Manifestation of Jesus to the Peoples of all Nations

During Advent, receptivity and waiting were its themes. Epiphany highlights the themes of our response to God’s presence in our lives. We are beckoned to move beyond all we think we know and allowing something new stir within us as we look for something new on the horizon. We strike out for something deeper. We do not just talk about our desire but walk intentionally toward it and making concrete choices along the way.

Mary, the Mother of God

After Christmas Day we no longer hear Christmas carols on radio or elsewhere. However, the church reminds us that Christmas is not a one-day-event but an ongoing part of our lives. Today, with Mary, the Mother of God-become-human, we ponder what Christ’s birth means for humanity every day of the year.  Rather than gathering around the manger like the shepherds, we gather with the one who transforms us into brothers and sisters – each bearing God’s image. We are reminded that each day is Christmas where we can encounter God in the people we know and love and those we find it hard to love.

Christmas 2022

As people entered Adelaide’s Cathedral for Christmas some years ago, they found the Christmas crib smashed. Statues of Mary and Joseph were urinated over, and the Jesus statue smashed. The archbishop instructed that the broken pieces of Jesus be gathered in a basket and places before the altar. The desecrated image and vandalised crib gave people much to think about as the broken bits produced a powerful image of Jesus’ rejection by the world; how people are treated; and, how we treat God’s gift of creation. The broken statue was also an invitation to refashion Christ, to rebuild his body in the world.