20+C+M+B+06

i have an enthusiasm for the liturgical calendar that only someone who has spent a lifetime in warehouse churches can muster.

do not misunderstand me. i adore warehouse churches. my non-denominational, praise chorus singing, raising hands on high childhood was delightful. but i have a not so secret longing for the traditions of the high church.

i blame college.

something about the limited anti-catholicism of ouachita/the sbc made me reach for those mystical traditions. i started keeping lent. i acknowledged ash wednesday. and the more i read the more convinced i became that there is some good here.

the puritans and the anabaptists threw away all remnants of the catholic church because they assumed that anything associated with it was tainted. i think they might have made a mistake. i think that the liturgical calendar can provide times of community worship that don't have to compete with the distractions of mass marketing.

i didnt get any flyers promoting Epiphany sales.

Epiphany is the climax of the Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are counted from December 25th until January 5th. The day before Epiphany is the twelfth day of Christmas, and is sometimes called Twelfth Night, an occasion for feasting in some cultures. In some cultures, the baking of a special King's Cake is part of the festivities of Epiphany

the curly headed roomie and i had krispie cream instead of king's cake.

epiphany is based on the visit of the wise men coming to worship Jesus and bringing gifts. the idea is that they revealed the true nature of Christ's identity to the world. they made known that He was worthy of worship. in the modern church it can be a time of meditating on the true nature of Christ as revealed in the Bible. it can also be a time to focus on missions- revealing Christ to the world. the season of Epiphany lasts until Ash Wednesday(March 1st).

So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh,Come peasant, king to own Him;The King of kings salvation brings,Let loving hearts enthrone Him.Raise, raise a song on high,The virgin sings her lullaby.Joy, joy for Christ is born,The Babe, the Son of Mary.

celebrate. read the story of the wise men. light a candle in honor of the season of light, where we recognize the Light that came to us. find a new missions to sponsor. or begin planning a trip of your own-whether its to a local soup kitchen or to africa.

Christus mansionem benedicat, may Christ bless this house