In Winter Ordinary Time

This Winter Ordinary Time between Epiphany (or the end of Christmas) and Ash Wednesday, I believe is a time of invitation. An invitation to be, to ponder, and to evaluate. 

The invitation to be is an opportunity to incorporate time of rest, time of not needing to produce. It is a time of simply being present to the day and what comes. Noticing winter in its glory and fullness. Noting how we are in this time and being present to the opportunity to dare I say, slow down, like the earth’s current state. In the ordinary time of winter to be is to breathe, is to pause, is to ponder.

The invitation to ponder is powerful in these winter weeks. To watch the night transition to day is a moment of ponder. It is one of the invitations to ponder life, to take note of where one is and how one is in this season. It is a time to ponder where and how one is connecting with God and what God is inviting one to see and hear. The ordinary time of winter is invitation to ponder life and how we are, and what are our desires are for the next seasons and to evaluate the journey.

The invitation to evaluate is not about resolutions or goal setting. It is rather about reflecting and noticing one’s gifts. To evaluate is to count the blessings on the journey and what one is looking forward to in the weeks ahead. In evaluating we may notice areas in ourselves which need healing or recall a listening ear or see the changes we have made. We may notice how God is seeking our heart and walking with us as we evaluate how best we can reflect the goodness of God in our life. To evaluate is to celebrate, is to trust, is to give thanks. It is to acknowledge God at work in our life.

May these weeks of Winter Ordinary Time be filled with invitations. May we offer these invitations to others. May we trust God, the great inviter and host, is present. These winter weeks are not the hustle and bustle of holiday time, and they are not the penance of Lent, they are invitation. Let us be attentive!

God,

You who are present in all the seasons of our life,

during this season of Winter Ordinary Time

may we listen to your invitations

to be, to ponder and to evaluate.

In doing so, may we notice 

where you are at work in life,

where you are present and

what you are calling out of us 

and calling us to be. 

May these Winter Ordinary Time days,

be a time of rich awareness,

as we journey with you

paying heed to your personal 

and life-giving invitations.

Amen.

Photo Credit:  Yaron Cohen

A Prayer on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

 

“Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him.” Matthew 3.13

In the baptism of Jesus, we come to see the gift of being called in love. Called in love to be who God created us to be and to live our lives with conviction.

God,

you who are the source of all life 

in your Son Jesus 

we come to know life,

we come to know love, 

we come to know you.

In our baptism

We put on your Son,

we embrace his life,

we embrace how he loved,

we embrace how you love us.

By the pouring out

of your Spirit and of water

we rise up in splendour,

we become heralds of good news,

we reflect you into the world.

Guide our steps

in the seasons of this year as

we desire to be life-giving,

we desire to grow well,

we desire to be one with you.

Bles us, we pray,

for we trust in your grace and mercy

today, tomorrow and always.

Amen. 

Photo Credit: Dilip Poddar

The Light of Epiphany

Have you ever noticed how much light is incorporated into music, poetry, seasons, and decorations?

Not only Christmas carols and songs incorporate the theme of light, everything from hymns, country to rock to rap include its qualities. There is something about light which we connect with and seem to understand. 

Poetry uses light to draw us in and speak to our journey. Creating images and rhymes which stir our heart and give us hope.

The seasons in their ever-changing ways draw us into light, whether it is sunrises early in summer or late in winter, or the way the light strikes a field, or the varying colors of light which fill the spring.

And decorations for all holidays include light. Not only Christmas lights and stars, but garden lights for summer, fire works for July 1st, jack-o-lanterns at Halloween and light up Easter eggs.

We need light!!! 

Pope Leo is his address for World Day of Peace just a mere four days ago, said: “The contrast between darkness and light is not only a biblical image describing the labor pains of a new world being born; it is also an experience that unsettles us and affects us amid the trials we face in our historical circumstances. In order to overcome the darkness, it is necessary to see the light and believe in it.” He added, “This is a call that Jesus’ disciples are invited to live in a unique and privileged way; yet it also finds its way into every human heart.” (how beautiful and powerful is his simple statement)

No wonder in the coming of God to earth in the birth of his son Jesus, the star gets a proper place of mention and its gifts called forth to shine, to lead, to point the way! Light calls us to life, to the ways of life, to encountering the Author of Life, who also shaped the stars. The scriptures we have heard today speak of light, because they are pointing to Jesus – the child born for us, to fill us with light and to be heralds of his light. As Pope Leo reminded us in overcoming darkness, we must “see light and believe in it.” Our Light is Jesus and we are his disciples shining for him.

Just like the magi of long ago, we too must follow the light of Jesus and then when we encounter it in moments grand and moments ordinary, we must declare what we see in the light and live in it. This is how we are disciples, to be bearers of light. To preach the gospel with our lives, to find ways to instill light in the darkness which our humanity often chooses to dwell in. To be like the nations coming to his light and the kings to his brightness, which the prophet Isaiah prophesized, we must continue to seek his star, to see his light in our living.

To see and be radiant, could be considered part of the description of being a disciple. The magi could be considered among the first disciples of Jesus. They encountered him at his most vulnerable moment in life and yet believed he was the Messiah. They offered him their gifts, their lives transformed and then returned to their homes transformed and living in his light. Is this not what this feast of Epiphany calls us to? To meet Jesus, see Jesus, encounter his light, let it transform us and then live from this transformed state as a disciple of his. St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians reminds us: “(Do everything without grumbling or arguing) you will shine… like the stars in the sky as you hold firm to the word of life.” (Philippians 2.14-15)

The Word of life, born in Bethlehem centuries ago and yet we still adore him.

The light of Jesus, shining into our life and we go forth carrying this light.

The child of Bethlehem, unknown to many and yet he is our light in the darkness.

The Author of life, born among us and for us and leading us home by his light.

May we arise and shine like the stars, for our light has come and is woven into our every heartbeat. May we be brave enough to travel unknown roads this year which lead us to Jesus in new ways so we will go forth on new paths to manifest his light. Jesus, the Light of lights is guiding us always in all ways from here to his kingdom home.

One of my favorite Christmas songs is Winter Star by Johnny Reid, it is a beautiful song for Epiphany. I invite you to listen to it this week.

Epiphany Blessings!

Photo Credit: Mitchell Luo