Today is the Feast of the Presentation . The Gospel is the story of when Mary and Joseph too the now 40 day old Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to God in accordance with the Jewish law. The story is also the fourth joyful Mystery of the Rosary.
As the Church joyfully celebrates this feast she reminds us that we also share in the mission of bringing God’s peace and good news to all people. Mary and Joseph, and the faithful, patient old priest Simeon and pious old lady Anna give us examples of joy and hope in God’s Plan. There is surely a lot of “darkness” in our society but rather than just complain or criticize we might be encouraged by the motto of the Christopher Movement: “It is better to light just one candle than to curse the darkness.”
Today we pray that our souls be filled with Christ’s light so that we may illumine our homes and our world.
Today is the Feast of the Presentation . The Gospel is the story of when Mary and Joseph too the now 40 day old Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present Him to God in accordance with the Jewish law. The story is also the fourth joyful Mystery of the Rosary.
As the Church joyfully celebrates this feast she reminds us that we also share in the mission of bringing God’s peace and good news to all people. Mary and Joseph, and the faithful, patient old priest Simeon and pious old lady Anna give us examples of joy and hope in God’s Plan. There is surely a lot of “darkness” in our society but rather than just complain or criticize we might be encouraged by the motto of the Christopher Movement: “It is better to light just one candle than to curse the darkness.”
Today we pray that our souls be filled with Christ’s light so that we may illumine our homes and our world.
John the Baptist proclaimed the Baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus was without sin (Hebrews 4:15), yet He came to be baptised by John. John the Baptist recognised Jesus as the spotless Lamb of God ( John 1: 29) and sought to dismiss His request for Baptism. John said to Jesus “I need to be baptised by You, and do You come to me? (Matthew 3:14). He then consented after Jesus replied, “let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness ( Matthew 3:15).
Jesus, the Perfect One of God chose to be baptised in order to leave His own examples for us to follow. The baptism of Jesus connected His humanity with the rest of humanity.
Though He was without sin, He took on the form of a man and identified with human experiences including the experience of being baptised, a practice He would later command of all His followers (Matthew 28: 18-20) "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Indeed, Jesus began His public ministry with baptism and ended His public ministry with a command for His followers to baptize others.
Prayer:
O God, whose Only Begotten Son
has appeared in our very flesh,
grant, we pray, that we may be inwardly transformed
through him whom we recognize as outwardly like ourselves.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Epiphany day is a traditional Christian festival. This is called the “Three kings Festival” and “Little Christmas”. Christian community celebrates this festival all over the world. It is said that three wise men followed a light and came to find baby Jesus and give him valuable gifts.
They offered the Lord their gifts of GOLD, FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH.
GOLD speaks of the Lord’s Kingship, FRANKINCENSE speaks of His Priesthood and MYRRH speaks of His death.
Indeed our Lord Jesus Christ is our King and our Priest who through His saving death and glorious resurrection purchased for us eternal life. To Him be all glory, adoration, praise and thanksgiving both now and forever. Amen.
Epiphany day is a traditional Christian festival. This is called the “Three kings Festival” and “Little Christmas”. Christian community celebrates this festival all over the world. It is said that three wise men followed a light and came to find baby Jesus and give him valuable gifts.
They offered the Lord their gifts of GOLD, FRANKINCENSE AND MYRRH.
GOLD speaks of the Lord’s Kingship, FRANKINCENSE speaks of His Priesthood and MYRRH speaks of His death.
Indeed our Lord Jesus Christ is our King and our Priest who through His saving death and glorious resurrection purchased for us eternal life. To Him be all glory, adoration, praise and thanksgiving both now and forever. Amen.
The title “Mother of God” goes back to the third or fourth century, but the Greek term “Theotokos’’ (“The God-bearer”) was officially consecrated as Catholic doctrine at the Council of Ephesus in 431, thus becoming the first Marian dogma. At the end of the Council of Ephesus, crowds of people marched through the streets shouting: “Praised be the Theotokos!”
This Catholic doctrine is based on the doctrine of Incarnation, as expressed by St. Paul: “God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Galatians 4:4).
In its chapter on Mary’s role in the Church, Vatican II’s Dogmatic Constitution “Lumen Gentium” (“Light of the People”) calls Mary “Mother of God” 12 times.
On this day the Catholic Church also celebrates the World Day of Peace, a tradition established by Pope Paul VI and confirmed by Pope John Paul II.
May he teach us by his example and obtain for us the grace to forgive our enemies and live at peace with them.
May he teach us by his example and obtain for us the grace to forgive our enemies and live at peace with them.
May the peace, joy, love understanding, and all the virtues of the Holy Family of Nazareth fill our homes.
To all our friends and donors, may our new born Saviour bless you and all your family members. May He enrich you with all the good things of this World and with eternal happiness in the World to come. Amen.
To all our friends and donors, may our new born Saviour bless you and all your family members. May He enrich you with all the good things of this World and with eternal happiness in the World to come. Amen.
