Jesus of Nazareth is indeed our epiphany,
opening our eyes and hearts
to what is deepest in the life of all things,
the sacredness of everything That Is.
He reveals the hidden ground of our Being.
It's an epiphany!
The manifestation of God in human ! form
While our celebration today Focuses on Jesus,
it points to an even larger and deeper truth:
God is manifest not only in Jesus
but Also in every human being
. and every piece of matter in the universe as well
We are all one-
one world, one universe,
all created of the same stardust,
all of us
and all of it held in relationship,
. a cosmic dance
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Matthew's gospel Gives Us snapshots
of two kinds of relationships in our human world:
there is the wrong relationship,
revealed in Herod's fear and malicious intent,
and there is the right relationship,
revealed in the open searching of the magi,
Their honest questioning,
Their recognition of the graciousness of God
in the newborn child,
and the unquestioning welcome
extended to These strangers from the East
by the family in the stable.
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The news These Days is pretty much awful-
pain and suffering,
violence and mayhem,
tragedy and catastrophe.
If I thought That was all there was,
Could I close up commercial That the world is nothing but evil.
And I would be wrong.
The Fact Is That the TV and Radio and newspaper stories
are news
Because They are the exception.
The rule is love, peace, and harmony.
People get along.
Goodness is the norm.
Love and peace are unexceptional-
the way things are, and that's not news.
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Violet HAD Been in a pretty tough situation
When She Walked into Claver House five months ago,
unkempt and hungry and wary and sad ...
and pregnant.
One of the volunteers sat down
and Talked With Her ace she was eating
and Asked the right questions:
? any physician for prenatal care
? any resources to get baby stuff
? family and friends to help along the way
And She Was Given phone numbers and contact names
for Heartbeat, and a shelter, and the hours at the food pantry.
The change was gradual over the next few months-
clean clothes, clean hair, the beginnings of trust.
She came in Regularly, smile and Began to Talk with folks.
On Christmas Eve morning, I saw Showed up
With her tiny baby daughter, three weeks old.
I watched as esta rough-and-tumble, down-and-out gathering
of women and men surrounded mother and child,
fussing over them, gentle and kind.
I saw the good news come alive eleven again,
another manifestation of God-with-us and in us and among us.
It is good news, and it's everywhere,
but it does not make headlines Because It's average.
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Depravity is not what we find in the very depth of our Being.
We're not in our basic sinful nature.
We come forth on This Earth as part of the gracious mystery of God,
sparking forth from all eternity.
We are created in relationship.
When we separate ourselves from other people or from nature,
we separate ourselves from God.
When we act in right relationship,
we show what we are made of.
We manifest God in the world.
We-you, me, each of us-is an epiphany,
a revelation of God to one another and to the world. - Holy Spirit Catholic Community Saturdays at 4:30 pm Sundays at 5:30 pm at 3925 West Central Avenue (Washington Church) www.holyspirittoledo.org Rev. Dr. Bev Bingle, Pastor Mailing address: 3156 Doyle Street, Toledo, OH 43608-2006
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