more on epiphany

Recently I have enjoyed following the church calendar with a little book, A Monastic Year: Reflections from a Monastery. As this Christmas season draws to a close with Epiphany on Sunday, the below reflection reminds us that we now look forward and prepare for Lent and the Easter resurrection of our Lord. As we bow down and worship the King along with the magi this Epiphany, it is a good reminder that the gift of myrrh was for burial of kings. We remember what is ahead for Jesus. Easter is the earliest it ever falls this year, which means Ash Wednesday is just a month away on February 6.

“There are many monastic customs varying from country to country and from monastery to monastery, associated with the feast of Epiphany. Our beautiful ancient custom that remains alive to this day in almost all monasteries is this solemn announcement during Mass of the dates of the moveable feasts of the coming year: Ash Wednesday, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, and, at the end, the first Sunday of Advent. The announcement proclaims, “As we have recently rejoiced over the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, now through the mercy of God, we can look forward to the happiness that will stem from the Resurrection of the same Lord and Savior.” With Epiphany we in the monastery reach the peak of our Christmas celebrations. Then the year proceeds seemingly slowly, as winter follows its normal course, and our monastic solitude becomes more complete during the cold months. Not too far on the horizon, however, is the arrival of the Lenten-spring, with its hidden promise of Easter Joy.” (Taken from: A Monastic Year: Reflections from a Monastery by Brother Victor-Antoine D’ Avila-Latourrete)

Just a side note….once again I am struck with how much I read on Advent and Lent that revolves around Northern Hemisphere seasons. It might be a little harder for my Southern Hemisphere friends to connect with the cold months of winter parallel while in the heat of summer in January. Or even my friends in tropical climates that never have any winter. I, myself, am thinking ahead to when I am in Argentina soon….where it was a sweltering 100 degrees this week! Anyone know of Lent reflections and meditations written for autumn in the Southern Hempishere?? :)