大象传媒

Good morning. 聽The third day of Christmas, at least in the song, has something to do with three French hens. Over the decades I鈥檝e tried to understand this odd item but without any success whatsoever. Why hens? Why three hens? Why French hens? Why three French hens? 鈥� I鈥檝e rung up the changes and failed to unearth the faintest idea for this strange item.聽Today is also the feast day of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist. I鈥檓 on firmer ground now 鈥� this, after all, is one of the hand-picked followers of Jesus. He and his brother James are referred to as 鈥渟ons of thunder.鈥� They were capable, so it seems, of great outbursts of passion. John was also 鈥渢he disciple whom Jesus loved.鈥� So far so good. But how does the memory of John who played such a significant role at the time of the death of Jesus add anything at all to the remembrance of his birth?聽There鈥檚 no real answer to this question either. Until, that is, we step outside the demands of pure logic. It鈥檚 simply brilliant that Christmas is a time for silly songs, letting your hair down, having a good rollicking time. Three French (or Welsh or Lithuanian) hens will find their place in the merriment of the season. As will friendship. The little Jesus whose birth we celebrate will become the man for all seasons. And the John whose day is today will be one of the closest of Jesus鈥檚 friends, ready always to speak up for him, ready to go with him all the way to Calvary. The child is father of the man 鈥� we see in the infant Christ the man who offers his friendship to everyone.聽Sing out my soul, the greatness of the Lord. Let that be our song today, dear Lord, the kind of happy song that friends sing. Amen