Epiphany

 

 

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 

'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Matthew 2:1-12

 

Adoration of the Three Kings

FABRIANO, Gentile, da

Galleria degli Uffizi

Florence

Italy

http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib-fulldisplay.pl?SID=20190102885434946&code=act&RC=46684&Row=23

or

http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib-viewimage.pl?SID=20190102885434946&code=act&RC=46684&Row=&code=act&return=act

 

If you are interested in reading about it, 

A Closer Look:

https://aleteia.org/2018/01/04/a-closer-look-at-the-adoration-of-the-magi-by-gentile-da-fabriano/

 

 

 

 

 

 

The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur 

when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled.

For it is only in such moments,

propelled by our discomfort,

that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start 

searching for different ways or truer answers.

~ M. Scott Peck

 

 

 

Live with skillful nonchalance

and ceaseless concern.

~ Prajnaparamita Sutra

 

   

 

 

 

New Year’s Day

The Linke’s had a New Year’s Day Slipper Brunch!

Their stocking collection for each child and grandchild has stopped for a few years.

 

Harold and Deborah Linke

hosted the lovely and delicious brunch!

 

Friday Morning Rotary

Sondra Kellogg brought her daughter, Jen Pennell, and her granddaughter, Amelia,

to Rotary on Friday.

 

 

 

 

 

The Work of Christmas

When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and the princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among brothers,

To make music in the heart.

~ Howard Thurman 

 

 

 

 

 

January 6, 2019   Epiphany Year C           

 

Previous OPQs may be found at: 

 

 

 

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

Related image

 

 

See a slide show for Sunday’s Lectionary:

https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/slides/Cx_EpiphanyoftheLord.pdf

 

 

 

Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 60:1-6

Arise, shine;
   for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord
   has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
   and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise 
   upon you,
and his glory will appear 
   over you.
Nations shall come 
   to your light,
and kings to the brightness 
   of your dawn.

Lift up your eyes
   and look around;
they all gather together,
   they come to you;
your sons shall come
   from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried
   on their nurses' arms.

Then you shall see
   and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill
   and rejoice,
because the abundance 
   of the sea
shall be brought 
   to you,
the wealth of the nations
   shall come to you.

A multitude of camels
   shall cover you,
the young camels 
   of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba 
   shall come.
They shall bring gold 
   and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise 
   of the Lord.

Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14

Give the ruler your justice, 
   O God,
and your righteousness 
   to a ruler's heir.

May the ruler judge your people
   with righteousness,
and your poor 
   with justice.

May the mountains yield prosperity
   for the people,
and the hills, 
   in righteousness.

May the ruler defend the cause
   of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the needy,
   and crush the oppressor.

May the ruler live
   while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon,
   throughout all generations.

May the ruler be like rain
   that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water 
   the earth.

In the ruler's days
   may righteousness flourish
and peace abound,
   until the moon is no more.

May the monarchs of Tarshish
   and of the isles
render the ruler tribute,
   may the monarch of Sheba and Seba 
bring gifts.

May all monarchs fall down 
   before the ruler,
all nations give the ruler 
   service.

For the ruler delivers the needy 
   when they call,
the poor and those 
   who have no helper.

The ruler has pity on the weak 
   and the needy,
and saves the lives 
   of the needy.

From oppression and violence
   the ruler redeems their life;
and precious is their blood
   in the ruler's sight.

Ephesians 3:1-12

This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles — for surely you have already heard of the commission of God's grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God's grace that was given me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

Matthew 2:1-12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 

'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.