The origins of the feast of the Epiphany are historically complicated and ecclesially disputed. We might think of it as a kind of peace offering from the Western to the Eastern church, given the latter’s date (surely older) of Jan. 6 for the feast of the Nativity. The 12 Days of Christmas, in
ldquo We don rsquo t care about your future You rsquo re an inmate and all inmates are the same rdquo Such were the bleak words of a prison official addressed to Michael Santos who is serving time in a federal facility The official a ldquo unit manager rdquo was angry with him for writing
In The Language of God Francis Collins has written more of an apologia for his personal religious beliefs than an argument for religious belief itself Were Collins not one of the leading scientists in the world having directed the International Human Genome Project which successfully completed m
nbsp The word Epiphany derives from a Greek term that means ldquo showing forth manifestation making public rdquo According to the account of the Epiphany in Matthew 2 magi or wise men from the East perhaps Persia or Babylonia came to Israel to pay homage to the newborn king of the Jews
In John rsquo s Gospel the miracles performed by Jesus are called signs A sign is usually not an end in itself What is more important is the reality to which a sign points The signs done by Jesus point forward to the ldquo hour rdquo of Jesus and to the divine glory made manifest in him as both
"Peace on earth is not just a holiday greeting. Every Jan. 1 the pope issues a message for the World Day of Peace, reminding us that peace is practical, peace is possible, and it is our calling. Peace is practical because it is foundational; without it, we cannot achieve other aims. Catholic Relief