|
St
Mary’s Church Bocan 6th January
2008—No 6
The
Epiphany of the Lord
All kinds of everything
Someone once described
love as the ability to see butterflies
in caterpillars. I think that holds
true for faith too. The feast we celebrate
today, the Epiphany, is a good example
of that.
Epiphany, a strange sounding word
of Greek origin, simply means seeing
something, or someone, more clearly
than ever before. It’s sudden,
and it takes your breath away. Something
we are very familiar with we suddenly
discover has more to it than we thought.
Someone we thought we knew inside
out suddenly gob-smacks us into seeing
that we can’t take her, or him,
or anyone else for granted ever. Mystery
rules, ok! That’s epiphany.
We need constant contact with mystery
so life's richness isn’t diluted.
After their vision, the three wise
men in today’s gospel reading
[Mt: 2:1-12] have their dream. It
warns them to avoid Herod. Some people
can’t cope with mystery. Their
attitude is all wrong, their values
are all wrong, they are all wrong.
As the wise men avoided Herod, so
too must we, with whatever name or
in whatever form he may appear. He’s
the one who tramples on caterpillars
and thinks butterflies are for the
birds. Clearly, besides mystery we
also need our dreams.
Fr Tom Cahill SVD
Responsorial
Psalm
All nations shall fall prostrate before
you, O Lord.
 |
We saw his
star as it rose and have come
to do him homage.
|
 |
Today’s
Readings
First Reading
Isaiah 60: 1-6
Above you the glory of the Lord appears.
Second Reading Ephesians 3: 2-3
It has now been revealed that pagans
share the same inheritance.
Gospel Matthew 2: 1-12
We saw the star and have come to do
the king homage.
Money
Matters:
Weekly Offering, €2,080; ;
Development Collection, €1,372.
Thank you for your generosity.
All the sick of the parish
will be attended on Wednesday &
Thursday at the usual times.
Wise Words
“The things that we love tell
us what we are” Thomas Merton
Mass Times
Monday, 7.30 pm [Anniversary Mass
for Rose McLaughlin, Gleneely]; Tuesday,
Wednesday & Thursday, 9.30 am.
Monday—Friday, 11 am.
Saturday Vigil, 8 pm;
Sunday, 8.30 am & 11 am
Confessions
Saturday, 7.15 pm—7.45 pm.
Moll
Carn Drama Club are presenting John
B Keane’s “Moll”
in Bocan Hall tonight, Sunday, 6th
January. A very enjoyable night of
entertainment is assured. Doors open
at 8 pm and the curtain goes up at
8.30 pm sharp. Admission: Adults,
€10, children, €5 –
Don’t miss it!
Whist Winners
1st James McConologue, Cashel
2nd Father McGonagle, Parochial
House.
3rd Paddy McLaughlin, Gleneely.
Other Winners: John Duffy,
Derry; Betty Houten, Culdaff; John
Doherty, Carrowmore & Brigetta
Doherty, Carrowmore.
The Whist is on every Friday night
at 8.45 pm. Snowball this week: €40
for a score of 188 or better. Everyone
welcome
Active Retirement Club
The Active Retirement Club resumes
on Friday, 18th January in the Wee
Hall, Culdaff. Any person who is 55+
is most welcome to come along and
have a cup of tea - chat- game of
bingo - cards- dominoes- music or
dancing.
Carmelite Retreat Centre
Monthly Devotions in Honour of Our
Lady take place on Tuesday, 8th January
at 7.30 pm. All are welcome to attend.
Today’s Psalm
All nations shall fall prostrate
before you, O Lord.
Epiphany means the revelation of Jesus
to the world. The responsorial psalm
is a prayer that the new king might
bring true justice to the people.
In his days justice shall flourish
and peace till the moon fails.
The psalmist predicts that foreign
kings would come to pay respect to
this good king. The Great River is
the Euphrates on the eastern border
while Tharshish and the sea coasts
are to the west. Sheba and Seba represent
the south. The Queen of Sheba travelled
with gifts of gold and incense in
recognition of the wisdom of King
Solomon. There was a tradition that
her journey was guided by a star.
Matthew takes this story as a template
for the journey of the wise men from
the East who were led by a star to
bear gifts of gold, incense and myrrh,
in tribute to the new born king. The
Magi represent the coming of the nations
to fall prostrate before Jesus. The
child of Mary belongs to the whole
world.
Before him all the kings hall fall
prostrate, all nations shall serve
him.
Fr Silvester O’Flynn,
OFMCap
What now?
When the song of the angels s stilled
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with their
flocks,
the work of Christmas begins:
to feed the hungry,
to release the prisoners,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among brothers,
to make music with the heart.
The Months
January brings the snow,
makes our feet and fingers glow.
February brings the rain,
Thaws the frozen lake again.
March brings breezes loud and shrill,
stirs the dancing daffodil.
April brings the primrose sweet,
Scatters daises at our feet.
May brings flocks of pretty lambs,
Skipping by their fleecy damns.
June brings tulips, lilies, roses,
Fills the children's hand with posies.
Hot July brings cooling showers,
Apricots and gillyflowers.
August brings the sheaves of corn,
Then the harvest home is borne.
Warm September brings the fruit,
Sportsmen then begin to shoot.
Fresh October brings the pheasants,
Then to gather nuts is pleasant.
Dull November brings the blast,
Then the leaves are whirling fast.
Chill December brings the sleet,
Blazing fire, and Christmas treat.
Sara Coleridge
|
