Dear Parishioners and Friends,
I have a bit of a dilemma. A friend of mine gave me a set of home-made ornaments for the little Christmas tree I keep in my sitting room. You can see it through the left-most window on the second floor of the friary. The ornaments are a dozen cookies of the characters from the Peanuts comic strip, all with a Christmas theme, as you can see in these photos.
My dilemma is whether or not to eat them! God knows, I’ve eaten my share of all kinds of Christmas goodies this year – thanks to many of you who gave us all kinds of wonderful things to nibble on! My quandary is that I know these little pieces of art won’t last forever, but I hate to have them end up in my stomach. Why does life have to be so complicated? Maybe Linus or Snoopy will help me decide. After all, they were the “wisdom figures” of the Peanuts gang.
Speaking of wisdom figures, today’s celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord reminds us of the three wise men who traveled long distances just to see and adore the newborn king. They have been given various titles over the centuries: from magi, to kings, to astrologers, to wise men. The Gospel of Matthew refers to them as magi, who were priests in Zoroastrianism and the ancient religions of the western Iranians.
I prefer the term “wise men” because their gifts signify deep, spiritual references to the future life of the baby they had spent so much time and effort searching out. Gold, frankincense and myrrh related to Jesus in very particular ways: gold for a king, incense for his divinity, and myrrh for his anointing at death.
But even more than the gifts and what they represent, the wise men were seekers; seekers of truth. And they found it in the One who called himself the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Wise persons will always seek after the truth, especially in the midst of falsehoods and confusion. As Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ is the source of all truth, even when it is uncomfortable to hear or grasp. And this year will surely be a time when we must strive very hard to know the truth, and to make wise choices.
As we come to a rather abrupt close to the Christmas season (the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord comes even earlier this year, being on Monday, January 8), I wish to offer many heartfelt thanks to so many of you who made our celebration of the Nativity of the Lord so beautiful and memorable.
Our liturgical celebrations on December 24-25 were well attended and full of joy. Our liturgical dancers, Church Street Singers, and the musical forces at our Mass during the Night on Christmas Eve left me in awe. From Mozart’s Sparrow Mass to Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus, it was a night to remember!
Thank you to those who helped decorate the church, and I’m particularly grateful to everyone who sent in photos for our parish Christmas tree. I received many comments about what a wonderful opportunity it was for parishioners to be able to contribute to the festivity of the tree. I have a few ideas for the next couple of years, so please stay tuned. We might need to get a bigger tree!
In the meantime, life goes on, and before you know it, Ash Wednesday will be here – on Valentine’s Day, February 14. That’s only five and a half weeks away!
Blessings on your week (and year) ahead!
Fr. Tim Shreenan, O.F.M.Pastor