In The Twelve Days of...
Illustration
In "The Twelve Days of Christmas," we sing about "a partridge in a pear tree," and "two turtle doves." Ah yes, reminding us of the pair of turtle doves which Jesus' parents took to the temple for the purification rites not long after his birth.
One time, a Filipino bride came to a pastor to arrange her wedding to a Pakistani man. Anita had all kinds of good ideas. She wanted to have a rope tied around the two of them at a certain point in the wedding, to symbolize their coming together. Just as the planning was about finished, she said: "Oh, I almost forgot the turtle doves; we want two turtle doves on the head table at the reception."
That request was carried out. A pet shop nearby sold the church two doves for the event. They were there for the reception in the church dining room. When they were about to be released for someone to catch them (and that would bring them good luck, it was said), the pastor told a tall man, "You catch one and I'll catch the other. Then you lend me yours for church tomorrow morning, and I will give you mine after church, so you'll have both of them."
That was done. The next morning, which was the Sunday after Christmas, a gold cage with two turtle doves sat on the altar, and every so often they "cooed," a beautiful experience for the congregation that special Sunday.
One time, a Filipino bride came to a pastor to arrange her wedding to a Pakistani man. Anita had all kinds of good ideas. She wanted to have a rope tied around the two of them at a certain point in the wedding, to symbolize their coming together. Just as the planning was about finished, she said: "Oh, I almost forgot the turtle doves; we want two turtle doves on the head table at the reception."
That request was carried out. A pet shop nearby sold the church two doves for the event. They were there for the reception in the church dining room. When they were about to be released for someone to catch them (and that would bring them good luck, it was said), the pastor told a tall man, "You catch one and I'll catch the other. Then you lend me yours for church tomorrow morning, and I will give you mine after church, so you'll have both of them."
That was done. The next morning, which was the Sunday after Christmas, a gold cage with two turtle doves sat on the altar, and every so often they "cooed," a beautiful experience for the congregation that special Sunday.
