At the end of the Beatitudes we heard last Sunday, Jesus makes a dramatic shift from the third person Blessed are those to the second person Blessed are you, and there he stays throughout the remainder of the Sermon on the Mount. In Epiphany 5A we hear in the assigned Gospel reading Matthew 5:13-20 You…
Today in the Spirit: Epiphany 4A
As noted before, through Year A of the Sunday lectionary we work our way through selections of the Gospel of Matthew. Beginning in Epiphany 4A, the church will focus our attention on the Scripture’s illumination of Jesus as Son of God in the Sermon on the Mount, the first and largest of five teaching discourses…
Today in the Spirit: Epiphany 3A
On Epiphany 3, from the church’s selection of Sunday Gospel readings we are meant to see how the glory of Jesus Christ was revealed in the earliest events of his ministry in Galilee (northern Palestine). This year out of Matthew there is a dual focus on Jesus’ preaching in Capernaum and the calling of his…
Today in the Spirit: Epiphany 2A
At Epiphany 2, we move into the first of two “ordinary” periods (as opposed to extraordinary periods of feasting or penitence) in the church year. The shorter ordinary period begins after Epiphany Day; the longer one after the Day of Pentecost. In the Sunday lectionary ordinary time is marked by a more systematic (though not…
Today in the Spirit: Epiphany & Epiphany 1A
Prepositions are important in the Book of Common Prayer (BCP). One change in the BCP 2019 that can easily go unnoticed is the designation “Sundays of Epiphany” in the new book versus “Sundays after Epiphany” in the 1979 (and 1928) books. The choice of wording in BCP 2019 conforms with a desire to return to…
10 Ways to Preach the Baptism of our Lord
In 2016, I led a tour of 30 adults through the Holy Land, and one of our stops was the newly renovated site on the Jordan River, commemorating John the Baptist’s baptism of our Lord. I led our group in the renewal of vows, sprinkling and praying over 29 of the 30 pilgrims. Then, one…
Epiphany and Epiphanytide: A Rookie Anglican Guide
What is Epiphany? Epiphany is a Christian feast day celebrated on January 6 every year. It’s also sometimes known as “Three Kings’ Day.” As we mentioned in our Rookie Anglican Guide to Advent, the Christian year begins with the season of Advent, which leads up to Christmas on December 25. Then come the 12 Days…
What They Are Saying About Epiphany
Epiphany is January 6th. And as the magi discovered Jesus as King, others have and will. Lord Jesus may your light shine our way, as once it guided the steps of the magi: that we too may be led into your presence and worship you, the Child of Mary, the Word of the Father, the King of…
Here’s Why You Should Celebrate an Epiphany Festival
Anglicans often speak of the tradition of the 12 days of Christmas, emphasizing how the holiday is not merely one day but rather an extended season. The season spans from December 25 (or the evening of December 24) through January 5, and contains a number of nativity-oriented feast days along with separate saints’ days. Many…
Collect Reflections: The Third Sunday of Epiphany
This post, in addition to being a part of Rookie Anglican, is part of a series on the Collects of the Christian Year (ACNA), called “Collect Reflections.” If you’re just jumping in, make sure to check out the introductory post, “Announcing Collect Reflections.” All Collect Reflection posts can be found here. The season of Epiphany is directed outward;…
