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See darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the Lord shines, and over you appears his glory.

Today’s feast of the Epiphany is a manifestation that Jesus is Lord, not merely of the Jews but of all peoples. The Church formally teaches that the light of the Holy Spirit shines not only in Jewish and Christian hearts, but in all people of goodwill. The Second Vatican Council document “The Church in the Modern World” puts this truth simply and elegantly.

All this holds true not only for Christians, but for all men of goodwill in whose heart grace works in an unseen way. For, since Christ died for all men, and since the ultimate vocation of man is in fact one and divine, we ought to believe that the Holy Spirit, in a manner known only to God, offers to every man the possibility of being associated with the paschal mystery (#22).

The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, which we celebrate at every mass, was a sacrifice for all, whether they knew or believed in him or not. The Magi are a symbol of all humanity who walk in darkness seeking light and hope.

EPIPHANY HOME BLESSING – The blessing of the doors with a chalk inscription above each door is a New Year custom. The inscription “C + M + B” signifies Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, the traditional names of the Wisemen or Christus Mansionem Benedicat which is Latin for “Christ Bless this House.”  The numerals on either side of the initials indicate the year. You can follow this tradition in your home with chalk or use the image below.

AN END OF YEAR EXAMINATION by Thomas Griffin, Coordinator of Parish Evangelization

I have been fortunate enough to get to know Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR over the years. He is a great man and holy priest who seeks to serve God each and every day. In listening to one of his talks last year, I stumbled upon a practice that has truly been one of the most fruitful spiritual exercises of my year. It is called an end of year examination of conscience.

For centuries, the Catholic Church has recommended and encouraged the practice of a daily examination of conscience. This can be done, in prayer, at the end of one’s day. It is tailored from the manner in which someone can prepare to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The difference between preparing for the sacrament and the daily examination is that the nightly exercise also includes reflecting on what one is grateful for first, then leads into the ways in which we have fallen into sin.

The end of year examination seeks to take the daily practice of the examen and bring it to the entirety of one’s previous calendar year. It can be done by those who pray a nightly examination or those that don’t. It can be accomplished over the course of two evenings. On the first night, you can focus on what you are most grateful for from this year, and on the second night, you can focus on the ways that you fell short this year.

The best practical way to accomplish the examination is to sit in a quiet place and enter into silence. Then ask God for the vision to see this past year with His eyes. Writing bullet points down in a journal or notebook is also helpful and allows you to prayerfully reflect on the highs and lows from the year.

I’ll be completely honest. At first, I was reluctant about the practice and thought that there was no reason to re-live my sins from the year. However, I was completely wrong. This practice has made me more thankful for all the gifts in my life, but also more aware of how God is challenging me to grant Him access to all aspects of my life. Leading into the new year, I become more joyful and excited about the blessings of life and more attuned to how God is calling me to move away from sin and towards Him.

So far, I have found no greater way to wrap up one year and enter another – hopefully more ready to serve God and live life to the full.

Peace!