The Twelve Days of Christmas and More with Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen: The Mystery and the Meaning of How We Can Celebrate Christmas in Full

Christmas does not end on December 25 - it begins.

In The Twelve Days of Christmas and More, readers are invited to remain with the mystery of Christ’s birth and to enter more deeply into the meaning of the season as the Church celebrates it in full. Drawing upon the rich symbolism of the traditional Twelve Days of Christmas, this devotional volume uncovers the spiritual and catechetical treasures hidden within Christmastide.

With pastoral warmth and theological clarity inspired by the writings of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, these meditations reveal how the faith has always been taught not only through doctrine, but through song, symbol, sacred time, and lived tradition. Each reflection invites the reader to linger at Bethlehem - to ponder what has been received, and to allow the mystery of the Incarnation to take deeper root in daily life.

This book is not meant to be rushed. It is a contemplative companion for prayer, reflection, and renewal - guiding the soul beyond the Nativity toward a fuller celebration of Christmas as a lived reality.

Together with Advent and Christmas with Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, this volume forms a complementary companion - inviting readers not only to prepare for Christmas, but to remain with its mystery and live its meaning long after the feast has begun.

Table of Contents

Epigraph
Introduction: A Song That Taught the Faith

PART I

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: ENTERING THE MYSTERY

Day 1: The Gift That Costs God Everything
Day 2: The Silence That Speaks Louder Than Angels
Day 3: The Poverty That Enriches the World
Day 4: The Obedience That Undoes Eden
Day 5: The Family That Heals the World
Day 6: The Flesh That Sanctifies the World
Day 7: The Shepherds Who Recognized God First
Day 8: The Name Above Every Name
Day 9: The Blood That Was Shed Before the Cross
Day 10: The Light That Disturbs the Darkness
Day 11: The Kings Who Learned to Kneel
Day 12: The Child Who Sends Us Forth

PART II

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS: THE FAITH REMEMBERED

From Mystery to Memory
Day 1: The Partridge in the Pear Tree - Christ at the Center
Day 2: The Two Turtle Doves - The Word Given Twice
Day 3: The Three French Hens - Faith, Hope, and Charity
Day 4: The Four Calling Birds - The Gospel Proclaimed
Day 5: The Five Golden Rings - The Law That Leads to Love
Day 6: The Six Geese a-Laying - Creation Awaiting Its Creator
Day 7: The Seven Swans a-Swimming - Life Moved by the Spirit
Day 8: The Eight Maids a-Milking - The Joy of the Beatitudes
Day 9: The Nine Ladies Dancing - Joy Made Visible
Day 10: The Ten Lords a-Leaping - Freedom That Obeys
Day 11: The Eleven Pipers Piping - Fidelity When One Falls Away
Day 12: The Twelve Drummers Drumming - The Faith Proclaimed to the World
Conclusion: Every Day is Christmas

PART III

TREASURY OF CHRISTMAS MEDITATIONS FOR PRAYER AND REFLECTION

Enjoy over fifty heartfelt meditations such as:

God in the Unexpected Places
Christmas Is Not for ＂Nice＂ People
Fear Not - Joy Has Drawn Near
The Meaning of the Christmas Hour
Preparing a Place
God Comes in Silence
When Christmas Happens Within Us
Are We All Innkeepers?
The God Who Knocks
Remember the Child
Before the Manger
The Wood of the Manger, the Wood of the Cross
Because He First Gave Himself
When the Light Breaks In
To Make Room for the Gift
How Low Love Can Bend
If You Could Choose Your Mother
The Jesus We Choose
To Call God Father
Becoming Who We Are Called to Be
Christ for Every Season of Life
Loved First
A Love That Gives Itself
The Grace of Seeing Through
Do Not Delay the Visit of Love
The Gift That Cannot Be Earned
He Took Our Nature, So We Could Take His
Let Christ Be Born in You