The Ninth Day of Christmas

I am drawing a line under what has gone here before.  I am turning the page, so to speak.  I haven’t posted on this blog for about four years.  I’m back.

Today is January 2.  It is the Ninth Day of Christmas.  There are a lot of other designations for the day, but some of those are for another time.

Sunday morning during worship, I mentioned that I had spent a little time during my seminary days working in the stock room in one of the  now-lamented Sears department stores in Memphis.  I remember going in to work at 7 a.m. on the morning after Christmas.  Our orders were to take down every wall poster, every bell and wreath hanging from the ceiling, every red wrapping that had been used to make the pillars in the store look like candy canes – in the language of department store sales: everything must go!  The observation made by the store manage was that by the time of the 9:30 a.m. opening of the store, he wanted it to look like Christmas had never happened.  And when 9:30 dame, the appearance of the store was just that.

So, it is with a certain amount of joy that I observe the Ninth – but not final – Day of Christmas.  I am still wearing my Christmas neckties.  I still sport my Festive Socks.  I still have seasonal appointments in my study.  I am holding onto this season for as long as I can.  Christ the Savior is born!

I offer this prayer.  It is one of the collects for Morning Prayer for the Ninth Day of Christmas. 

O Lord our God,
by Your Word You created us,
and by your grace you sustain us.
May your love continually dawn in our hearts,
that others may see you in our actions,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.1

 

¹from The Daily Office: A book of Hours for Daily Prayer After the Use of The Order of Saint Luke for Advent through Season After Epiphany