tuesday after the epiphany

Tuesday after the Epiphany, this is how the church marks the calendar of today. It is the tuesday after the Epiphany before the baptism of Lord. We find ourselves right in the middle of two great celebrations" God's revelation to the gentiles as the Magi arrive on the scene following the star from above, wondering what will this child be and the Baptism of The Lord where upon his rise from the Jordan, Jesus that is, the words from heaven are heard, 'this is my beloved son listen to him.'


We find ourselves between the question of the magi and the answer given by the heavenly Father above. This is not a bad place to be. It certainly isn't the proverbial rock and hard place but rather a place of growth and warmth and goodness.

God seeks to bring forth the answer to the question our hearts seek to bring forth to him.

"my beloved son, listen to him."

And today in the first reading we encounter that passage of Sacred Scripture that has been advertised in almost every arena, found it self pressed upon many lips, memorized by many cerebral folds, and proclaimed as the marching tune that sets our hearts a blaze:

"In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins."

In this is Love

Here we finally find what we are looking for, love that proves itself to be true.

God seeks our highest Good even while we have fallen to a new low and thus in our sins he comes to pull us from the mud.

In this is Love

Chew on that phrase today. As we find ourselves half way between the question we ask and the answer that seeks us.

In This is Love.....

Today we also celebrate the memorial of Elizabeth ANn Seaton, a saint of the U.S. who for a large part is responsible for the parochial schools as we know them today. She was a woman of great vigor, energy, strength, devotion, faith.

Here are a few words from the saint herself

"What was the first rule of our dear Savior's life? You know it was to do His Father's will. Well, then, the first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly to do it in the manner He wills; and thirdly, to do it because it is His willl. I know what is His will by those who direct me; whatever they bid me do, if it is ever so small in itself, is the will of God for me. Then, do it in the manner He wills it"