Spirit of the Eagle – January 2018
Spiritual Tidbits for January from Father Tim
With the arrival of January comes Epiphany Season or, as the 1928 Book of Common Prayer states: The Epiphany, or the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. When something is manifest it is evident, obvious, apparent, and plain for everyone to see. Manifestation is not a word we use much in everyday conversations. Of course, in today’s culture, it’s hard work convincing many people to make a short drive to church, thus imagine what would be thought of the Sunday couch potato by the Magi who travelled across a continent. In his 1622 Christmas sermon the Anglican Caroline divine Lancelot Andrewes wrote of the Magi: Last we consider the time of their coming, the season of the year. It was no summer progress. A cold coming they had of it at this time of the year, just the worst time of the year to take a journey, and specially a long journey. The ways deep, the weather sharp, the days short, the sun farthest off, in solsitio brumali, ‘the very dead of winter.’ T.S. Eliot enshrined parts of Andrewes message in his poem, Journey of the Magi. Our dedication to our Lord and Savior should not waver because of adversity. In the aforementioned Christmas sermon Andrewes contrasts the Magi’s haste in following the star with our indifference and spiritual idleness, And we, what should we have done? Sure these men of the East will rise in judgment against the men of the West, that is with us, and their faith against ours in this point. […] Our fashion is to see and see again before we stir a foot, specially if it be to the worship of Christ. Come such a journey at such a time? No; but fairly have put it off to the spring of the year, till the days longer, and the ways fairer, and the weather warmer, till better travelling to Christ. Our Epiphany would sure have fallen in Easter week at the soonest. The winter ahead will surely be cold and bitter, but our love of Christ and Holy Church must continue to burn with intensity and remain sweet all the year long. All of you contain precious gifts to give, and I look forward to worshiping many, many times with each of you in 2018. ~ Father Tim
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It is a small flock and ever shall be, to whom is pleasant the simplicity or plainness, the poverty, the verity of Christ. It is a small flock verily but a blessed, as unto whom doubtless is due only the kingdom of heaven. Strait is the way of virtue and of very few trodden on, but none other leadeth to life. To conclude, whether doth a wise builder fetch his his example of the most common and used or of the best work? Painters set afore them none but the best tables or patrons of imagery. Our example is Christ, in whom only be all rules of blessed living, Him may we counterfeit without exception. ~ Desiderius Erasmus, The Manual of a Christian Knight
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Epiphany Chalk
Don’t forget to pick up your Epiphany Chalk after Holy Mass on the 7th of January!
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January Spirituality Class
Please join us after Holy Mass on the 21st of January as we continue our discussion on Prayer and our Prayer Life. This month we will cover Rules for the Practice of Prayer. “Prayer, says Evelyn Underhill, will include many different kinds of spiritual work; and also—what is too often forgotten—the priceless gift of spiritual rest. It will include many kinds of intercourse with Reality—adoration, petition, meditation, contemplation—and all the shades and varieties of these which religious writers have named and classified.” Have you thought about your own prayer life lately? Would you enjoy learning ways to deepen your prayer life? If so please come to the class and bring a friend!
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Truth, by which the world is held together, has sprung from the earth, in order to be carried in a woman’s arms. ~ St. Augustine
For by gold the power of a king is signified, by frankincense the honor of God, by myrrh the burial of the body; and accordingly they offer Him gold as King, frankincense as God, myrrh as Man. ~ St. John Chrysostom
Today the Magi gaze in deep wonder at what they see: heaven on earth, earth in heaven, man in God, God in man, one whom the whole universe cannot contain now enclosed in a tiny body. As they look, they believe and do not question, as their symbolic gifts bear witness: incense for God, gold for a king, myrrh for one who is to die. ~ St. Peter Chrysologus
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Psalm-Children
This month our focus will move to the seasons of Epiphany and pre-Lent. January 7th we will learn about the Holy Name of Jesus, January 14th during the coffee hour we will work on an outreach project for Cathy Jennings, January 21st we will cover the story of Jesus in the temple. As we move into pre-Lent, on January 28th our topic will be Peter learns to forgive. Please feel free to write down or e-mail me with intentions for our Prayer Cross. We invite all children ages 2-12 to join us as we learn through lessons, activities, and fellowship. ~ Mary Matias Akhtar
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Let us often remember, my dear friend, that our sole occupation in life is to please God. What meaning can anything else have? You and I have walked with the Lord for more than forty years. Have we really used those years to love and serve God, who, by His mercy, called us for that purpose? When I consider the blessings God has given and still continues to give me, I feel ashamed. I feel I have abused those blessings, barely using them profitably to become more like Christ. ~ Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God
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Sunday, the 7th of January, we celebrate The Epiphany (moved from the 6th) and Vestry Meeting
Sunday, the 14th of January, we celebrate Epiphany II and Akhtar Coffee Hour
Sunday, the 21st of January, we celebrate Epiphany III and Spirituality Class
Sunday, the 28th of January, we celebrate Septuagesima
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Birthdays & Anniversaries
Reza Akhtar – Birthday – January 4th
Tina Smith – Birthday – January 7th
Eileen Hanson – Birthday – January 14th
Joel Sams – Birthday – January 15th
Susan Moore – Birthday – January 20th
Mary Matias Akhtar – Birthday – January 21st
Kim Marshall – Birthday – January 24th