Deacon Tom Writes,
“God’s Wonderful Plan”
The Epiphany of the Lord, Year A
The Feast of the Epiphany broadcasts to the world God’s immense love for all people. Christ, the Anointed One, has come as light to the people who have walked in darkness to reclaim us as his own. As we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany today we recall God’s immense love for us made visible by his taking upon himself our feeble human nature and imparting upon us his own Divine Nature. What an unbalance exchange that was; one that reveals the abundant gift of grace we all have received in this divine plan. The Preface to the Eucharistic Prayer we hear today tells us how the Father “revealed the mystery of our salvation in Christ as the light of the nations…” This light dawned on that first Christmas day when Mary gave birth to her Son Jesus, who is both Son of God… and Son of Mary thus unfolding the long awaited promised one, Emmanuel, Christ with us, who has now joined our human family.
It was difficult for the Jews of Christ’s time to understand that God willed salvation for everyone, that salvation was not reserved exclusively for the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob alone. True, God revealed himself through the Jewish people, but God intended Christ’s redemptive work to be shared by ALL.
This Feast we enjoy today celebrates the reality that God has not restricted or limited the saving work of Jesus Christ. It is through this revealing Christ to the world that God, again, in the words of today’s Preface, “... made us new by the glory of his (i.e., Christ’s) immortal nature.” What an encouraging thought in light of the many challenges we face today…that we can tap into this newness of life and love that Christ offers each of us.
None of us have the power to change things very much on a global scale. But, each of us can do something to show that we have been renewed and animated by Christ’s love and presence in our lives. We can do little things that make a big difference in the lives of the people we encounter every day. We can pray for one another; we can visit someone mourning the loss of a loved one. We can show that we have been renewed by Christ’s love whenever we visit a sick friend, welcome a stranger, give hope to the despairing, write a card or make a call to someone immobilized by old age or illness. We, ourselves, are renewed whenever we are animated as a member of the Body of Christ to be stewards of God’s grace or give witness to God’s transformative power by telling others how God has transformed our lives. We are renewed each time we realize God’s wonderful plan is to make all things new, even us. The more we empty ourselves of us, the more God can fill us with his divine presence. Yes, our destiny is to be remade in the image of Christ… “to put on the new self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth” (EPH 4:24).
Have a wonder-filled New Year experiencing God’s love and sharing that love with others every day of the year!
Deacon Tom
Enjoy these early days of the New Year... and look forward in HOPE to the days ahead.
Please Visit www.deaconspod.com for a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer
OTHER RESOURCES
Recommended Reading: The Cloud of Unknowing and the Book of Privy Counseling is an anonymous fourteenth-century text and one of the most practical and useful guides to finding union with God ever written. The Cloud of Unknowing consists of a series of letters written by a monk to his student or disciple, instructing him (or her) in the way of Divine union. Its theology is presented in a way that is remarkably easy to understand, as well as practical, providing advice on prayer and contemplation that anyone can use.
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