Greetings during this amazing Time after Epiphany,

The length of the season of Epiphany varies (depending on the date for Easter each year). It begins on January 6 and concludes on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday which begins our season of Lent (this year, Ash Wednesday is February 26).

The time after Epiphany, January 6, marking the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child is a time of “new beginnings”: annually the time for our new calendar; typically a time for church annual meetings (ours on January 26 following worship); a time for reflection on goals, personal intentions; and possibilities in our lives. The faithful explore aspects of the nature of Christ: of the Gospel stories of water to wine at the wedding of Cana, his teachings in his Sermon on the Mount; the calling of the disciples, among others, and ending with Transfiguration on Sunday, February 23.

Our Lord Jesus in our Sunday readings is teaching us the way of true discipleship. In the themes of light, they point us toward the hope and love only our Lord gives. He instructs us to cast out the darkness of hatred, selfishness, and fear. The heart of his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount is to love all others as we love ourselves. Jesus knows that this is not easy. He knows that we hear it, we read it, and we repeat it. But do we truly understand what it involves?

During this season let us all meditate on what it means to love others—especially those different from ourselves. It is so much easier to love someone who looks like us, talks like us, and agrees with us. But those others? Jesus even loved the tax collectors and the Roman soldiers—even those who crucified him!

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” So let us bear our Lord’s light of love for all into this world. May God bless you, as we journey through this season of Epiphany together.