Msgr. John N. Fell

This Sunday, we celebrate the great feast of the Epiphany, the manifestation of Jesus’ glory. Like Christmas itself, the Epiphany is one of the most ancient feasts in Christendom, having been observed as early as the mid 300's in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire. Actually, immediately after the legalization of Christianity, the Church borrowed the pagan festival known as the “Birthday of the Unconquered Sun” and baptized it as the Epiphany, the feast of God’s Son gloriously shining among his people. By doing so, the Church was able to re-direct people’s allegiance from the pagan deities to Jesus Christ.

As we approach the conclusion of the liturgical year, our readings place increasing emphasis on the end of our earthly lives and the end of time. Both our first reading and Gospel this Sunday, in fact, speak of our chief hope -- that we may continue to live eternally with Christ Jesus in heaven. We take heart in Jesus’ promise that God “is not God of the dead but of the living, for to him all are alive” (Lk 20:38).

30th Sunday in Ordinary Time (C) “The prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest till it reaches its goal . . .” (Sir 35:17). These words from the Book of Sirach serve as an apt summary of our Gospel reading this Sunday. This week St. Luke’s Gospel, the Gospel of Prayer, provides yet another lesson on how to pray. Before the Lord God, Luke stresses, all must bow their heads and hearts as humble sinners.