A Sunday Thought on The Feast of the Epiphany (Or Is It the Day Before?)
The Novus Ordo calendar "forces" the Feast of the Epiphany into today's Sunday liturgy. Why do I say "forces"?
Remember that for centuries the Feast of the Epiphany was observed on January 6th - whether or not it fell on a Sunday. It stood tall on its own, and Catholics celebrated it on whatever day it fell. In some countries, the Epiphany has been the day that presents are exchanged (Do they still do that?), not Christmas Day.
Why mess with this tradition? My guess: It reflects an attitude that we don't want to overburden us poor folks in the pews. It's hard enough for us to trudge off to Mass on Sunday. So let's not ask - nay, require - that we leave the comfort of our homes, take time from our busy lives, to get to Mass on January 6th. Of course, we can't ignore the Epiphany, It's not some "minor" feast day. So we'll just force-fit it into the nearest Sunday.
Of course, you may have noticed that this "lightening up" on us poor folk in the pews has led to a lightening up of attendance at any Mass, not only on feast days. Who's attending Mass even on Sundays anymore? Where have all those poor folks in the pews gone?
But before we wonder and worry about those poor folks, what about us? It seems even those of us who consider ourselves practicing Catholics don't take our Sunday obligation to be just that: an obligation. Almost any excuse will do for missing Mass.
Don't get me wrong; I'm not judging anyone here. I've got enough to do to attend to the health of my own soul. And I don't really know what the thinking, or the circumstances, might be for any individual who misses Mass on Sunday. So maybe the point here would be more of a reminder: The next time you find yourself making an excuse for not attending Mass, just take moment to consider what you're doing.
Whether this Sunday celebrates the Epiphany (in the new calendar) or not (in the old it's the Most Holy Name of Jesus and the Vigil of the Epiphany), our Lord waits for us. Just as He condescended to live amongst us in His Incarnation (when Mary said to the angel Gabriel, "Be it done unto me according to thy word), just as He manifested His Sacred Presence to our eyes in a stable in Bethlehem on that first Christmas Day, so He remains Present to us now, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
His Presence remains in the Sacrifice of the Mass, in Holy Communion, in the Blessed Sacrament reserved on the altar. There He beckons us, each and every one. He tells us He is "there" for us.
Where are we? I hope all of us are there for Him.
So as this New Year of 2020 slowly unfolds, let's take a few moments to consider this Presence of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at Mass, at Communion, in the Blessed Sacrament. Think deeply about this, if you haven't recently.
Think deeply and you'll inevitably understand the depth of His love for us.
Love means sacrifice. Consider His Passion and Death: Who has ever sacrificed more than Our Lord?
And ever since His Passion and Death, He submits Himself to being sacrificed over and over - albeit it in an "unbloody manner" - on every altar in every Catholic (and Orthodox Catholic) church throughout the world. Every.Single.Day.
Let this sink in and the very thought that you would miss Mass for any but the most grave reasons will likely never pester you again.
Remember that for centuries the Feast of the Epiphany was observed on January 6th - whether or not it fell on a Sunday. It stood tall on its own, and Catholics celebrated it on whatever day it fell. In some countries, the Epiphany has been the day that presents are exchanged (Do they still do that?), not Christmas Day.
Why mess with this tradition? My guess: It reflects an attitude that we don't want to overburden us poor folks in the pews. It's hard enough for us to trudge off to Mass on Sunday. So let's not ask - nay, require - that we leave the comfort of our homes, take time from our busy lives, to get to Mass on January 6th. Of course, we can't ignore the Epiphany, It's not some "minor" feast day. So we'll just force-fit it into the nearest Sunday.
Of course, you may have noticed that this "lightening up" on us poor folk in the pews has led to a lightening up of attendance at any Mass, not only on feast days. Who's attending Mass even on Sundays anymore? Where have all those poor folks in the pews gone?
But before we wonder and worry about those poor folks, what about us? It seems even those of us who consider ourselves practicing Catholics don't take our Sunday obligation to be just that: an obligation. Almost any excuse will do for missing Mass.
Don't get me wrong; I'm not judging anyone here. I've got enough to do to attend to the health of my own soul. And I don't really know what the thinking, or the circumstances, might be for any individual who misses Mass on Sunday. So maybe the point here would be more of a reminder: The next time you find yourself making an excuse for not attending Mass, just take moment to consider what you're doing.
Whether this Sunday celebrates the Epiphany (in the new calendar) or not (in the old it's the Most Holy Name of Jesus and the Vigil of the Epiphany), our Lord waits for us. Just as He condescended to live amongst us in His Incarnation (when Mary said to the angel Gabriel, "Be it done unto me according to thy word), just as He manifested His Sacred Presence to our eyes in a stable in Bethlehem on that first Christmas Day, so He remains Present to us now, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
His Presence remains in the Sacrifice of the Mass, in Holy Communion, in the Blessed Sacrament reserved on the altar. There He beckons us, each and every one. He tells us He is "there" for us.
Where are we? I hope all of us are there for Him.
So as this New Year of 2020 slowly unfolds, let's take a few moments to consider this Presence of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at Mass, at Communion, in the Blessed Sacrament. Think deeply about this, if you haven't recently.
Think deeply and you'll inevitably understand the depth of His love for us.
Love means sacrifice. Consider His Passion and Death: Who has ever sacrificed more than Our Lord?
And ever since His Passion and Death, He submits Himself to being sacrificed over and over - albeit it in an "unbloody manner" - on every altar in every Catholic (and Orthodox Catholic) church throughout the world. Every.Single.Day.
Let this sink in and the very thought that you would miss Mass for any but the most grave reasons will likely never pester you again.
Happy Feast of the Epiphany!
Happy Vigil of the Feast of the Epiphany!
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