Father Hank talked about the Holy Family Sunday. Are we part of a holy family, of The Holy Family? There seem to be three requirements:
Obedience to God
Mutual love
Service to others
When I looked at our own family, I just smiled and gave thanks. Our family is pretty obedient to God. Oh yes, we could all do better on all of these virtues but I am humbly proud of my family. They are all obedient in their own way whether it is service to their church, their family, friends or neighbors. Our children and grand children all show mutual love. I am part of a very loving family.
All of my family serve others. Just one small example is the needy families we all brought gifts to for Christmas. Tears of joy were shed when these families saw what others had brought to them. It was a wonderful moment, just a tiny part of their needs but the love and obedience and service was there.
We celebrate Christmas through Epiphany which is always January 6, thus the 12 days of Christmas. Easter will be coming fast. Today is the last day of 2013.
Was it a good year for you? It was a very good year for our holy family.
Blessings,
Ed Winkle
I don't know if many French kids know it used to be a Christian celebration (after it used to be one for the polytheist epiphanes, the 12 gods of the Olympus that revealed themselves to some humans.) Most kids now know it as the Kings' Feast, the day when the Kings Cake is served (although it can be served pretty much every day during the first two weeks of January, when it is on sale at every bakery). They get to become the king for the day if they get the "fava" in their slice of cake: http://talk.newagtalk.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=356037
ReplyDeleteAnother name for Epiphany is Theophany, which gave us the name Tiffany, and my niece's Tiphaine. Epiphany is usually celebrated on the first Sunday after New Year Day in France (some Pope edict exception, I believe) because Epiphany is not a non-working day like in Spain, so making it a Sunday (Jan.5 this year) allows everybody to celebrate Epiphany properly.
The English have Plough Monday the Monday after the Epiphany, so on the 13th this year. Do you celebrate a No-till Monday instead, Ed? ;)
LOL, no I do not celebrate a no-till Monday, but it's a great idea!
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