The Epiphany of the Lord s1

JANUARY 5, 2014

THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD he stage is set. We have met Isaiah the prophet, John the precursor, Mary and Joseph. The ‘fourth week’ consists of IS 60:1-6 EPH 3:2-3A, 5-6 MT 2:1-12 (20) three days as we welcome th e Jesus of history, the Jesus of the scripture as the Jesus of grace for 2013. as called to be a witness, and he did not know the Christ until after the ascension, so we are to announce the same message of the savior’s presence among us. The ‘word became flesh and He dwells among us.’ Unfortunately a waiting world is looking for something, not the someonefff week’ consists of three days as wHHHHHHHhe welco t “I am sure you have heard of the ministry which God in his goodness gave me in your regard. God’s secret plan, as I have briefly esu an apostle and set apart to proclaim the gospel described it, was revealed to me, unknown to men in former ages, but now revealed by the Spirit to the holy apostles and prophets. It is Please send your announcements and events to be included no less than this: in Christ Jesus the Gentiles in the bulletin to: are now co-heirs…members of the same body [email protected]. and sharers in the promise through the preaching of the gospel.” LET ALL CREATION REMIND YOU While we continue to celebrate the joy of the OF THE CREATOR Christmas event, it is good to pause and Whenever you see a flower or a blade of appreciate the significance of Christ’s grass, says St. Basil, remember how becoming one with us. St. Paul, who came to transitory their beauty is---and remember know the Lord only later on the road to that your earthly life isn’t much different. Damascus, tells the Ephesians (a city in Turkey today) that three things have I want creation to penetrate you with so much happened. admiration that everywhere, wherever you may be, the least plant may bring you the We come to share the inheritance won by clear remembrance of the Creator. If you see Jesus, the gift of grace and salvation. We are the grass of the fields, think of human nature, 1) coheirs, with special rights, privileges and and remember the comparison of the wise obligations; 2) members of the body of Isaiah: “All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is Christ, which we accept as being part of the like the flower of the field” (Isaiah 40:6). church of Jesus Christ, and 3) we are beneficiaries of the great promise given to Truly the rapid flow of life, the short those who accept discipleship in Christ Jesus. gratification and pleasure that an instant of It is worth our while to reflect on all three. happiness gives us, all wonderfully suit the comparison of the prophet. Today you’re The Christmas event is the source of great vigorous in body, fattened by luxury, and in joy, as our loving Father sent us a Savior. the prime of life, with complexion fair like The epiphany event shows us today, how the flowers, strong and powerful and of close Christ wishes to be with us, with the irresistible energy; tomorrow you’ll be an threefold secret of Paul now revealed. May object of pity, withered by age or exhausted Epiphany deepen our appreciation of by sickness. Emmanuel, God with us. Another shines in all the splendor of a brilliant fortune, and around him are a HIS WORD TODAY by Rev. William J. multitude of flatterers, and escort of false Reilly friends on the track of his good graces; a swarm of servants who crowd after him to provide for his food and for all his needs; and To all who have notified the office with their in his comings and goings this innumerable RSVP, please join us for an Epiphany Brunch retinue he drags after him excites the envy of in Casserly Hall today, January 5th following all he meets. To fortune may be added power the 11:30 AM Mass. We look forward to in the State, honors bestowed by the imperial seeing you and welcoming in the New Year throne, the government of a province, or the together. command of armies. A herald who precedes MASS SCHEDULE UPDATE him is crying in a loud voice. Guards right and left also fill his subjects with awe, blows, Beginning Monday, December 23rd , Mass confiscations, banishments, imprisonments, will be celebrated here at St. Joseph’s at and all the means by which he strikes 12:10 PM and 5:15 PM. intolerable terror into all whom he has to rule. And what then? One night, a fever, a The 5:15 Mass will remain here until pleurisy, or an inflammation of the lungs, January 27th. snatches away this man from the midst of men, stripped in a moment of all his stage accessories, and all this, his glory, is proved a My Dear God mere dream. A Young Writer’s Prayers Therefore the Prophet has compared human By Flannery O’Connor glory to the weakest flower.~~St. Basil, Hexameron, 5.2 My dear God, to keep myself on a course, I IN GOD’S PRESENCE CONSIDER… am going to consider Faith, Hope, and If life is so short and transitory, what should I Charity. Now Faith. Of the three, this gives be doing with that short time? Am I doing it? me the most mental pain. At every point in this educational process, we are told that it is CLOSING PRAYER ridiculous and the arguments sound so good Father, I know that all earthly beauty passes it is hard not to fall into them. The arguments away, and all things dissipate like smoke. might not sound so good to someone with a Help me always keep in mind that only your better mind; but my mental trappings are as truth is eternal, and that your truth puts they are, and I am always on the brink of eternity within my reach. assenting---it is almost a subconscious assent. Now how am I to remain faithful without Collection for The Catholic University of cowardice when these conditions influence America me like they do. I can’t read the particular Today’s second collection is for The Catholic depths of myself that say something about University of America, the national this. There is something down there that is university of the Catholic Church in the feeling---it is under the subconscious United States, located in Washington, D.C. assent---in a certain way about this. It may be CUA provides an academically rigorous that which is holding me in. Dear God, please education guided by Catholic intellectual let it be that instead of that cowardice the tradition to nearly 7,000 students every year. psychologists would gloat so over & explain More than 4,000 students directly receive so glibly. And please don’t let it be what they scholarship aid from this Collection, so jubilantly call water-tight compartments. including many from our diocese. Please be Dear Lord, please give the people like me generous. who don’t have the brains to cope with that, please give us some kind of weapon, not to defend us from them but to defend us from ourselves after they have got through with us. Dear God, I don’t want to have invented my EPIPHANY BRUNCH faith to satisfy my weakness. I don’t want to have created God to my own image as they’re so fond of saying. Please give me the 1 Jn 3:7-10 Jn 1:35-42 (207) 12:10 PM necessary grace, oh Lord, and please don’t let 5:30 PM Bud Thomason it be as hard to get as Kafka made it. Pax Christi Metro New York (PCMNY) me Lord invites you to its Peacemaking through the MONTHLY PARISH ACTIVITIES Arts Winter Benefit, Luke Live! on Sunday, January 26th, in St. Joseph’s Greenwich Sunday Village Church from 2:30 to 4:30 PM. Luke Children’s 10:00 AM Casserly Live! is a dramatic proclamation of the Religious Studies Scripture Gospel of Luke with music and discussion. Library 10:00 AM Discussion Fr. James DiLuzio, CSP, is its creator and Roman Forum Casserly performer. You can read more about Luke 2:30 PM Lectures Live! at the PCMNY website, 7:00 PM Casserly- www.nypaxchristi.org/news.html or get a Grad Law Rectory peek at www.lukelive.com. Donations benefit the work for peace of PCMNY: $25 Monday in advance, $30 at the door, $15 with a 6:30 PM Centering Prayer Church student ID. ~~Pax Christi Metro New York Tuesday

FEAST DAYS, SCRIPTURES, CITATIONS & SPECIAL Wednesday INTENTIONS 6:30 PM Korean Catholic Catholic Center Saturday, December 28 The Holy Innocents Students at NYU 1 Jn 1:5---2:2 Mt 2:13-18 (698) 12:10 PM Thursday 5:30 PM Sunday, December 29 The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Pax Christi Bd 6:30 PM 1st /mo PCMNY Sir 3:2-6, 12-14 Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17 Mt 2:13-15, 19-23 (17) Mt 9:00 AM 11:30 AM Vincent and Elizabeth Coogan 6:50 PM Bible Study B 6:00 PM Monday, December 30 7:00 PM 1 Jn 2:12-17 Lk 2:36-40 (203) Newman Club Catholic Center 12:10 PM at NYU 5:15 PM Tuesday, December 31 Saint Sylvester l 1 Jn 2:18-21/Jn 1:1-18 (204) Friday 12:10 PM Jose Arias—living Novena/ Sacred 5:15 PM 6:00 PM 1st/mo Church Wednesday, January 1 Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God Heart Nm 6:22-27/Gal 4:4-7/Lk 2:16-21 (18) 9:00 AM Saturday 11:30 AM Rose Arias 10:00-3:00 PM Soup Kitchen Casserly Thursday, January 2 Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen 1 Jn 2:22-28/Jn 1:19-28 (205) Blessing of the 12:10 PM 12:30 PM 1st/mo Church Friday, January 3 The Most Holy Name of Jesus Sick 1 Jn 2:29---3:6 Jn 1:29-34 (206) Alcoholics 12:10 PM 6:00 PM Casserly 5:15 PM Anonymous Saturday, January 4 Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton