The Twelfth Day of Christmas

The Nativity
Bernardino Jacopi Butinone

The Crucifiction  Matthias Grunewald

Resurrection of Christ
and Women at the Tomb
Fra Angelico          

Revelation 22:20

“Surely I am coming quickly."

Amen. 


      




Even so, 
come, Lord Jesus! 

The Last Judgement  Rogier Van der Weyden

The Eleventh Day of Christmas

The Madonna
Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato

John 1:14 and 16-17

And the Word became flesh 

and dwelt among us, 

and we beheld His glory, 
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, 

The Resurrection  Carl Heinrich Bloch

full of grace and truth. 

And of His fullness we have all received, 

and grace for grace. 

For the law was given 
through Moses,

but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The Tenth Day of Christmas

Paradise  Jan Brueghel the Younger

John 1:1-5

In the beginning was the Word, 

and the Word was with God, 

and the Word was God. 

He was in the beginning with God. 

All things were made through Him, 

and without Him nothing was made 
that was made.

Nativity Scene of Hope
Rembrandt van Rijn

In Him was life, 

and the life was the light of men.

And the light shines in the darkness, 

and the darkness did not comprehend it.

The Ninth Day of Christmas

Crucifiction Triptych  Joos Van Gent 

The Nativity  Robert Campin

Nativity
Jean Baptiste Marie Pierre

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given; 

And the government will be upon His shoulder. 

And His name will be called 

Wonderful, 

Counselor, 

Mighty God, 

Everlasting Father, 

Prince of Peace.

The Eighth Day of Christmas

Presentation on the Temple  Lorenzo Lotto

Luke 2:21

And when eight days were completed 

for the circumcision of the Child,

His name was called JESUS, 

the name given by the angel 

before He was conceived in the womb.

The Seventh Day of Christmas

Nativity  Lorenzo the Elder Costa

Matthew 1:22-25

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled 

which was spoken by the Lord 

Dream of St. Joseph  Francisco de Goya

through the prophet, saying: 

“Behold, 
the virgin shall be with child, 

and bear a Son, 

and they shall call His name Immanuel,” 

which is translated, “God with us.” 

Then Joseph, 
being aroused from sleep, 

did as the angel of the Lord commanded him 

and took to him his wife,

and did not know her 
till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.

And he called His name JESUS.

The Sixth Day of Christmas

The Dream of St. Joseph  Jacques Stella

Matthew 1:20-21

But while he thought about these things, 

behold, an angel of the Lord 

Joseph's Dream  Gaetano Gandolfi

appeared to him in a dream, saying, 

“Joseph, son of David, 
do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, 

for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 

And she will bring forth a Son, 

and you shall call His name JESUS, 

for He will save His people from their sins.” 

The Fifth Day of Christmas

The Anxiety of Saint Joseph  James Tissot

Matthew 1:18-19

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: 

After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, 

before they came together, 

she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 

Then Joseph her husband, 

being a just man,

and not wanting to make her a public example, 

was minded to put her away secretly.

The Fourth Day of Christmas

Shepherds  Joachim Wtewaar

Luke 2:17-20

Song of the Angels
William-Adolphe Bougereau

Now when they had seen Him, 

they made widely known 

the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 

And all those who heard it 

Nativity
Jacob Cornelisz van Oostsanen

marveled at those things 
which were told them 
by the shepherds. 

But Mary kept all these things 
and pondered them in her heart. 

Then the shepherds returned, 

glorifying and praising God 

for all the things 
that they had heard and seen, 

as it was told them.

The Third Day of Christmas

The Nativity  William Bell Scott

The Nativity and Adoration of the Shepherds
Giotto Di Bondone

Luke 2:15-16

So it was, 

when the angels 
had gone away from them

Adoration of the Shepherds
Gerard van Honthorst

 into heaven, 
that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem

 and see this thing 
that has come to pass, 

which the Lord 
has made known to us.” 

And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, 

and the Babe lying in a manger. 

The Second Day of Christmas

Angels Announcing Christ's Birth to the Shepherds  Govert Flinck

Angels Announcing the Birth of our Savior
Benjamin West

Luke 2:8-1

Now there were in the same country 

shepherds living out in the fields, 

keeping watch over their flock by night. 

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them,

and the glory of the Lord shone around them,

and they were greatly afraid. 

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, 

Nativity Scene  Anton Raphael Mengs

for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, 
who is Christ the Lord. 

And this will be the sign to you: 

You will find a Babe 
wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 

And suddenly there was with the angel 
a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 

“ Glory to God in the highest, 

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

The First Day of Christmas

The Number ing at Bethlehem   Pieter Bruegel the Elder 

St. Joseph Seeks Lodging  James Tissot

Luke 2 1-6 

And it came to pass in those days 

that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus 

that all the world should be registered. 

This census first took place 
while Quirinius was governing Syria. 

So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth,

 into Judea, to the city of David, 
which is called Bethlehem, 

Nativity  Lorenzo Lotto

because he was of the house 
and lineage of David, 

to be registered with Mary, 
his betrothed wife, who was with child. 

So it was, that while they were there, 

the days were completed for her to be delivered. 

And she brought forth her firstborn Son, 

and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, 

and laid Him in a manger, 

because there was no room for them in the inn.

Divine Intervention

The Crossing of the Red Sea  Bernadino Luini

Miriam's Song

      from Exodus 15:21

Sing to the LORD,
             for he is highly exalted.
     Both horse and driver
                  he has hurled into the sea.

Love to Read

Rembrandt's Mother as the Biblical Prophetess Hannah  Rembrandt van Rijn

There is no Frigate like a Book

                                          by Emily Dickinson

There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!

Blowsy Weather

The Storm on the Sea of Galilee  Rembrandt van Rijn

A Wet Sheet and a Flowing Sea 

                             by Allan Cunningham
A wet sheet and a flowing sea,
A wind that follows fast
And fills the white and rustling sail
And bends the gallant mast;
And bends the gallant mast, my boys,
While like the eagle free
Away the good ship flies, and leaves
Old England on the lee.

"O for a soft and gentle wind!"
I heard a fair one cry:
But give to me the snoring breeze
And white waves heaving high;
And white waves heaving high, my lads,
The good ship tight and free—
The world of waters is our home,
And merry men are we.

There's tempest in yon hornèd moon,
And lightning in yon cloud:
But hark the music, mariners!
The wind is piping loud;
The wind is piping loud, my boys,
The lightning flashes free—
While the hollow oak our palace is,
Our heritage the sea.

Abundant Fruit

Autumn: The Grapes from the Promised Land  Nicolas Poussin

from the Farmer's Almanac, 1818

Autumn arrives, array'd in splendid mein;
Vines, cluster'd full, add to the beauteous scene,
And fruit-trees cloth'd profusely laden, nod,
Complaint bowing to the fertile sod.