CHRISTMASTIDE AND EPIPHANY SECOND SUNDAY after CHRISTMAS Liturgy of the word Ecclesiasticus 24:1-2, 8-12. From eternity, in the beginning, God created wisdom Psalm 147 The Word was made flesh and lived among us. Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18 . Before the world was made, God chose us in Christ. GOSPEL: JOHN 1:1-18 The Word was made flesh and lived among us. Thought for the day I have just heard a BBC television announcer asking what you call this time of the year. The answer is fairly obvious: it is Christmastide – the twelve days of Christmas leading us the Epiphany. In many ways it is a quiet time. The hectic rush of getting ready for and celebrating Christmas is over. This year has been a quiet and unusual celebration with families unable to meet together. But these days of Christmastide provide us with the opportunity to consider the meaning of the Christmas story as we prepare to celebrate the Epiphany when God showed forth his salvation to the whole world. The readings of today’s Mass help us to do just that. The first reading, the Prologue to John’s Gospel is a profound meditation on God coming into our world as a human being. Christmas is not just about a baby being born in Bethlehem; it about the God who created everything taking flesh and living among us. The first words of the Prologue spell out magnificently what it means for us: In the beginning was the Word; the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things came into being, not one thing came into being except through him. What has come into being in him was life, life that was the light of all people; and light shines in the darkness and darkness could not overpower it. These words are central to our faith. Jesus is not just a good man who told nice stories and did wonderful things. Jesus is God; Jesus has existed since time began. His coming into the world was to give us new life; to be the light of the world. John’s Gospel is full of contrasts between light and darkness. It was probably written in Ephesus about the year 90, where a community of believers had grown up around John. It is interesting that our second reading which spells out what Christ’s coming means to us was written to those Christians in Ephesus. Paul makes a startling claim: Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ, To be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence, Determining that we should become his adopted sons, through Jesus Christ, For his own kind purposes. So, before the world was created, God knew you and me. He called us to be his children; to live through love; to be holy and spotless. This is the message of Christmas for you and me. In this world of ours we are called to share God’s life; to bring God’s love to our sisters and brothers. In his Christmas homily, Cardinal Nichols expanded beautifully on this: “… light penetrates this darkness. Have we not seen these months of difficulty marked by countless acts of random kindness, quiet heroism, selfless service, remarkable community efforts, all directed to those most in need? In our nature, in our make-up, there is an indomitable spirit of goodness that responds with sacrifice and love. It is the spark of the divine within us, the sense of a life in essence never private but shared with others, with the whole of creation. This spark is full revealed in the person of Jesus, God of God, Light of Light, born in poverty so that all may approach him. In him, the fullness of light and love comes into the darkness of our world, at present confused, disoriented, trying to feel the right way forward. In his life, he brings this light and love to the darkness of lonely suffering, to the darkness of torture and cruelty of his death. He brings a light and a love which overcomes all darkness and death, setting us free, as St Paul says, to be a people ‘of his very own’ having no ambition except to do good’” Turning to God in prayer: At the beginning of this new year let us pray to God for peace as we entrust our world to the loving prayers of Mary the mother of God's only Son, the Word made flesh: We pray for our holy mother, the Church, that she may care for all her children as she brings them the Good News of Jesus our Lord and feeds them with his life- giving Body and Blood in the Eucharist. We pray for all who are working to seek a cure for Covid-19; for the nurses and doctors who are caring for all who are suffering from the virus; for all care home workers, for health workers, and for all front-line staff who are serving our communities: that God may be with them to give them strength and courage. We pray that God may bless and keep all his children in his love, and give peace to our world: that through the prayers of Mary the nations will work together to share the vaccines with the poorest countries of our world. We pray for families everywhere that God may bless them as they suffer the pain of being separated from their loved ones, especially those on hospitals. We pray for families mourning the death of loved ones at this time We pray for all who have died that they may live for ever in God's kingdom with Mary and all the saints. We pray for our parish that, during this new year we may all work together to rebuild our community of faith and love, so that we may bear witness to God’s love made present in Jesus his Son. Let us ask Mary, mother of God, to be with us all, as we say: HAIL MARY…. Let us pray for a while in the silence of our hearts Concluding prayer God our Father, look with love on your people as we celebrate the beginning of this new year. Be with us at this time of suffering and sorrow, and help us to work for peace and love in our homes and families and in our world. We ask this through Christ our Lord, The Word made flesh, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever _________________________________________________________ Act of spiritual communion My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. The Year of Saint Joseph. (This is celebrated until December 8, 2021) Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen. Prayer of Pope Francis ___________________________________________________________________________ WEDNESDAY 6 JANUARY 2021: THE SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD Thought for the day Deacon Tom The feast of the Epiphany which we are celebrating is one of those feasts that have attracted all sorts of traditions. It was originally a feast only in the Eastern Church where it was kept as a celebration of the Lord’s Baptism which was seen as being the first of the Lord’s Epiphanies or manifestations of his glory. When the feast spread to the Western Church, it took on some of our celebrations of Christmas and became the feast where we commemorate the visit of the Magi, the wise men or astrologers who studied the stars and foretold the birth of Jesus. As time passed, the wise men became kings in some of our carols, and there is even one famous carol which has the three kings sailing into Bethlehem, which would have been quite a trick as Bethlehem is many miles from the sea. All these traditions in fact detract from the meaning of the feast which is the showing forth of Jesus as the Lord of all nations. The Magi, the wise men, were probably astrologers in an era when people believed that their lives were governed by the stars. They would therefore have been very important people. Now they see something special. An unusual star. And they sense that there is something important in this event. Too often we aren’t open to see a new light, a new message, a clear call, to pay attention, to do something which may change our lives for ever. The Magi follow the light. Their following leads them to an encounter with Herod. Their consulting with him and his advisers leads them not to a palace but to Bethlehem, where the light has settled. Unfortunately, the Herod they meet is evil. He is not interested in finding the new light. He wants to suppress it; to destroy it.