JANUARY 6, 2025 – THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD.

• Epiphany of Our Lord (Outside the United States). (Current)
• Epiphany of Our Lord. (Traditional)
• St. Andre Bessette (1937). Religious. (Current)
• St. Raphaela Mary (1925). Founder or Foundress, Religious, Virgin. (Historical) Founders of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Spain.
• Sts. Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior. the Magi, three wise men (bless your house today). (Historical)

THE word Epiphany means “manifestation,” and it has passed into general acceptance throughout the universal Church, from the fact that Jesus Christ manifested to the eyes of men His divine mission on this day.

First of all, when a miraculous star revealed His birth to the kings of the East, who, in spite of the difficulties and dangers of a long and tedious journey through deserts and mountains almost impassable, hastened at once to Bethlehem to adore Him and to offer Him mystical presents, as to the King of kings, to the God of heaven and earth, and to a Man withal feeble and mortal.

The second manifestation was when, going out from the waters of the Jordan, after having received baptism from the hands of St. John, the Holy Ghost descended on Him in the visible form of a dove, and a voice from heaven was heard, saying: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

The third manifestation was that of His divine power when at the marriage-feast of Cana he changed the water into wine, at the sight whereof His disciples believed in Him. The remembrance of these three great events, concurring to the same end, the Church has wished to celebrate in one and the same festival.

REFLECTION – Admire the almighty power of this little Child, who from His cradle makes known His coming to the shepherds and magi–to the shepherds by means of His angel, to the magi by a star in the East. Admire the docility of these kings. Jesus is born. Behold them at His feet! Let us be little, let us hide ourselves, and the divine strength will be granted to us. Let us be docile and quick in following divine inspirations, and we shall then become wise of the wisdom of God, powerful of His almighty power.

WORD OF THE DAY

CHRISTIAN LAW. The revealed precepts of the New Testament. There is a sense in which the Christian dispensation superseded the laws of earlier revelation, since the ceremonial and judicial practices of the Israelites have ceased to be binding on the followers of Christ. Also the moral code of pre-Christian Judaism has been greatly elevated. But all of this, as Christ was careful to explain, does not mean that he came to "abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved" (Matthew 5:17-18).

What Christ wished to make clear is that the morality of the New Law of the Kingdom is higher and more spiritual than that of the Old Law, especially as interpreted by the scribes and Pharisees. Above all, it is new because it is based on the example and teaching of God in human form. And it is new in the exalted demand that the law of Christ makes on human generosity in the practice of charity.

Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr. John Hardon SJ (Get the real one at Eternal Life — don’t accept an abridged or edited version of this masterpiece!)

Christmastide Meditations

Daily devotional meditations on the Birth of Our Savior and Christmastide: The Epiphany – Christmas Meditation Day 13 (Jan 6)

This article, JANUARY 6, 2025 – THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD. is a post from The Bellarmine Forum.
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