Tag Archives: Jesus

The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus (1 JAN 14)

01 Wednesday Jan 2014

Posted by in Saints and Feast Days, The Liturgical Year

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

The Circumcision of Jesus

The Circumcision of Jesus

Eternal Father, you gave to your incarnate Son the holy name of Jesus to be the sign of our salvation: Plant in every heart, we pray, the love of him who is the Savior of the world, our Lord Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

 – Collect for The Holy Name of Our Lord; Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2003

REFLECTION

This feast day is interesting due to its significance. The Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus is a day that has multiple instances of significance. The first is that it is the day in which the child that Mary delivered and Joseph protected and cared for is now officially given the name of Jesus. The second is that the child would undergo circumcision as well. Both of these acts would occur eight days after the child was born, per Jewish ritual outlines in the Book of Leviticus.

Originally this day was celebrated by the Roman Catholic Church and removed it in 1969. Pope John Paul II restored the feast in 2001. In the Anglican Church, the feast was originally called The Feast of the Circumcision of Jesus. However, in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, it was renamed to the current title.

This feast day is a remembrance of another step in the life of Jesus. It reminds us that Jesus is a Jewish child with Jewish parents and grows up to be a Jewish man. He is the Messiah, the Saviour. We, at times, over look the childhood of Jesus because of the lack of source material. However, considering the lack of information, we should cherish the information that we have.

 – JMH+

Advent IV – A (22 DEC)

22 Sunday Dec 2013

Posted by in The Liturgical Year

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

Our Lady of the New Advent

Our Lady of the New Advent

“O LORD, raise up, we pray thee, thy power, and come among us, and with great might succour us; that whereas, through our sins and wickedness, we are sore let and hindered in running the race that is set before us, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Ghost, be honour and glory, world without end. Amen.”

 – Collect for Fourth Sunday in Advent; 1928 Book of Common Prayer

REFLECTION

As we approach the end of the Advent season, there is much to reflect on. However, what we ought to reflect on, is not advertised on television, the internet or any other outlet of the media. We are told repeatedly to reflect on how much money we have saved up to purchase the best gift for our friend/loved one/colleague. We are told to reflect on the Black Friday, Cyber Monday and DOORBUSTER sales.

It is my hope and prayer that you (the reader) reflect on the course of your life. Reflect on the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her strength to endure the labor of delivering a child during that time frame. Her strength in carrying a child that she knows will die in a manner that is unthinkable in todays context. She is the God Bearer.  Let us also reflect on the life of St. Joseph, the stepfather of our Lord and Savior. He was in charge of protecting the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus from all harm. As a father in the Jewish society of the day, he was also responsible for the raising of the child as well.

These are the things we need to reflect up during the Advent Season. The birth, death and resurrection of Christ is everlasting. A $97.00, 32 inch flat screen HD television is not.

 – JMH+