The Epiphany of the Lord

-


Today we see that Jesus is made manifest for all peoples and all nations. The wise men coming from all corners of the globe follow a star to meet Jesus bringing three significant gifts of Gold Frankincense and Myrrh. Three gifts to represent his kingship, divinity and also pointing towards how he was to die. It must have felt quite an odd thing to happen for Mary and Joseph but we are told that Mary kept all these things in her heart.
Both Mary and Joseph made these rather mysterious characters welcome and allowed them to worship Jesus.

This story has got me thinking about our parish community and actually how we treat the stranger who comes into our Church. For the house of God is for everyone no matter who they are and where they have been. As a parish community we should extend the welcome out to everyone because we are all brothers and sisters in the Lord. And we may think that we are a welcoming and warm community but when we go deeper what is the reality. I have witnessed here in this very Church people being asked to move because the person has always sat there and that their seat or a child that makes noise and people around them tut and pull faces. We have a Christian duty to make the stranger welcome to bring Christ to them to make Jesus manifest not only in the world outside these doors but also in the Church. We profess to be Christian and come to Church and yet sometimes and I include myself in this we do not act like it.

I often wonder what more we can do to get people in to hear the message of God’s love for them. I don’t think that we can often blame the teachings of the Church or the new translation or the priests/Bishops sometimes it comes down to a simple welcome and making someone feel that they belong. It’s as simple and as complicated as that.
As we strive into a New Year let us all become a welcoming community allowing the stranger to feel at home and challenge any behaviour that we see that is contrary. 

Comments

Anne Chapman said…
I LOVE the Homily can you use it at again at the other churches? I could do with hearing it in person as I may not ask some one to move but I could be more friendly and welcoming.
12 January 2012 at 11:44
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fashion tips for what its worth.

-
Image
The Other day I had an Conversation with someone about Fashion. I am not sure if many of you know but I used to work in Top shop in Oxford Circus. So I thought I woulds share with you some of the trend that might look good for the Summer of 2012.  First of all I am really pleased to say that there seems to be a little colour back into the high street this season. This must be because of the bad weather that people want to wear bold and primary colours. Although I am not sure about the hat in the lower picture. Am I old fashioned enough to say that hats and woolen hats should be winter wear and not summer wear. Fresh and clean colours are in this year.   Good but loose the hat. The black and grey days are over and we can see that these are both stylish from the ladies but also a Casual look from the lads. But there are some fashions that are clearly wrong and should be left alone. See the Green Jumper down below. I don't really know where to ...
Read more

More than many Sparrows

-
A number of years ago I worked in Oxford Street in Top shop. I was working in the exchange and refund department. I was suprized by the amount of people that used fashion to hide who they really were. The one thing that they would say quite a lot was that they shopped and brought clothes to make them selves feel better. Now this is not a homily against retail therapy or against fashion shops but I have to say I met a lot of people that used this and other things to get over the pain that they did not either like themselves and therefore feel love of another person.  It is true to say that there are many times in our lives where we are afraid to be our true authentic selves. We hide behind the masks that we portray. We are one thing to one person and another to someone else. We try our best and hardest to try and please everyone where we almost become like a camelion. I suppose the question I have is why do we do this. Why do we waste so much energy trying to be all things to a...
Read more

Jesus and Travel plans

-
Image
Whenever I go away on holiday or just over night I always without fail over pack: I take loads of stuff away with me and half the stuff I don’t actually use or need. In my mind I have the phrase going through my head “Oh I might just need that.” And then when we get back we actually realised that I did not need it at all.  Basically I do not travel light. I would have then great difficulties I think being a disciple. I would not be able to cope with the travel plans that Jesus would have given me. No spare tunic no, no money, no travel insurance.  Jesus tells us that all we need his authority and the gift of ourselves the talents and gifts that we have been given by God. Mark says nothing in this Gospel about what the disciples said in their missionary activity the most important thing here is presence and through that presence they are witnesses to the Gospel. So what do the disciples tells us about what it means to be Gospel. The phrase that comes into my mind ...
Read more