Epiphany

Every Sunday, Bishop Edward Malesic writes a Scripture reflection for the faithful. Follow the bishop on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Magi saw him in the child of Bethlehem. He is the one who was born to set us free from our sins, adds a bit of light to our darkness, and leads us to our eternal home. In their quest for the newborn king, we can also say that they had not yet come to the end of their search. They would have faced bad weather, the constant threat of robbers, the dangers of the rugged Middle Eastern terrain, and Herod — who wanted to co-opt them for his own nefarious motives, but they would not be diverted or dissuaded. Yes, Jesus was first manifested at the annunciation to Mary and later to Joseph in a dream. With the death and subsequent funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict, we continue our time of mourning for losing such a great soul, but with the sure and certain hope that the Lord is welcoming him home.

What a journey it has been. And the story continues to unfold. ~2~. Speaking of stars, our younger son was named Student of the Month at his school in December.

One way to celebrate the Epiphany is by making a king cake, and one year maybe I will pull that off. I would love to do that. And the recipes do stretch me a bit, especially on a weeknight. In fact, I still have a few gifts to send. I love thinking of the magi following a star, not entirely sure what they would find, but trusting and letting themselves be guided by knowledge and faith. We are about to celebrate the

Matthew presents the Magi (Greek magoi) as Wise Men from the East and quite likely saw them as Zoroastrian priests who were practised in astrology, the art of ...

It is our way of partaking in the life Jesus came to bring us: ‘I came that they may have life, and have it to the full’ (John 10:10). Wisdom is beyond learning and the gaining of information. The Wisdom books of the Bible and Jesus Himself emphasise the fact that wisdom does not lie in control, selfism or specialness, but in being open to the Spirit in moments of mindfulness. The Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:2) also brings Solomon rich spices, gold and precious things – all of these are gifts fit for a king. Matthew presents the Magi (Greek magoi) as Wise Men from the East and quite likely saw them as Zoroastrian priests who were practised in astrology, the art of reading signs in the stars and heavenly bodies. Epiphany comes from the Greek epipháneia meaning an appearance or manifestation, and in Matthew’s infancy narrative, it refers to the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles who are represented by the Magi.

Faith time is our weekly conversation on matters of faith, and joining us this morning is Wayne Miller with Grace Lutheran Church in Mobile.

At a time when volunteer sacristans the world over were unpacking seasonal altar linens and taking inventory of Christmas trees, wreaths, and the all-important ...

These impulses toward understanding God’s revelation as given for all people everywhere are appropriate for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which begins Jan. No wise men huddled in the corner of the sacristy. They recognize Truth in an unexpected place; they are integral to keeping the child Jesus safe from malevolent forces, and they foreshadow Christ’s universal mission of salvation. Clearly, as seekers after truth, these Wise Men, Magi, Three Kings — by whatever name we call them — play a pivotal role in the Christian story of salvation. After a few months in the parish Father Ossola decided to move his presider’s chair to a different spot in the sanctuary. A long time ago, when Father John Ossola was the rector at Cathedral and I worked next door in the communications office, I could count on him to stop in for a chat and, often, an amusing story.

+ The celebration of the Epiphany (“revelation”) of the Lord is one of the most ancient feasts of the Church. + The original celebration of the Incarnation, ...

Because his death was directly related to the suffering he endured in prison, he is regarded as a martyr for the faith and he was beatified in 2017. + The Gospel of Matthew records that the Magi presented three gifts to the Newborn King. In keeping with long-standing tradition, however, the liturgies of this day also commemorate two other moments of revelation: the Baptism of Jesus and the Wedding at Cana (see

Happy Epiphany! And Merry Christmas! For now, anyway … With thanks to Estee Beka, Wendy Wilmowski-Tracy and the Catholic John Crist.

By SR. ANNE-MARIE BRITTAIN NDS Isaiah 60: 1-6. Psalm 72. Ephesian: 3 2-3a, 5-6. Matthew 2: 1-12. Sometimes it is called The Three Kings or the Visit of the ...

As we nurture our faith by committing ourselves to journey with the people, we also wish to nourish the perspective coming from the point of view of hope and struggle of the people. It is our constant longing that even as crisis intensifies, the faithful will continue to strengthen their commitment to love God and our neighbor by being one with the people in their dreams and aspirations. Maybe, as followers, we are being reminded of the way in which Jesus died which opens us to the full message of his time on earth. A bright star in the Ancient East was the sign of a significant birth; we are being tutored to pay attention to the story. Dreams are significant in the biblical tradition and their insights are considered valuable. The 3, however, following the wisdom of their dream, decide to return to their homes by a different route, avoiding Herod. Ephesians moves us into the Christian world of belief in Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. “If” the king saves the life blood of the needy it is a fulfillment of the covenant relationship. Paul speaks of his suffering, of imprisonment borne for the sake of the message. It is a challenging corrective to the all-pervading market economy. The accompanying photo connects the birth of Jesus (the crib scene), with his roots in the Jewish prophetic tradition. Power is to be achieved not by grasping for the most, but by caring for the least…

Providence Associate Alice Shelton lives in Indianapolis with her husband John. She is a graduate of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and enjoys her work as ...

I must pick up my gifts and myself and move forward toward the Christ child in the manger. What will I allow in my quiet prayer time to prepare me to see and know the signs along the way? A few days ago, I had a few creative thoughts.