twelve Days of Christmas very few people are aware that it is, in fact, an allegorical rhyme designed as a memory aid. The date of the song's first performance has been lost to history, but it is found in European and Scandinavia traditions as early as the 16th century. This was a period of religious persecution and each of the items in the song represents a significant piece of Christian teaching. The hidden meaning of each of the twelve gifts was designed to help children learn their faith.

The repetitive nature of the song and the way it correlates the number of days and quantity of items makes it easy to remember and repeat even by the youngest child.  The items themselves seem just eccentric enough, especially to modern ears, to make them memorable as well.

Examining the song’s allegorical underpinnings, we find that the True Love referred to in the song is God Himself. Meanwhile, the me who receives all of these wonderful presents is every baptized person. Mentally sing it again incorporating this new understanding of the words.

1^st Day: The partridge in a pear tree is Christ Jesus upon the Cross.

2^nd Day: The two turtle doves represent the Old and New Testaments.

3^rd Day: The three French hens stand for Faith, Hope and Love.

4^th Day: The four calling birds are the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

5^thDay: The five golden rings represent the first five books of the Bible, also called the Jewish Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,  Numbers and Deuteronomy.

6^th Day: The six geese a-laying are the six days of creation.

7^th Day: The seven swans a-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord.

8^th Day: The eight maids a-milking remind children of the eight beatitudes enumerated in the the           Sermon on the Mount.

9^th Day: The nine ladies dancing represented the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit found in Galatians: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.

10^th Day: The ten lords a-leaping are the Ten Commandments.

11^th Day: The eleven pipers piping refers to the eleven faithful Apostles.

12^th Day: The twelve drummers drumming are the twelve points of belief expressed in the Apostles' Creed: Belief in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, Made man, Crucified, Died and rose on the third day, that He sits at the right hand of the father and will come again, the Resurrection of the Dead, and Life Everlasting.

One of the recurring themes of Christmas is its central place in most family traditions. Over time families have developed individual practices about particular foods, the time when the tree is decorated or when the presents are opened, how the Nativity set is arranged, and so on. None of these practices are good or bad. The important thing is the sense of cohesiveness and continuity they provide for children. It’s surprising how often a discussion of Christmas around the water cooler devolves into a sharing of childhood memories.

An oft heard phrase these days is Pay it Forward. There’s no better opportunity to do just that than filling your children’s lives with many happy memories of Christmas. Don’t be afraid to start a tradition or two of your own. Someday they’ll thank you for it.

Next time we’ll take a look at the Christmas Shepherds

Until then, we wish you Peace and Blessings.

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THE BIRTH OF THE CHRIST CHILD

The Shepherds Visit the Stable

Hello My Friend and Welcome.

With Christmas Eve just a day away we take a look at the events surrounding the birth of the Mashiach, or the Christ.

An interesting thought crossed my mind the other day as I though about the Nativity and our habit of celebrating it on Christmas Eve with midnight Masses, etc. We measure our days from midnight to midnight. However, the Jews measured their days from sunset to sunset, hence in modern times the Jewish Shabbat, which is Saturday, begins at sundown Friday. So, if Jesus was born on Christmas night as depicted in Luke's story of the shepherds, in reality he was born on what we call Christmas Eve. But I digress...

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled…And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the City of David, which is called Bethlehem…”— Luke 2:1-4

FINDING BETHLEHEM

Bethlehem is located about five miles south of Jerusalem, on the east side of what was called the Patriarch's Highway that ran along the ridge between Shechem and Hebron. The city is the birthplace of one of Israel’s greatest kings, David. It was in Bethlehem that he was born, raised and tended his father's sheep.

Three miles to the southeast of Bethlehem is Herodium, an elaborate retreat, residence and fortress constructed by Herod the Great. Following Herod’s death, a procession of his servants, the Temple priests and his private guards, escorted his body from Jerusalem to Herodium for burial. Ironically, Herod was buried within sight of the spot where Jesus, whom he tried to kill, was born.

TRADITION MEETS REALITY

Upon further research and reflection, many of the traditions surrounding the birth of Jesus are found to have little basis in fact. For instance, Jesus was most likely not born in a barn, but in the home of a member of Mary and/or Joseph's extended family in Bethlehem. This misconception results from a mistranslation of the Greek word kataluma (κατάλυμα). It should have been translated as guest room, rather than inn. This creates problems when the story is interpreted based on Western culture rather than a Middle Eastern viewpoint. This error is easily verified by comparing Luke’s use of the term kataluma in the Nativity story and his use of pandocheion, a place of public lodging, when he referred to the inn where the Samaritan brought the wounded Jewish traveler in the story of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:34).

Mary and Joseph would have returned to Bethlehem to register for the Roman census/tax because it was the ancestral home of their families, which traced their lineage back to David and the tribe of Judah. Although they had settled in Galilee, their tribal roots remained in Bethlehem. Recent research indicates that a group of Judeans had returned from Babylon about 100 B.C., establishing such towns as Nazareth, following the Maccabean reclamation of that region.

Luke also tells us that when Mary went to visit Elizabeth she “went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah…” (Luke 1:39). With many relatives living in and around Bethlehem, it would have been unthinkable for Mary and Joseph to seek public lodging, if indeed any existed. In such a small village, family members would not have expected. or accepted, such a rejection of their hospitality especially in view of the imminent birth of Mary’s first child.

There is also no indication that Jesus was born immediately after Mary and Joseph arrived. The text, “…while they were there, the days were accomplished for her to give birth,” (Luke 2:6) could just as easily be interpreted to mean that His birth took place at a later time, perhaps days or even weeks after their arrival.

Typical Home In the Time of Jesus

THE WAY THEY LIVED

Most homes at the time of Christ had an interior guest room as can be seen from the above schematic. When Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem, they may have found the guest room in a family member's home already occupied, perhaps by other relatives who had also returned to register for the census. Arrangements would then have been made for Mary to give birth in another part of the house, presumably the family living area. Or more likely, whoever was occupying the guest room would vacate so she could deliver her baby with complete privacy. Either way, it’s safe to assume Mary gave birth to Jesus inside a family home. She also would have had a midwife in attendance along with some of her female relatives. It would have been unthinkable not to provide her assistance at a time like that.

Luke most probably mentioned the availability of a manger not to suggest any inadequacy in the conditions of Jesus' birth, but to provide a transition to the shepherds. Animals were usually brought into the lower level of rural and small town homes at night for safety, and in the winter, to provide warmth. If the house was truly overcrowded, the animals could be left outside and the area swept and cleaned. With fresh straw and a few utensils it would make an adequate overflow area. Recall how often travelers are shown bedding down in the barn in shows such as Little House on the Prairie, The Waltons, etc.

By the way, if the idea of having a stable area attached to the family home seems a little odd, even primitive, it isn't. A number of years ago while visiting the New England area, I noticed that many of the older homes where connected to the barn. It was a way to insure access to the animals, which needed to be fed, milked, etc., during inclement weather. At the time of Christ, the animals were probably stabled close to the residence for security against predators.

Returning to the Biblical narrative, the angels identified the manger as the place where the shepherds would find Jesus. Mangers were typically carved from stone and measured three to four feet in length. Its cavity, cleaned and filled with fresh straw, would be just the right size for an infant.

Since they also mentioned the cloth wrappings used for newborns, the angels might have simply been emphasizing the normalcy of His birth circumstances rather than providing a means of identifying the baby. In any case, finding the baby lying in a manger, wrapped according to common practice, seems to have caused no surprise to the shepherds or problem for the family members present. Jesus’ birth, surrounded by loving family members, reflected the customs of humble, First Century life.

Jesus entered this world in conditions similar to those common in his time and much of the world today. It was not the picturesque setting that is often portrayed in the Carols and Christmas cards, but it was also not unusual or squalid conditions either. To impose a Western interpretation on the circumstances of Jesus' birth distorts the reality of the event, the people, and the times. Jesus' birth in a local family home and his being found in a manger by shepherds is symbolic of his availability to all people, even those whom many of that era would exclude as we will find out in our study of the shepherds next week.

I'm repeating the link in case you missed the opportunity to read the Christmas chapters from my book WITNESS. Young sheperdess, Rivkah, accompanies her father to Bethlehem where she holds the newborn Yeshua. We have offered visitors to this blog an opportunity to read an excerpt from WITNESS, but it starts at the beginning of the book and ends with the shepherds heading off for Bethlehem. My Christmas present to you is a special excerpt that covers just the Christmas chapters. Combining the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, it begins as Rivkah prepares for her first lambing season and spending the night in the fields with her father. (She's especially excited because she now has a sheep of her own and this will be its first lamb. And, as if this is not enough, Shemu'el, the young man she believes she is destined to marry, will be there too.) The story continues through to the Flight into Egypt when Rivkah and her father encounter Miryam and Yosef as they flee, and into the following morning when they meet the Wise Men who are returning "to their own country by another way." Read it HERE.

Our Christmas post continue Monday of next week when we look at The Twelve Days of Christmas. By the way, I've assembled all of these Christmas posts -including several that haven't gone up yet - into an Ebook. If you'd like to have this material to refer back to in the future, it's only $3.99 in formats compatible with all popular Ereaders as well as for on-screen reading. You'll find it HERE.

Until next time, we wish you a Merry Christmas!

If you reached this post via a link, click the HOME tab above to see other posts and our archives.

CW BLOG CHAIN — GIFTS FROM THE HEART

Hello My Friend and Welcome.

 

Today’s post is our monthly installment in the Christian Writer’s Blog Chain. December’s topic is Gifts of the Heart…an appropriate one for the Christmas season. As usual, our focus will be on the writing life.

Isn’t any story worth its salt truly a gift from the heart, the author’s heart?

WORKING WITHOUT A NET

I remember reading about a famous comedian pouring himself a stiff drink before going on stage. Someone noticed and gave him a judgmental glance. He turned to them and said, “You don’t think I’m going to go out there alone, do you?”

The era of the hard-drinking writer has, thankfully, come and gone. There was a time, however, when the drunk writer was almost considered de rigueur. The prevailing myth of the time said the rigor of writing involved such angst and suffering that an author could only execute his or her craft when fortified by regular doses of stiff drink. In his book The Courage to Write: How Writers Transcend Fear, Ralph Keyes never goes so far as to prescribe alcohol, but he does validate the wear and tear on a writer’s psyche.

Why should that be?

WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW

We’ve all heard the old saw, “Write what you know.” We can take that admonition as literally as we choose. Insider information and personal experience can be a valuable tool for a writer. For instance, Nicholas Sparks lives in New Bern, NC and most of his novels are set along the southeastern Atlantic coast. John Grisham practiced law for a number of years and writes legal thrillers. Stephen King, a New Englander, often places his characters in Maine or greater New England. Similarly, I strove to develop a strong sense of place in both of my commercial novels. LOST is set on the Southern Oregon Coast where I have lived for many years. Much of PROMISES takes place in Appalachian Kentucky, a place where I worked and traveled as a young man.

Does this mean the dictum write what you know means every story must be set in a town remarkably similar to the one in which you reside? Does every main character have to have the same day job you do? Of course not! We write what we know by reaching inside ourselves and tapping into universal feelings, yearnings and emotions that define the human condition.

This is why Keyes talks about transcending fear. It can be a scary thing to tap into all the stuff, much of it negative, that we keep tucked away inside us…the unrequited love, the unrealized hopes and dreams, those embarrassing moments, the gaffs and goof-ups. Robert Frost said, “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader.”

Paul Gallico, author of the Poseiden Adventure, put it more caustically, “It is only when you open your veins and bleed onto the page a little that you establish contact with your reader. If you do not believe in the characters or the story you are doing at that moment with all your mind, strength, and will, if you don’t feel joy and excitement while writing it, then you’re wasting good white paper…”

In real life our sixth sense usually tells us when someone’s faking it. Guess what? If a writer wants to touch his/her reader, the situations, emotions and feelings, the responses and reactions have to be honest…true. Why? A reader can tell when you’re faking it. So the bottom line is, honesty is not only the best policy; it’s the only policy. An Indian storyteller clearly understood this when he told his audience, “I do not know if this happened, but the story is true.”

MAKING A VOW 

Okay, writers, hand on your heart. Let’s agree here and now to only write true stories. No Deus ex Machina, pointless plots, meandering dialog, meaningless scenes, and predictable endings. In other words, no tepid fiction allowed. By committing to dig deeper and write only true stories, we’ve come back to this month’s theme. After all, isn’t any story worth its salt truly a gift from the heart, the author’s heart?

Until next time, we wish you Peace and Blessings.

JUDAISM'S FEASTS & FESTIVALS - CHANUKAH

The Martyrdom of Channah's Seven Sons

Hello My Friend and Welcome.

In the Jewish calendar of Feasts and Festivals, we will be celebrating Chanukah this coming Wednesday. The Jewish Festival of Chanukah, or the festival of lights, begins on the eve of Kislev 25, and lasts eight days. It is the newest of the Jewish Feast and Festivals in that it was first celebrated in 165 BC. This year it begins at sundown tomorrow, December 20^th and ends December 28^th. It celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, purity over adulteration, spirituality over materiality. Chanukah memorializes events recorded in the Biblical Books, 1 & 2 Maccabees.

The Chanukah story begins with Alexander the Great. Following his untimely death, his Empire was divided among his generals. Ptolemy, for instance, took Egypt and most of the Holy Land. Seleucius took the adjoining area north and east of Ptolemy’s which included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Persia, today's Turkmenistan, Pamir and parts of Pakistan. Much of the eastern part of the empire was conquered by the Parthians under Mithridates I of Parthia in the mid-2nd century BC. Seleucid kings continued to rule from Syria until their eventual overthrow by the Roman general Pompey.

ANTIOCHUS IV

About 170 years before the birth of Christ, the Jewish nation was ruled by the Seleucid king, Antiochus IV called Epiphanes, meaning “Manifest of God,” although the historian Polebius, gave him the epithet Epimanes—madman— because of his cruelty . He tried to impose Hellenistic beliefs upon the Jews. He removed their High Priest and installed his own man, Menelaus. He then marched on Egypt. When Rome overpowered Antiochus in Egypt, a rumor spread that Antiochus was dead. The former high priest, Jason, raised an army and led the people rebelled driving Menelaus him out.

Enraged by his defeat, Antiochus attacked Jerusalem and restored Menelaus. He ordered his soldiers to cut down anyone whom they met and to slay those who took refuge in their houses. They massacred young and old, killing women, children, and infants. In the space of three days, eighty thousand were lost. Forty thousand met a violent death, and the same number were sold into slavery.

CHANNAH and HER SEVEN SONS

Channah and her seven sons were arrested and taken before the king. One-by-one, he ordered the sons to abandon their religion and one-by-one they refused and were killed. As they took the last boy away Channah told him, “Tell your ancestor Abraham, ‘You bound only one son upon an altar, but I bound seven.’”

YEHUDIT

Her story is told in the Book of Judith. While it is unclear whether her story took place during the war with the Seleucids, the Book of Judith is read in every Synagogue during Chanukah. Her city came under siege by a huge army. Rather than starve to death, the people appealed to their leader to surrender. The Jewish leader asked for five days before he surrendered. Meanwhile, Judith, a young widow, went meet with the general. He invited her to dinner and she fed him her homemade cheese and wine. He got drunk and passed out. In an act reminiscent of David and Goliath, she cut off his head with his own sword, put it in her picnic basket and took it to the leader of the Jews. The soldiers panicked when they realized their general was dead and the Jews defeated this army.

Judas Maccabeus Leading his Troops in Battle

ENTER THE HAMMER

Judah was the third son of Mattathias, the Hasmonean, a Jewish priest from the village of Modiin. He and his brothers led a rebellion against the Seleucids. He was a great general and defeated Antiochus’s armies though often greatly outnumbered. For this reason people began to call him Judah Maccabeus, Judah the Hammer. When the war was over, he and his family ruled the country for next100 years. His descendents are often referred to as the Maccabees or the Hasmoneans. 

 THE MIRACLE of the MENORAH

Once they were victorious, the Jews wanted to purify the Temple that the Hellenists had defiled. When they reached the Temple, they could only find one jug of oil with the high priest’s seal of purity intact.  Worse yet, there was only enough oil in the jug to last for one day. Regardless, they used it to light the menorah and this one day’s worth of oil miraculously burned for the full eight days. This miracle has been celebrated ever since as the Festival of Light, or Chanukah.

Lighting the Menorah in the Temple

CELEBRATING CHANUKAH

Chanukah commemorates an oil-based miracle, which explains why Jews eat oily foods to commemorate it. Some eat fried potato pancakes known as latkes, while others eat sufganiyot, deep-fried doughnuts. It is also customary to eat cheese since one of the greatest victories resulted from Judith feeding the enemy cheese.

During Chanukah it is also customary to give gelt (money) to children, so they can be taught the value of charity. During the Hellenistic oppression, the Greeks outlawed Torah schools, so the children had to study in the forests. They posted a sentry to alert them of patrols, and when the alert came, the children would hide their texts and start playing with dreidels (spinning tops).

By playing with a dreidel children commemorate the courage of those heroic children. A driedel is four-sided top with the letters nun נ gimmel ג hay ה and shin ש carved on its sides, which stand for the words nes gadol hayah sham―A great miracle happened here.

They also eat fried foods such as potato pancakes, latkes and deep-fried donuts, sufganiyot, and give children presents every night.

PRAYERS

Each day of Chanukah Jews recite the complete Hallel in their morning  prayer service. They also insert a special prayer of thanksgiving, V'al Hanissim, in the prayers and Grace after Meals. Every morning they read from the Torah about the inauguration offerings brought in honor of the dedication of the Tabernacle—reminiscent of the Maccabean re-dedication of the defiled Temple.

On Friday afternoon, the menorah is lit before lighting the Shabbat candles. The Friday night Chanukah candles must burn for at least 1½ hours. On Saturday night they light the menorah after dark following the Havdallah ceremony.

Tomorrow we will have our post in the Christian Writer’s Blog Chain. The topic this month is Gifts of the Heart.

Our Christmas posts will resume on Friday when we examine the events surrounding the birth of the Christ child.

Until next time, we wish you Peace and Blessings

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LOOKING FOR THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM

The Magi Following the Star Across the Snowy Desert

O star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright,

Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect Light.

Hello My Friend and Welcome.

Today we continue our Christmas posts by examining the lore and legend of the Star of Bethlehem.  Every Christmas choirs sign We Three Kings of Orient Are and, if they’re like me, wonder about the famous star that led the Wise Men to Bethlehem. Was it a natural occurrence or a miraculous event? Although it’s been illustrated thousands of times, each and every one of them is merely a guess. No one knows exactly what it looked like.  From our vantage point 2,000 years after the event is it reasonable to imagine this mystery can be solved?

STARTING WITH THE BIBLE

First, let’s look at the facts. Both the Star and the Wise Men are mentioned in only one Gospel — Matthew’s. Luke tells of shepherds and both Mark and John omit any birth narrative. We’re told very little about the star. The Wise Men arrive at Herod’s palace saying they’re looking for the new King of the Jews, “For we have seen his star in the East…” After Herod sends them on their way, “…the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was.” And that’s it.

Wait, you say. What about the fact that there were three of them, and they were Kings, and their names, and all that other stuff?

Magi in More Temperate Climes

HISTROIA TRIUM REGUM  

The rest is legend and lore that can be traced to the Historia Trium Regum, the History of the Three Kings, written by the 14^th Century priest, John of Hildesheim. Here’s how he tells it: “When the day of the nativity was passed the Star ascended up into the firmament, and it had right many long streaks and beams, more burning and brighter than a brand of fire; and as an eagle flying and beating the air with his wings, right so the streaks and beams of the Star stirred about.” Quite a spectacle.

He says the three Wise Men, named Melchior, Balthazar, and Gaspar, were the kings of “Ind, Chaldea, and Persia.” He says they met on the outskirts of Jerusalem having traveled from their own lands “in great haste.” From Jerusalem they go to Bethlehem and present their gifts. When the kings depart, they remain together until they reach the Hill of Vaws, or Hill of Victory, on the border of Ind. One of them has a watchtower there and that’s where the Star was first observed. Before going their separate ways, the three build “a fair chapel in worship of the Child they had sought.”

Mt. Palomar Observatory

DELVING DEEPER

Astronomers have speculated about the existence of the star ever since. Even with the assistance of computers, high-powered telescopes and the rest, the search continues. The first thing that must be done is pin down the date of Christmas. Not December 25^th or some other date, but the year of Christ’s birth. The ancient world wasn’t as precise about time as we are today. Also, modern society lives by a modified Gregorian calendar, whereas the events of the Nativity occurred under the Julian calendar.

There is, of course, no historical record of the Nativity, the Star or the Wise Men other than the Bible accounts. A carpenter’s wife giving birth to a child wouldn’t be noticed by anyone of any import. But there were events significant enough for the ancients to record. Perhaps the easiest way to determine a date for Christmas is to set a stake in the ground and measure, plus or minus, from there.

DEATH OF HEROD THE GREAT

The death of Herod the Great presents such an opportunity. Roman historian Flavius Josephus wrote that Herod died after an eclipse of the moon before the Passover. Still a little vague, it presents several possibilities. But most historians place Herod’s death in 4 BC. This puts the birth of the Christ child somewhere around 5 — 7 BC. The Wise Men would require some travel time, so the star itself could have appeared as much as two years before they arrived in Jerusalem. Having established a probable date range, we can begin the search.

Some scholars have imagined the star to be a comet, an object traditionally connected with important events in history, such as the birth of kings. However, records of comet sightings do not match up with the time of the Lord's birth. Others have suggested it might have been a supernova. Again, historical records do not indicate a supernova around the time of the Lord's birth.

Banks of Radio Telescopes Search the Skies

THE SCIENTIFIC POINT OF VIEW

Theoretical astrophysicist and Notre Dame Professor, Grant Mathews, set out to identify the star.  Two years of research led him to conclude that the heavenly sign around the time of the birth of Jesus Christ was likely an unusual alignment of planets, the sun and the moon. In 1604 German astronomer Johannes Kepler suggested the same thing when he proposed that the star was a conjunction of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in 7 BC. The advantage Mathews had over Kepler and others who have pondered the question in the past is that he had access to NASA’s databases. With it he could see any star ever made from the beginning of time, if he knew where to look.

All Mathews had to do was find a good candidate. Among the characteristics written about the star was that it appeared before sunrise and that it appeared to “rest in the sky.” Mathews found writings from Korean and Chinese astronomers of an event about 4 or 5 B.C. which described a comet with no tail that didn’t move.

He narrowed his search down to two possibilities: Feb. 20, 6 BC, when Mars, Jupiter and Saturn aligned in the constellation Pisces, and April 17, 6 BC, when the sun, Jupiter, the moon and Saturn aligned in the constellation Aries while Venus and Mars were in neighboring constellations. Mathews believes the April 17, 6 BC, alignment is the most likely candidate. He believes the Wise Men, being Zoroastrian astrologers, would have recognized the planetary alignment in Aries as a sign a powerful leader was born.

“In fact it would have even meant that this leader was destined to die at an appointed time, which of course would have been significant for the Christ child, and may have been why they brought myrrh, which was used for embalming,” Mathews said. “Saturn there would have made whoever was born as a leader a most powerful leader because Saturn had the strength to do it, in their view.”

SUMMING IT UP

So where does this leave us? Matthew admits that unless a document is discovered that allows historians to more accurately estimate when Jesus was born, it will be impossible to say what caused the light with absolute certainty.

There are a few other problems. Though the Biblical text never says so explicitly, it implies that only the Magi saw the star. The star also went before the Magi and led them from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. The path from Jerusalem to Bethlehem follows a north to south trajectory. However, all natural objects in the sky move from east to west due to the earth's rotation.

So in the final analysis, perhaps the Star of Bethlehem was never intended to be explained by science. Such would be the case, if it were a supernatural phenomenon such as the Shekinah or visible sign of God’s glory.

We shouldn’t be surprised. Christmas is, after all, a time of miracles.

Our Christmas posts continue on Monday when we’ll look at the Jewish Feats of Chanukah.

Until then, we wish you Peace and Blessings.

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SAINT NICHOLAS vs SANTA CLAUS

An Ikon of Saint Nicholas

Hello My Friend and Welcome.

Saint Nicholas versus Santa Claus. Hmmm, sounds a bit like a promo for an upcoming event on the Wrestling Channel, doesn’t it?

Let’s drop in and take a look…

Bursting with excitement, the announcer says, “Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen. You’ve tuned into the smack-down of the century, a match made in heaven. At the end of this evening only one man will remain standing. Who will it be?”

The announcer continues as the camera focuses on a slim wrestler in gold trunks as he stretches and tests the ropes. The white robe he’s wearing has a gold crown on the back. “Here we have the perennial champion…St. Nick. They used to call him Jolly Old St Nick, but we haven’t seen that famous grin of his lately. With his popularity tanking I guess he doesn’t have much to smile about. Even the church ladies have sworn off old Nick. Times change and today’s favorite can be tomorrow’s has been. I can’t help wondering if he’s bitten off more than he can chew tonight. Could this be the match that forces him into permanent retirement?”

Loud cheers and shouts interrupt the announcer. The sound of people stamping their feet reverberates throughout the arena. The camera quickly pans to the opposite corner of the ring where an overweight man in a red spandex suit, mask and cape is climbing through the ropes.

The announcer must shout to be heard over the crowd. “There he is, folks. This is what the crowd’s been waiting for…the man who thinks he can unseat Old Nick. The crowd is going crazy. Listen, they’re chanting his name. Santa...Santa...Santa...In all my years I’ve never seen anyone as wildly popular as Mr. C. They say he flew his private sleigh in especially for this match. This Mr. C is more than just a wrestler; he’s a juggernaut...an overwhelming force.”

The former wrestler who provides color commentary leans close to the mike. “Sure he’s popular, but when you stop and think about it, we know nothing about this Mr. C character. I mean, it’s like he’s been created out of thin air by the media. Who, or what, is hiding underneath that mask and red suit?”

The announcer shakes his head and grins. “Yep, he’s a man of mystery, all right. No one knows anything about him, but for some unexplainable reason they love him anyway.”

The bell rings and the two men step forward to meet with the referee at the center of the ring. The match is about to begin.

A Furr Trimmed Bishop's Miter?

THE FACTS ABOUT ST. NICHOLAS
St. Nicholas was born in 271 and died around 342 or 343 near the town of Myra in what was called Asia Minor, present day Turkey. At the time of his death, Nicholas served as Bishop of Myra. The story of how he achieved that office is an interesting one. During the last official Christian persecution by the Roman Empire, the bishops from the surrounding cities and villages were called together to choose a successor when the Bishop of Myra died.

Nicholas made it a habit to rise early and go to church to pray.

That morning an elderly priest greeted him when he entered the sanctuary. “Who are you, my son?”
“Nicholas the sinner,” the young priest replied. “And I am your servant.”
“Come with me,” the old priest said, taking him by the arm.

Nicholas followed him into a room where the bishops had assembled. The elderly priest addressed the gathering. “I had a vision last night that the first one to enter the church in the morning should be the new Bishop of Myra. Here is that man, Nicholas.”

Nicholas ended up leading his congregation through the worst, and last, official Roman persecution of the Church. Diocletian had been Emperor for 19 years when he began a widespread oppression of Christians in the year 303. Diocletian left office two years later, but his successor, Galerius, continued the harassment.

Nicholas was exiled and imprisoned during this period and only returned to his diocese in 311 when the Edict of Toleration ended the persecution. Two years later in 313 Constantine’s Edict of Milan made Christianity a legal religion. Nicholas is also said to have participated in the Council of Nicaea in 325, although his name is not listed among the attendees.

Nicholas was a friend to the poor and helpless while serving as Bishop. Following the admonition of Christ that “when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret;…” (Matthew 6:3), he moved about the city aiding the poor and needy without anyone knowing it.

The story is told of three young girls whose father couldn’t afford their dowry and they weren’t able to marry. Nicholas tossed a bag of coins down their chimney so that they would have the necessary dowry without knowing where it came from. By coincidence the girls had hung their stockings from the mantel to dry and Nicholas’s sack ended up in one of the stockings. This legend led to children in many European countries leaving their shoes on the hearth or hanging stockings on the mantle on the eve of St. Nicholas’ Feast Day, December 6th.

In addition to aiding children in need or distress, Nicholas is also said to have rescued innocent men who were falsely imprisoned. He became known as the friend and protector of all in trouble or need. He was said to be able to calm raging seas and rescue sailors in peril, causing his fame to spread throughout the Mediterranean area.

Centuries after his death, his bones were transported by sailors to Bari, a port in Italy. A monument was constructed over his grave and the town became a destination for those intent on honoring him. His fame eventually spread around to the Atlantic Coast of Europe and the North Sea making St. Nicholas day part of the European Christmas holiday tradition. The Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century slowed, but never completely eradicated St. Nicholas traditions and observances of his comings and goings.

Making the Transistion from Saint to Shill

HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS
He traveled to America with Dutch colonists who settled in New York. They called him Sinterklaas. In 1809 American author, Washington Irving, took the first step that eventually morphed the saintly Bishop into the blatant marketing tool known as Santa Claus. Irving’s satirical Knickerbocker’s History of New York made frequent reference to a jolly St. Nicholas-type character who was an elfin Dutch burgher with a clay pipe.

More damage was done in 1823 when a poem called, A Visit from St. Nicholas, was published. Better known by its first line, Twas the Night before Christmas, it tells the story of a man who awakens to noises outside his home and sees St. Nicholas arrive in a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer…all of which are named. Interestingly, the stockings had been hung by the chimney with care in the hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there…not on December 6th, but on December 25th! He was dressed all in fur, no doubt to protect him from wind chill while flying about in an open sleigh. His eyes how they twinkled, his dimples how merry…His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry. His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard of his chin was as white as the snow. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly pipe-smoking old elf.

Twas the Night Before Christmas

THOMAS NAST & HAPER’S WEEKLY

During the Civil War, political cartoonist Thomas Nast did a series of drawings for Harper's Weekly magazine based on the descriptions found in the poem and Washington Irving's work. For the first time, Santa moved into the arena of public opinion letting it be known that he supported the Union cause. Nast continued drawing Santas until 1886. More than St. Nicholas’ appearance changed during the 20 odd years that Nast did his drawings. His name, which had been the Dutch Sinterklaas or German Sankt Niklaus, changed into the Americanized phonetic approximation, Santa Claus.

SANTA, COMMERCIALIZATION, AND BLACK FRIDAY

It didn’t take long for this new Santa Claus to become decidedly commercial. Dozens of artists competed with each other producing Santas in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. By the 1920s the standard American Santa had emerged. A rotund, normal-sized man, instead of an elf, he had a flowing white beard, wore a fur-trimmed red suit, and though seldom seen with his pipe, continued to travel from his North Pole residence in a sleigh pulled by reindeer.

In short order this new Santa became a shameless shill. He willingly hustled any and all products no matter how silly or mundane. If you want Marilyn Monroe, James Dean or Elvis Presley in your ad, even though they’re dead, it’ll cost you an arm and a leg. Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck aren’t even real people, but you’ll still have to pay them a royalty. Meanwhile Santa Claus, who retains just enough of a saintly persona to make him marketable, comes free of charge.

Devoid of scruples and free for the taking, Santa Claus became the ultimate pitchman. Not even a saint can compete with that…as if St. Nicholas cares. The latest word is he’s decided to give up the wrestling circuit and enjoy a leisurely retirement spent occasionally visiting churches or answering prayers when and if he’s invited to do so.

Our Christmas posts continue on Friday when we’ll look at the Star of Bethlehem.

Until then, I wish you Peace and Blessings

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THE WISE MEN’S THIRD GIFT — MYRRH

The Wise Men Present Their Gifts

Hello My Friend and Welcome.

Today we examine myrrh, the third of the three gifts the Wise Men brought to the infant Jesus. If you missed our earlier posts in this series, you can see Gold, The King of Metals HERE and our post on Frankincense HERE.

Dried Myrrh

Like Frankincense, myrrh is a resinous exudate. It comes from the North African Cammiphora tree. It is also harvested by slashing the bark allowing the sap to exude and dry. Myrrh had multiple uses in the ancient world. It served as a fixative in perfumes to make the scent last, as an emollient skin lotion, and a salve for burns and abrasions. The word myrrh is derived from an Arabic word for bitter. It was also added to bitter wines to make them more palatable. However, its most common usage, and the one it is most often associated with, was as a primary ingredient for the Egyptian embalming process known as mummification.

THE SYMBOLISM OF THE WISE MEN’S GIFTS

I’d like to pause here for a slight detour. So much of the Bible can be viewed through multiple lenses. The process is known as hermeneutics. While there are many systems, I’m going to limit myself to only two points; the factual, or historic, meaning and the symbolic meaning. In the case of Matthew’s account of the Magi, the historical understanding is unambiguous.

Symbolically, the gifts are usually interpreted as Gold being indicative of Kingship. In other words, the Christ Child was destined to be the great King in the lineage of David, the promised Root of Jesse from Isaiah 11:10. Frankincense, known to the Jews of that era as levona, was burned daily on the altars of the Temple in Jerusalem. It was presented to him because of his role as the eternal High Priest referenced in Hebrews 7:20. The gift of myrrh has always been interpreted through its use as an embalming ointment, signifying that He was born to die for the sins of the world. Myrrh is specifically mentioned as one of the burial spices that Joseph of Arimathea brought to anoint the body of Jesus in John 19:39.

Harvesting the Dried Sap

THE DIFERENCE BETWEEN EMBALMING AND ANOINTING

With your indulgence, I’d like to diverge a little further and examine the process known as embalming. It was a method of preservation of the body practiced primarily by the Egyptians. In their system, all internal organs were removed along with blood and brain tissue. Other cultures of that day merely anointed the body with various spices before burial to slow the process of decay.

Embalming in the modern sense developed during the Civil War as a way to allow the bodies of fallen soldiers to be shipped home for burial. Dr. Thomas Holmes embalmed his first body in 1861 and is considered the father of modern embalming. His method consisted of injecting a mixture of arsenic and water into the arterial system. Arsenic effectively killed the microorganisms that contributed to decomposition. Formaldehyde replaced the arsenic in the early 20th century due to the health risks of arsenic, but Holmes’ process remains essentially unchanged.

This is important because people often say that myrrh was used for embalming and Joseph of Arimathea embalmed the body of Jesus. Nothing could be further from the truth. A primary tenet of Judaism is that the body must be buried intact. If the person has suffered a particularly violent death, his blood soaked clothing is buried with him. That was true in the First Century and it remains true today.

If you have seen The Passion of the Christ you may remember the scene in which Claudia Procula brings towels to Mary after Jesus has been scourged. Together these women sop up the blood that was spilled on the floor around the whipping post. This is a symbolic representation of what is mentioned above. In John’s Gospel he speaks of entering the tomb and seeing the napkin that covered Jesus’ head. It was a standard practice of the time to cover a seriously injured person’s face with a cloth to shield his injuries from view. It would, of course, have become saturated with blood and was therefore buried with him after it was removed.

Esther Approaches the King in One Night with the King

In addition to Matthew’s Birth Narrative, myrrh is mentioned a number of times in the Hebrew Bible. It appears several times as a perfume in the Song of Songs. It also has a place in the Book of Esther (Hadassah in Aramaic). You know the story. The King removed Vashti from the throne and begins a search for a new Queen. One of the women chosen to audition for the role is a Jewish girl by the name of Esther. Meanwhile Haman, the evil Prime Minister, is plotting to kill all the Jews. He has singled out Mordecai, Esther’s cousin and adopted father, for execution. She must go to the King and plead for her people. Interestingly, during Esther’s time of preparation prior to meeting with the King, for six months she received a daily anointing of oil of myrrh. Esther 2:12

Our Christmas series continues on Wednesday with the enjoyable and informative post, St. Nicholas vs. Santa Claus.

Until then, we wish you Peace and Blessings.

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