The festival of the Epiphany falls on the 6th of January but may also be celebrated on a Sunday near that date. “Epiphany” comes from a Greek word meaning “manifestation.” Whereas the celebration of Christmas began in the west and was taken up by the Eastern Church, Epiphany began in the east and spread west. In Eastern Christianity it is actually the feast of the baptism  of Jesus. But the Western Church keeps it primarily as the visit of the Wise Men to Bethlehem to worship

Like all tyrants, Herod feared any challenge to his position. No star would guide him to the real King of the Jews and he thought he had made himself secure when he murdered all the infants in the region of Bethlehem. He did not know that the one he sought was safely away from his power,  and that he himself had not long to live. The wonderful birth of Jesus brought a cruel response from an evil heart, as many today still refuse his offered love. Taken from Stations of The Na

Happy Christmas! The best commentary on Christmas is to be found in the Church’s worship texts. An ancient one, part of the Eucharistic Prayer for the day, says everything that matters: “In Christ we see our God made visible – and so are caught up in love of the God we cannot see.” Christ is the icon (image) of the invisible God (Colossians 1.15). Looking at Christ we see what God is really like and are enraptured by the vision of divine beauty. The simplicity and humility of

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, an

This Sunday is traditionally known as “Gaudete Sunday” because the Church’s traditional opening song begins with the word, ‘Rejoice!’ A rose-coloured candle in the Advent wreath strikes this note of light and joy. It is good psychology as well as good spirituality: as we approach the darkest part of winter, a word of joy is appropriate. Yet St Paul gives the main reason for our joy: the Lord is at hand! Reflection The coming of the Lord is one of the main themes of the Advent

One of the advantages of our parish being dedicated to St John the Baptist is that we encounter our patron not only on his feast day in June but in Advent as well. On this 2nd Sunday, his mission is recalled: to prepare the way for Christ who is about to begin his ministry in Galilee. For that reason he is known in the Orthodox Church as “St John the Forerunner ( prodromos in Greek).” John is often depicted pointing at Christ because his entire life and ministry was a witness

Reflection The festival of Christ the King is a useful reminder that Christ alone is the ultimate authority and not any earthly leader. Its celebration began in the Church of England in 1997. It falls on the last Sunday before Advent, as a culminating point in the Church’s year. Christ radically transforms earthly notions of kingship. He became king when he was lifted up in his crucifixion - but his “throne” was a cross His royal crown was made of thorns, not gems His kingdom

Reflection At the end of the Church’s year, as we approach Advent, the issue of the ‘end times’ often comes up in the readings at the Eucharist: the return of the Lord Jesus in glory, the long-expected “Day of the Lord.” St. Paul encourages us not to speculate because Christ has promised that he will surely come – suddenly - as birth pangs come upon a mother or a thief comes in the night (an image also used by Jesus). Throughout history some Christians have worried about when

Remembrance Sunday celebrates and explores - both personally and communally - issues of war and peace, loss and sacrifice, memory and forgetting. It is an opportunity for us to remember our own dead (family, friends, or colleagues), who may have perished in war and to hold the dead of all wars in the presence of God, the all-merciful Father. We should also pray, in the words of the Good Friday liturgy that God may rid the world forever of famine, war, and disease. Scripture t

All Saints’ Day has its origins in the 7th century. It is particularly associated with these islands because it was placed on the 1st of November to replace the pagan Celtic feast of Samhain , on which dead ancestors were commemorated - hence the keeping of Halloween (“The Eve of all Hallows”, i.e. saints) on the evening before. We are keeping it this year on the nearest Sunday. This great festival reminds us that we are not alone in our Christian life. The whole company o

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.  But I believe that the desire to please You does in fact please You. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that, if I do this, You will lead m

The Feast of St. Luke, celebrated on October 18th, invites Christians around the world to honor the life and contributions of this beloved saint and evangelist. As the author of one of the four Gospels and the Book of Acts, St. Luke leaves a legacy not only on the Christian calendar but also on the hearts of those who treasure the Scriptures. St. Luke was a physician from the city of Antioch in Syria. He was highly educated and, according to tradition, an artist and a man of