Epiphany is January 6th, traditionally marking the end of the 12 days of Christmas; however, in many U.S. dioceses the liturgical celebration is transferred to the nearest Sunday. Epiphany is one of the oldest Christian feasts and one of the most important. Historically, Epiphany celebrated four things: Jesus' nativity, the Magi's visit to the Holy Family, Jesus' baptism, and Jesus' first miracle at the wedding feast of Cana. Each biblical event is a theophany, or epiphany, a special manifestation of Jesus Christ to mankind. The relationship between these events is beautifully described in this antiphon from the Divine Office: "This day is the Church joined unto the Heavenly Bridegroom, since Christ hath washed away her sins in Jordan; the wise men hasten with gifts to the marriage supper of the King; and they that sit at meat together make merry with water turned into wine. Alleluia." In the Latin Church the visit of the Three Kings is the primary focus of Epiphany, symbolizing the revelation of Jesus Christ as a light for the Gentile nations and the Savior born for the redemption of all mankind.
† Quote of the Day "If you ate only one meal a week would you survive? It is the same for your soul. Nourish it with the Blessed Sacrament." — St. Andre Bessette Today's Meditation "While other martyrs suffered by sacrificing their own lives, the Blessed Virgin suffered by sacrificing her Son's life—a life that she loved far more than her own. So she not only suffered in her soul all that her Son endured in his body. In addition, the sight of her Son's torments brought more grief to her heart than if she had endured them all in her own person. No one can doubt that Mary suffered in her heart all the outrages that she saw inflicted on her beloved Jesus. Anyone can understand that the sufferings of children are also those of their mothers who witness them." —St. Alphonsus Liguori, p. 331 An excerpt from A Year with Mary Daily Verse "But as for me, I will look to the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." — Micah 7:7 Daily Verse2 "And lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh." — Matthew 2:9-11 | St. Andre Bessette St. Andre Bessette (1845–1937) was born the eighth of twelve children to a poor working class family in Quebec, Canada. He was weak and sickly from his birth. When he was nine, his father died in a lumber accident; when he was twelve, his mother died of tuberculosis. He then worked at various odd jobs until he entered the Congregation of the Holy Cross as a lay brother at age 25, serving as porter for Quebec's Notre Dame College for much of his life. Andre welcomed and prayed for the people he met, especially those who were ill or suffering. When an epidemic of sickness broke out, Andre demonstrated the gift of healing. He gave all the credit to St. Joseph, to whom he had a great devotion. Over the years, when word of his sanctity spread, tens of thousands of people came to Bessette for prayer and healing. He worked all day to receive them in person or answer their letters. When his Order wanted to purchase land on Mt. Royal, Bessette buried St. Joseph medals on the property. The owners yielded, the land was sold to the Order, and Andre worked to have a chapel dedicated to St. Joseph built on the property. It is still in use to this day. When he died at the age of 91, it is said that a million people visited his coffin. St. Andre Bessette's feast day is January 6th. | Monday after Epiphany Reading 1 1 John 3:22–4:6 Beloved:
We receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit whom he gave us. Beloved, do not trust every spirit
but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God,
because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
This is how you can know the Spirit of God:
every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh
belongs to God,
and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus
does not belong to God.
This is the spirit of the antichrist
who, as you heard, is to come,
but in fact is already in the world.
You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them,
for the one who is in you
is greater than the one who is in the world.
They belong to the world;
accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world,
and the world listens to them.
We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us,
while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us.
This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 2:7bc-8, 10-12a R. (8ab) I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.
The LORD said to me, ""You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.""
R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance. Alleluia See Matthew 4:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness
have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
"Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.
His fame spread to all of Syria,
and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases
and racked with pain,
those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics,
and he cured them.
And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea,
and from beyond the Jordan followed him. | Daily Meditation: Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25 The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light. (Matthew 4:16) The dim glow of a nightlight can be so comforting. Not only does it dispel the pitch-black darkness of night, but it also illuminates obstacles that might get in the way if we want to leave a room. Light enables us to see the reality of the world around us. In today's Gospel, Matthew quotes the prophet Isaiah, who promises that the people "who sit in darkness" will see "a great light" (Matthew 4:16). In Isaiah's time, the northern kingdom of Israel was under brutal Assyrian rule. Though they lived in darkness, Isaiah prophesied that one day a light would arise—a child who would become "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:5; Matthew 4:16). By citing Isaiah, Matthew is pointing to Jesus as the fulfillment of this prophecy. Of course, Jesus didn't come to liberate us from foreign rulers; he came to set us free from sin and death. He is "the light of the world" (John 8:12) because only he can show us a way out of spiritual darkness. Only he can liberate us from the pain and confusion that have plagued our world throughout history. Think about all the ways that Jesus is the light of your life. He reveals the truths of the gospel and shows you the paths you should walk in. He opens your eyes so that you can understand how greatly you are loved and how you can share that love with the people around you. He helps you perceive the obstacles that stand in the way of your relationship with him. And he expands your vision to include not only worldly concerns but the promise of eternal life. If you are facing some kind of "darkness" in your life right now—something confusing or something you can't see your way out of—fix your eyes on Jesus. Even if you feel as if you are still in the dark, cling to him in trust and believe that he will lead and guide you. Jesus is truly the light of the world. As you follow him step-by-step, he will give you the eyes to see! "Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom. . . . I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me" (St. John Henry Newman). 1 John 3:22–4:6
Psalm 2:7-8, 10-12 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: | In the Holy Scripture we hear today: "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness
have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
"Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand."
He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people....." end Gospel quote, word of the Lord. | From Bishop Barron,
"According to Anglican Scripture scholar N.T. Wright, when Jesus said, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand," he was not calling attention to general, timeless spiritual truths, nor was he urging people to make a decision for God.
He was telling his hearers that Yahweh was actively gathering the people of Israel—and, indirectly, all people—into a new salvific order. And he was insisting that his hearers conform themselves to this new state of affairs.
In this gathering, he was implying, the forgiveness of sins—the overcoming of sundering and division—would be realized. In a word, the proclamation of the kingdom was tantamount to an announcement that the Gatherer of Israel had arrived and had commenced his work.
What is most remarkable about Jesus, according to Wright, is that he not only indicated this fact but embodied it and acted it out, taking in his words and gestures the very role of the Gatherer. Origen said substantially the same thing when he described Jesus as autobasileia, the kingdom in person...." End quote from Bishop Barron.
From a Spanish reflection,
"The dedication and adoration of the Magi teaches us the importance of offering our lives and our gifts to Jesus, recognizing Him as our Lord and Savior.
They offer him gold, a symbol of the riches of kings and men. Frankincense, used to give glory to God for its smell and therefore proper to a God and finally myrrh, used as oil to embalm the deceased and typical of a God-man who is going to give himself on the cross for all of us.
The warning received in dreams reminds us of the importance of listening to God's voice and obeying His instructions to protect us from dangers.
Today, the gospel invites us to recognize Jesus as King and Savior, to worship him with our whole being, and to follow his instructions to walk in his will and protection. So be it..." end quote, from Roberto Juárez.
What a great scripture to put us back into life after Advent, and after Christmas.
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand".
His Kingdom has come. Jesus entered the world and ushered in a clear sign of God's will, for God not only sent His only flesh and son, but God sent us His very heart as is evident in all the Eucharistic miracles we have experienced in the last several centuries.
Now, now we know what God wants, by listening to what Jesus our Lord and King wants.
He is King. He is the King of kings. We have rulers but all must bow down to the ultimate King.
And what is the first order of the day? Repent. Repent! His Kingdom is here.
Yes we are all baptized into Him, priest, prophet, and King, but we are truly subjects of the Head of the Kingdom. There must be order. There is order in Him, just like there is mercy, and grace, and healing.
And so, in Advent, prepared for the light. In Christmas, we received the light. And today, in the light, the Light Himself has spoken.
One thing that is amazing, is light itself. We need light to flourish right. We need light to grow. We need light to be healthy. Without light, we can see nothing. Without light, there is only death.
Our Lord not only invites us to be one in His Kingdom, but to be one in His light.
Not only is this a command or invitation, however you wish to take it, but it is a great gift to be invited into His Kingdom.
Lord, my God,
With You, there is no death, only light and life.
Help us be a Kingdom of light in this world, one united with You forever. |  audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Exodus 20:16 16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
