Dear Parishioners and Visitors

We are still in the season of Christmas and today we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. It was fashionable a couple of decades ago to say ‘I had an epiphany moment!’ we seem to have got over that. This word epiphany is normally used to express some event, moment of inspiration or happiness that changed your way of looking at life. This only happened when you looked back and said, that was the event, moment or person that changed me. So, for example, it could be the success or failure of an interview for a job, reading a book which opened your eyes and mind or meeting a person. Matthew is the only gospel to relate this event. Three strangers come looking for the infant king of the Jews. First stop is Jerusalem, which was HQ and King Herod ruled from there. Herod got bothered and he called the people most likely to know if scripture had anything to say about the Christ. Sure enough the chief priests and scribes advised him that Bethlehem was what scripture spoke about. We know what happens next, the strangers from the East are sent off to find this infant Christ. They did, but did not return to Herod.

So what part of all this was the epiphany, this life changing moment? For the answer we return to the second Reading today.  Paul, writing to the Ephesians, tells them about “this mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit....was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, ... that the same promise has been made to them, in Christ Jesus.”

The epiphany moment was the visit of three pagan strangers to the infant Jesus. The significance of the event would only be recognised much later. The message is simple, God loves all people, Jews and pagans alike.

May I say thanks to you all for your help and support in so many ways through the year. I very much value the cooperation and friendship of so many. Thanks also for your creative thinking in gifts, cards, messages and extremely generous offerings at Christmas. I hope you had a good time; I certainly did.

-          Please collect cards from the porch table

-          There are copies of Bishop Kieran’s Pastoral Letter of last Sunday on the pale green sheet if you were away

-          I really wish to encourage all parents of 9-12 year olds who would be interested in a Parish Club for that age group to come to our [informal] information evening on Friday of this week, the 8^th at 7pm in the Parish Room [at the back of the Church where we have daily Mass]

-          Bible Alive for January is in the Porch £1

I wish you all the blessings of a peaceful 2010. May you experience health, joy and successful work. May the Lord reign in your hearts, in your relationships and in your homes.

Fr John