One more day! I can still wish you and your families a MERRY CHRISTMAS this weekend! Come Tuesday, the Christmas Season ends and we begin Ordinary Time (which is never ordinary because God became man, the Eternal entered into and sanctified time!).
For us Christians, Christmas begins on December 25th with the Solemnity of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ and it ends with the Feast of Baptism of the Lord (this year on January 8th). This is the Christmas Season! We should be greeting people with the words, “Merry Christmas” each day of this Season! One more day! Let’s hear it…MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Epiphany Sunday
Our celebration of Epiphany marks the visit of the Magi to the stable in Bethlehem, where they found the child Jesus with Mary and Joseph. They brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. What gifts will you bring to Jesus this year? Time in prayer would be a good thing – reading and meditating on the daily readings for 15 minutes each day or committing to an hour of adoration once a week or once a month with a few friends. Maybe a commitment to praying a rosary as a family Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday is a gift the whole family can bring to Jesus this year. We have heard it said each and every Christmas – presents and material gifts are wonderful, but time with family and friends is the greatest gift of all. This year, perhaps we as a parish can give the gift of Time in prayer to Jesus. Let’s each make a gift to spend more time with Him daily (and perhaps on a retreat or a conference (Men’s Conference on January 27th or the Parish Mission during Lent)). The Lumen Christi Adoration Chapel is a perfect place to spend time with the Lord Jesus!
Don’t forget to pick up your Epiphany Water and Chalk! The lovely devotion and tradition of blessing our home at the beginning of the new year comes this year to our parish family! The instructions on how to bless the home and use the chalk and water are provided in the bulletin. This one and all the many wonderful devotions and prayers help our faith become part of our daily rhythm of life. Think of other ways we can do this!
May the Lord Jesus bless you and your families abundantly this week!
~ Fr. Daniel Firmin