9781644135945

The Christmas Cycle
His feet by His heavenly Father, and He guides and controls all by the touch of His hand. All
this we believe, and for this we adore Him. Christ “is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
of every creature. For in Him were all things created in heaven and on earth, visible and
invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers; all things were created
by Him and in Him. And He is before all, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of
the body, the Church, who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things He
may hold the primacy; because in Him it hath well pleased the Father that all fullness should
dwell [the fullness of divine life, of grace, and of glory]. And through Him to reconcile all things
unto Himself ” (Col 1:15–20).
Prayer
All ye works of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt Him above all forever. O ye angels of
the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt Him above all forever. O ye heavens bless the Lord;
praise and exalt Him above all forever. O all ye waters that are above the heavens, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt Him above all forever. O all ye powers of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and
exalt Him above all forever. O ye sun and moon, bless the Lord; praise and exalt Him above
all forever. (Dn 3:57–62.)
Feast of Epiphany (3)
Today by means of the sacred liturgy we relive the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles at
Bethlehem. “When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of King Herod, behold
there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying: Where is He that is born King of the
Jews? . . . The chief priests and the scribes of the people . . . said to them: In Bethlehem of Juda;
for so it is written by the Prophet. . . . Having heard the king, [the wise men] went their way. . . .
And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary, His mother, and falling down
they adored Him” (Gospel).
In the wise men who were summoned to the crib of Christ, we are to see the peoples of
all past, present, and future generations; but more especially we are to see ourselves. It is
we who have been enlightened and aroused by the grace of God to go in search of Christ.
Our holy faith is the guiding star which leads through the darkness and the troubles of our
earthly sojourn so that the wickedness of Herod can neither misdirect us nor terrify us. Our
faith is an unmerited grace. “You have not chosen Me; but I have chosen you” ( Jn 15:16).
Grace has led us to Him; grace has further revealed Him in the Gospel, in His Church, in
the holy sacraments, and particularly in the Holy Eucharist. We are ever conscious of His
living presence and His ever-present guidance. By means of grace we discover Him each
day more perfectly within ourselves, operating in us as a vine operates in its branches, or
as the head operates in its members, animating them with its own vigor and life. Yet a little
while and this star will lead us to a place where we shall find Him with His mother, sitting
upon the throne of His majesty, at the right hand of the Father. “The Lord hath appeared
to us, come let us adore Him.” How glorious will be that day when we shall be allowed to
gaze upon His majesty, without reservation, with complete security, and for all eternity!
This will be the true epiphany, and the consummation of our Christmas.
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