Before new year sets, I was wondering upon seeing people in the market, keeping themselves busy looking for a set of 12 different kinds of fruits for their table for the new year.
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| 12 Round of Fruis |
According to them, that is a tradition to anticipate a prosperous new year. Everyone should prepare 12 different kinds of fruits and put them on their table as the new year sets in.
These 12 different fruits represent a month of bounty, a month of prosperity, and a month of happiness. The fruits should be sweet in taste and good to eat. Sour tasting fruits should be set aside.
I want to know the spiritual implication of this practice. I refer it to the Bible and this is what I found in the Book of Revelation, Chapter 22, verse 2 of the King James Version:
"In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." (Revelation 22:2, KJV)
As I analyze it, it clearly says that the particular tree is having a fruit every month (not of different kinds of fruits and not from different trees) and its "leaves are for the healing of the nations".
Does it say different kinds of fruits? Does it say different kinds of trees" Nothing. Isn't it?
I search more and this what I found that the Catholics have their own way of determining what are the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit. And I know them as Charity, Joy, Peace, Patience, Benignity, Goodness, Long-suffering (patient suffering over an extended period), Mildness, Faith, Modesty, Continency, and Chastity.
And I was being clarified from the point of view of Dr. Henry Morris in his "Tree of Life" dissertation. As what the Bible reveals in Revelations 22:2. He speaks about the tree of life which bares these 12 fruits. And there are "four wonderful truths" about this "Tree of Life". By the way, let's not be confused with the "Tree of Good and Evil" which Adam and Eve partook its fruits and were driven from the Garden of Eden.
Morris points these truths as "true wisdom" about Christ (Proverbs 3:18), "fruit of the righteousness" (Proverbs 11:30), "desire" (Proverbs 13:12), and "wholesome tongue" (Proverbs 15:4).
Now I know and you know the spirituality and the truthfulness of these 12 fruits a Christian should have in their lives, and not those fruits of different trees as most have taken it literally.
It's time to break this false tradition of beliefs on the twelve fruits concept or idea. And let the truth sets up free from this falsehood. Well, take it or leave it. It's up to you.
Happy New Year!
Source:
image credits: 123rf.com
Good idea you've posted this. This is one thing I hated from Catholics: being a catholic by "tradition" and not by "faith". Most of them go to Church but they don't even apply it on their lives. Some people do this and that because it is the tradition, but nobody dares to question it. Let me end this comment by leaving to you a thought that might struck you:
ReplyDelete"Philosophies are questions that needs an answer. Religions are answers that shouldn't be answered." www.lightyourbulb.com
Well if we are going to be factual about everything then we shouldn't be celebrating Christmas on December 25 as well, right? I do not mean to be blasphemous or to sound contradictory but we cannot choose to follow one tradition and disregard the others depending on what is convenient to us.
ReplyDeleteIf people want to put 12 fruits on their table let them be. The fruits are just symbols of prosperity. And sometimes we need tangible objects to make us believe. It's the same reason why people have idols in their churches, structures like temples, or trinkets to make them feel safe.
The important thing is what do you do with that faith? Following God does not happen when you are "in" the church. It happens right after you leave the church and live your life.
We've been following this tradition for the longest time and whether its true or not it still helps in a way we are channeling luck based on this belief.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I really don't care what they're for as long as I can eat them after the occasion... LOL that's also the reason why I choose 12 of my favorite fruits...
ReplyDeleteYou are reading, but you're not following the thought of what you are reading. It is so clear that it has no relation with the Bible teaching, whatsoever. That's why I am bringing this up. The 12 fruits that are being discussed here are the "fruits of the Holy Spirit", not the physical fruits that people use to buy in the market, mall or wherever. Hope it is clear now.
ReplyDeleteThere is no wrong in having 12 fruits in New Year, it is the people's belief that makes it annoying.
ReplyDeleteThis has become a tradition and not of spiritual belief, there is no meaning and surely the bible tells nothing about these 12 fruits during New Year's Eve.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this is what people already believe and it would be a hard thing to abolish.
this is indeed a neye opener for all of us! since we filipinos believed in this kind of traditions like forever! It would be much better to just foolw the truth about this hehe I know its hard but might be much better right? xx
ReplyDeleteFrom how I understood it, does it mean it's okay to have the same kind of fruit but a dozen of it? My nanay is a firm believer of this tradition and sometimes it's frustrating when she gets sad we don't complete 12 different round fruits. :(
ReplyDeleteThis 12 round New Year fruit tradition. I am pretty sure na hindi ito Catholic tradition. Correct me if I'm wrong, the Chinese have started it all. Meron kasi silang custom na they served eight (8) lang na round-shaped fruits. Eight kasi means infinity sa Chinese. Aside from this fruits, ang alam ko, meron din silang tikoy, hopia, at pinya displayed or served.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a Catholic house with Christmas and New Year tradition .My mama always make sure we have 12 diffrent kinds of fruit and grapes hanging on every door of our house every new years eve, until now they do it. But for me who has been born again way back in my college years ,don't believe anymore. Catholic beliefs made a big impact on them. Inaabangna ko lang dati, sana matapos na ang new years eve at lagot sa akin lahat ng fruits,lol.
ReplyDeleteI just find it only for the joy of collecting 12 round fruits - not just for anything getting into false hopes...
ReplyDeleteI believe that the 12 round fruits as dictated by tradition is not related to religion. Many Filipinos have been largely interested in trying to gain the material affluence of the Chinese who strongly believe in such symbolism. Some religions may be trying to connect to the level which can be understood by most thus the equivalent of the meaning of the 12 fruits in the religious aspect.
ReplyDeleteThis post might look simple but once you've started reading the content, you'll slowly realize that the thoughts are deep.
ReplyDeleteI always thought that the idea behind the 12 round fruits is from China. I never thought that it was about religion or so.
Anyway, my mom always make sure that we have a good selection of food on the table when celebrating the coming of the new year. Aside from the main dishes and desserts on the table, fruits are always present... not usually 12. My mom doesn't believe in such things. We just love fruits. :D
I could be wrong but I think it's also about the 12 physical fruits since it was mentioned in the start of the post. Anyway, I never really understood the reasoning behind the 12 fruits. Now, I know where or how it originated and what it symbolizes...
ReplyDeleteWhether it is true or not, having 12 fruits (sometimes more than 12) gives variety not only to our table but to our palates and lives as well.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Sir Gil. Let's spread Good Vibes this 2013. ^_^
Learned something new from your blog Sir Gil today. 12 fruits can also be read in the Bible pala, would love to read more about this topic. :)
ReplyDeleteThere is no harm in following the old superstitious belief :-) It is really up to you :-) We used to have that when I still live in the Philippines now that I live in America, I do not follow that anymore but I do prepare foods on the table :-)
ReplyDeleteI think there should be no problem following the belief. I thinks it's the positive thoughts we associate with the fruits we collect.
ReplyDeleteI've observed this tradition in my own family and never really understood it. Personally, I just think it's a symbol of having good and healthy food for the rest of the year; an optimistic gesture if you may.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, correlating this in a religious but literal way is probably not the way to go.
So it's got to be 12? Since I was a kid, I've always known that this is something a lot of people do before the New Year. They say it's a symbol of good luck. Although I'm not a big fan of the many traditions people do before the start of a new year, I have nothing against people who do.
ReplyDeleteI never really believed in any traditions like this.
ReplyDeleteIn my personal opinion, what i notice about people is that they are so much drawn to material things. They need to see something before they believe and devote. They made images, statues, symbols etc. Which is very wrong, we need to walk by faith and not by sight. These material things are actually drawing us away from the true meaning and strength of whatever faith that we believe in and people need to realize that.
I really doubt it that when people buy those fruits they are thinking about righteousness, wisdom, desire etc.
There's nothing wrong about placing fruits on the table before new year but let's not forget about the true and deep meaning of it all.
Happy New Year!
Great timely article Sir Gil. A lot of people are asking about it. And some are even practicing 13 fruits instead of 12. Happy New year!
ReplyDeleteEating 12 fruits daily would make us healthy! I say- let's not only buy 12 fruits every new year but every chance we get! Lol.. I respect what tradition or belief people may have about it. If it helps them, then let them be :)
ReplyDeleteI'm glad someone brought about this being a Chinese tradition. I think this is indeed and is not related to religious beliefs. We had round fruits on our table but they're not 12.
ReplyDeleteWow.. so it should be sweet fruits? tsss.. haha. now I'm goin to set aside those sour ones
ReplyDelete