If you’re anything like me, you might have still found scraps of Christmas lying around when you were getting ready to help your children with a school Valentine’s Day celebration. It’s still cold in most parts of the country, and we might still feel a bit of a holiday hangover when we’re not quite sure what to do with ourselves in the days following the Feast of the Epiphany.
‘They forgot to bring Joseph!’ I frantically whispered to one of the ushers last Christmas Eve
Very little is known about Saint Matthias, as he is only mentioned in the first chapter of Acts when he is elected to replace Judas as an Apostle. Early church fathers believe that he was among the 72 sent out by Jesus, but the only thing we know for sure about Matthias is this: he followed Jesus from the beginning and was present throughout the ministry of Jesus.
Today, eight days into the Christmas season, the Episcopal Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Name. We celebrate this feast day on January 1st each year because it’s the day when Jesus was named by his parents and circumcised.
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him
Dear Thomas, As we celebrate your feast day today I can’t help but cringe when I think about the number of times I’ve heard people chide the use of your modern-day nickname “Doubting Thomas.” As much as I’d rather not admit it, I, too, have declared from the pulpit that it’s demeaning and unfair to emphasize your apparent skepticism surrounding Jesus’ resurrection.
The name Lucy means light. She is a light, but more importantly she points us to the light of Christ. In the literal darkness we face every year at this time and in the greater darkness we face in our lives and in the world, Lucy reminds us that the light of Christ shines in the midst of it all, and the darkness does not overcome it.
Saint Andrew shows us we do have gifts to offer within ourselves and others, however big or small, and we can bring them forward to help feed, heal and bless those around us. And like Andrew, we can hold tight to our faith that no matter what we offer, our offerings are enough for God to work with and make miracles happen in this broken world.
A very long time passed between the day we buried my father and the installation of a headstone on his
My boys and I adore our annual All Saints celebration. Though it varies from year to year, the celebration always