O Christ our God, who wilt come to judge the world in the manhood which thou hast assumed: We pray thee to sanctify us wholly, that in the day of thy coming we may be raised to live and reign with thee for ever.
South Glensheil Ridge #Scotland @angie_weather @bbcweather @VisitScotland @StormHour @ThePhotoHour pic.twitter.com/06AMnl3Piy
— James MacInnes (@Macinnesplant) February 17, 2023
‘The blessed Mary offered her sacrifice to God with the child, as it was appointed in God’s law. It was so appointed in the old law, by God’s command, that those who could afford it should bring a lamb of one year old with their child, as an offering to God, and a pigeon or a turtle-dove. But if any woman were so poor that she could not obtain those things, then she should bring two young pigeons or two turtle-doves.
This smaller offering was offered for Christ, that is, the birds, which were the offerings of the poor. The Almighty Son of God was very mindful of our needs in all things; not only did he choose to become man for us, though he was God, but he also chose to become needy for us, though he was mighty, so that he might give us a portion in his kingdom and communion with his divinity. A lamb betokens innocence and the greater kind of goodness; but if we are so wretched that we cannot offer to God that greater goodness, then we should bring him two turtle-doves or two young pigeons; that is, a twofold burgeoning of awe and love. A person experiences this burgeoning in two ways: first, he dreads the torments of hell, and mourns for his sins; then afterwards he feels love to God, and he begins to murmur, and it seems to him too long a time until he shall be taken from the afflictions of this life, and brought to eternal rest.’
Mary and Joseph with the sacrifical doves and Anna and Simeon with the Christ child at the Presentation in the Temple, details of glass by Burlison & Grylls, 1919 at Harringworth, Northamptonshire. Today is Candlemas, the feast of the Presentation. pic.twitter.com/NeakzSiPH6
— Simon Knott (@last_of_england) February 2, 2023
Almighty and everliving God, we humbly beseech thee that, as thy only-begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented unto thee with pure and clean hearts by the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Today's #Candlemas, which falls on 40th day after Christmas, when Christians remember infant Jesus' presentation in temple & Simeon called him 'a light for the nations'. #OTD, some churches bless candles that are to be used in coming year. May Christ's light shine in our hearts. pic.twitter.com/L2BWkgH1jx
— St Paul’s Finchley (@StPaulsFinchley) February 2, 2023
Almighty God, we beseech thee of thy mercy to endue us with the spirit of meekness and patience; so that no evil we may suffer from others may move us to do evil to them, and that we may strive ever to live peaceably with all men; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
–The Rev. James Mountain (1844-1933)
Good morning Twitter friends ❤️☕️❄️👋, lovely sunrise over Northam Burrows in Devon #sunrise #photooftheday #photography #StormHour #ThePhotoHour @VisitDevon #SonyAlpha pic.twitter.com/EVXouWWv9S
— Gary James 📸 🎸 (@Gazpics76) January 25, 2023
Almighty God,
whose Son revealed in signs and miracles
the wonder of your saving presence:
renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness
sustain us by your mighty power;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
View of the Almsee lake #landscape #naturephotography #Almsee #Salzkammergut #Almtal #Grünau #Austria #SonyAlpha 🤍 pic.twitter.com/3s8Yx2lehW
— CloudWalker 📸 (@Angelika13913) January 22, 2023
There is also more there.
Today's pick: Caravaggio: St John the Baptist (1604) https://t.co/4GpRchR5GI pic.twitter.com/n9obXdpmzL
— Art and the Bible (@artbible) May 7, 2021
Almighty God, who hast set in thy Church some with gifts to teach and help and administer, in diversity of operation but of the same Spirit: Grant to all such, we beseech thee, grace to wait on the ministry which they have received in the body of Christ with simplicity, diligence, and cheerfulness; that none may think of himself more highly than he ought to think, and none may seek another man’s calling, but rather to be found faithful in his own work; to the glory of thy name in Christ Jesus our Lord.
–The Rev. H. J. Wotherspoon [1850-1930], Kyrie eleison (“Lord, have mercy”): A Manual of Private Prayers (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1905)
Good morning from #waterfrontpark #pineapplefountain #charleston #sunrise #SCwx @WeatherFlowCHAS @RobStormTeam2 @livlawrencewx @gracelowewx @joshmarthers @GarofaloWX @chswx @weatherchannel @WeatherNation @NWSCharlestonSC @ExploreCHS pic.twitter.com/iRAj3uvrLY
— Ken Bowman (@kenbowmanphoto) January 18, 2023
O Thou, who givest to thy children liberally and upbraidest not: Preserve us from all envy at the good of our neighbour, and from every form of jealousy. Teach us to rejoice in what others have and we have not, to delight in what they achieve and we cannot accomplish, to be glad in all that they enjoy and we do not experience; and so fill us daily more completely with love; through him in whom thou hast promised to supply all our need, our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Enjoy your day!😊❄️💕❄️ pic.twitter.com/3lssILq8hq
— Anne Grete Hagby (@AHagby) January 17, 2023
O Lord Jesus, who by thy first miracle didst manifest thy glory, so that thy disciples believed on thee: Give us in our measure that faith which dwelt in them. Fill us with the riches of thy good Spirit; change thou our earthly desires into the image of thine own purity and holiness; and finally give us a place at thy heavenly feast; for the glory of thy holy name.
Morning everyone hope you are well. Rydal Boathouse towards Wansfell. Have a great day. #LakeDistrict @keswickbootco @ShowcaseCumbria pic.twitter.com/iKWp6Din3n
— Rod Hutchinson (@lakesrhino) January 16, 2023
Almighty God, the giver of strength and joy: Change, we beseech thee, our bondage into liberty, and the poverty of our nature into the riches of thy grace; that by the transformation of our lives thy glory may be revealed; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Good morning Sunday .. have a wonderful , relaxed and blessed one all ✨💫🥰🙏❤️ leave you with this beautiful scenery from green Isle of Skye #Sunday #photo #relaxed #blessed #photooftheday #goodmorning #nature #Scotland @VisitScotland @StormHour @ThePhotoHour pic.twitter.com/e4hGwMdkHh
— Dr.P_78Glasgow (@AbhaPaulina) January 15, 2023
O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst sit lowly in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions: Give unto thy servants that humility of heart, and willingness to learn, without which no man can find wisdom; to the glory of thy holy Name.
—Daily Prayer, Eric Milner-White and G. W. Briggs, eds. (London: Penguin Books 1959 edition of the 1941 original)
O Blessed Lord, who in the days of thy earthly childhood didst earnestly desire to be about thy Father’s business: Give us the grace of thy Holy Spirit early to seek thee and evermore to follow thee; that being continuously aided by thy grace, we may be exercised in thy service; who livest and reignest with the Holy Spirit, world without end.
— The Whitby Photographer (@WhitbyPhotos) January 13, 2023
Lyrics:
All they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense;
and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord. Alleluia.
The Kings of Tharsis and of the isles shall give Him presents;
the Kings of Arabia and Sheba shall bring gifts. Alleluia.
Everybody knows that Christmas is a season of joy. For one, it has at its heart a birth story. A new and healthy child came into the world, and his family rejoiced. Every birth is a new beginning, a fresh hope. Christmas joy overlaps with the most common of humanity’s great joys.
We tend not to associate joy with Epiphany. In Epiphany, Christians remember the visit that the sages from the East made to Bethlehem to honor the newborn Jesus, an act of gentile recognition of Christ’s divinity and mission (Matt. 2:1–12). In this season we also commemorate the first miracle Jesus performed—at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, when Jesus revealed his glory and his disciples believed in him (John 2:1–11). Each of these seemingly unrelated events highlights a crucial aspect of joy.
It's the Feast of the Epiphany so we've been celebrating with Rembrandt's 'Adoration of the Magi' | Painted in 1632 | pic.twitter.com/2OXbHHwXhW
— The Studio at MBDS (@MBDS_News) January 6, 2015
O Thou, in whom we live and move and have our being: We offer and present unto thee ourselves, all that we are and have, our thoughts and our desires, our words and our deeds, to be a living and continual sacrifice. We are not our own; therefore we would glorify thee in our bodies and our spirits, which are thine; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Almighty God, who to wise men who sought him didst manifest the Incarnation of thy Son by the bright shining of a star: Grant that, as they presented unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh, so we also out of our treasures may offer to him ourselves, a living sacrifice acceptable in thy sight; through him who for our sakes was born on earth as a little child, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Words: Bishop Reginald Heber
Tune: ‘Epiphany’ – Joseph Thrupp
Lord Jesus Christ, who didst humble thyself to take the baptism of sinful men, and wast forthwith declared to be the Son of God: Grant that we who have been baptized into thee may rejoice to be the sons of God, and servants of all; for thy name’s sake, who with the Father and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest ever one God, world without end.
The Baptism of Christ, c. 1600
By El Greco, Domenikos Theotokopoulos, who died 7 Apr 1614 in #Toledo(Museo Nacional del Prado)
Today is the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. pic.twitter.com/kiPUg5GHwB
— John McCafferty (@jdmccafferty) January 8, 2023
Almighty God, who at the baptism of thy blessed Son Jesus Christ in the river Jordan didst manifest his glorious Godhead: Grant, we beseech thee, that the brightness of his presence may shine in our hearts, and his glory be set forth in our lives; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Baptism of Christ, 1605 #baroque #peterpaulrubens https://t.co/sg6Q22ixSQ pic.twitter.com/H8pAVkR5CV
— Peter Paul Rubens (@artistrubens) January 7, 2023
Eternal Father,
who at the baptism of Jesus
revealed him to be your Son,
anointing him with the Holy Spirit:
grant to us, who are born again by water and the Spirit,
that we may be faithful to our calling as your adopted children;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Today's the feast of the Baptism of Christ. He emerges from the River Jordan, St John the Baptist behind him, in glass of 2004 by Pippa Blackall at Mileham, Norfolk.
Mileham: https://t.co/2HiPESWzd5 pic.twitter.com/WOqrvJMmMD
— Simon Knott (@last_of_england) January 8, 2023
And we, what excuse shall we have if we come not? If so short and so easy a way we come not, as from our chambers hither, not to be called away indeed? Shall not our non venerunt have an ecce, Behold, it was stepping but over the threshold, and yet they came not?
And these were wise men, and never a whit the less wise for so coming; no never so truly wise in any thing they did, as in so coming. The Holy Spirit records them for wise, in capite libri, even in the beginning of the New Testament. Of Christ, when He came into the world, that is, when He was born, the Psalm saith, In the beginning of the Book it was writ of Him, He said, Ecce venio, Lo I come; of these in the same words, when they came to meet Him so born, it is said here in the beginning of the Gospel, Ecce venerunt, Behold they came.
And we, if we believe this, that this was their wisdom, if they and we be wise by one Spirit, by the same principles, we shall follow the same star, tread the same way, and so come at last whither they are happily gone before us.
Nay, not only that come, but this withal; to think and set down with ourselves, that to come to Christ is one of the wisest parts that ever these wise men did, or we or any else can do in all our lives.
And how shall we that do? I know not any more proper way left us, than to come to that which Himself by express order has left us, as the most special remembrance of Himself to be come to. When He came into the world, saith the Psalm, that is at His birth now, He said, Ecce venio. What then? Sacrifice and burnt-offering Thou wouldst not have, but a body hast Thou ordained Me. Mark, saith the Apostle, He takes away the first to establish the second, that is, to establish His body, and the coming to it. By the offering, breaking, and partaking of which body, we are all sanctified, so many as will come to it. For given it is, for the taking away of our sins. Nothing is more fit than at the time His body was ordained Him, and that is to-day, to come to the body so ordained.
And in the old Ritual of the Church we find that on the cover of the canister, wherein was the Sacrament of His Body, there was a star engraven, to shew us that now the star leads us thither, to His body there.
And what shall I say now, but according as St. John saith, and the star, and the wise men say, Come. And He, Whose the star is, and to Whom the wise men came, saith, Come. And let them who are disposed, Come. And…let whosoever will, take of the Bread of Life, which came down from Heaven this day into Bethlehem, the house of bread. Of which Bread the Church is this day the house, the true Bethlehem, and all the Bethlehem we have now left to come to for the Bread of life,of that His life which we hope for in Heaven. And this our nearest coming that here we can come, till we shall by another venite come, unto Him in His Heavenly Kingdom, to which He grant we may come, That this day came to us in earth that we thereby might come to Him and remain with Him for ever, Jesus Christ the Righteous.
Today the Church of England celebrates The Epiphany https://t.co/ITcE3hpB6V
Image: Medieval window in Canterbury Cathedral depicting the Visit of the Magi. Photo by Lawrence OP, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, via flickr pic.twitter.com/ERkTZ2G8nx
— The Anglican Church in St Petersburg (@anglicanspb) January 6, 2023
O God, who by the leadings of thy providence didst bring wise men from far to give homage to Jesus, born to be King of all: Help us, who by various ways are led to Christ, humbly and thankfully to adore him with our gifts, and as our costliest treasure to present before him ourselves for his honour and service, now and always.
O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face." Join us this Sunday (8th January) at 8am, 10am and 5pm as we celebrate the feast of #Epiphany pic.twitter.com/o4adskLU1H
— St Mary's Potters Bar (@StMarysPB) January 6, 2023
(CBC) 13 pictures of #Epiphany2023 celebrations around the world https://t.co/ndXTh1Rjh3 #epiphany #photos #christianity #globalisation
— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) January 6, 2023
Dear friends, this is the question that the Church wishes to awaken in the hearts of all men: who is Jesus? This is the spiritual longing that drives the mission of the Church: to make Jesus known, his Gospel, so that every man can discover in his human face the face of God, and be illumined by his mystery of love. Epiphany pre-announces the universal opening of the Church, her call to evangelize all peoples. But Epiphany also tells us in what way the Church carries out this mission: reflecting the light of Christ and proclaiming his Word. Christians are called to imitate the service that the star gave the Magi. We must shine as children of the light, to attract all to the beauty of the Kingdom of god. And to all those who seek truth, we must offer the Word of God, which leads to recognizing in Jesus “the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).
Adoration of the Magi, painted in ‘grisaille’ or shades of grey. From a fifteenth-century North Netherlands manuscript. #Epiphany https://t.co/x62n3UbS4a pic.twitter.com/Jzudz2GnKR
— Cambridge UL Special Collections (@theULSpecColl) January 6, 2023
Almighty and everlasting God, who hast made known the incarnation of thy Son by the bright shining of a star, which when the wise men beheld they adored thy majesty and presented costly gifts: Grant that the star of thy righteousness may always shine in our hearts, and that for our treasure we may give to thy service ourselves and all that we have; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
In Eastern Christianity, the Feast of Epiphany commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River.
Russian icon of the Theophany (Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, 1497) pic.twitter.com/rqXMOtPntz
— 🌿_ (@rebeca6169) January 6, 2023
How could they have known not to come
On what amounted to pretense? Everything
Their learning held, all their beliefs
Said regal gifts were needful for a king.
The things they brought were left behind,
Doubtless; or maybe traded for bread:
Impecunious Joseph with a family
To feed, a roof to put over his head.
Epiphany is the feast when we remember the visit of the Magi (or the three Kings) to the infant Christ.
This beautiful image is from Scenes of the Nativity, 19th century. [MS 1563] pic.twitter.com/VwL6QAWseC— LambethPalaceLibrary (@lampallib) January 6, 2023
…that this star was not of the common sort, or rather not a star at all, as it seems at least to me, but some invisible power transformed into this appearance, is in the first place evident from its very course. For there is not, there is not any star that moves by this way, but whether it be the sun you mention, or the moon, or all the other stars, we see them going from east to west; but this was wafted from north to south; for so is Palestine situated with respect to Persia.
In the second place, one may see this from the time also. For it appears not in the night, but in mid-day, while the sun is shining; and this is not within the power of a star, nay not of the moon; for the moon that so much surpasses all, when the beams of the sun appear, straightway hides herself, and vanishes away. But this by the excess of its own splendor overcame even the beams of the sun, appearing brighter than they, and in so much light shining out more illustriously.
…[Later in the narrative] it did not, remaining on high, point out the place; it not being possible for them so to ascertain it, but it came down and performed this office. For ye know that a spot of so small dimensions, being only as much as a shed would occupy, or rather as much as the body of a little infant would take up, could not possibly be marked out by a star. For by reason of its immense height, it could not sufficiently distinguish so confined a spot, and discover it to them that were desiring to see it. And this any one may see by the moon, which being so far superior to the stars, seems to all that dwell in the world, and are scattered over so great an extent of earth,””seems, I say, near to them every one. How then, tell me, did the star point out a spot so confined, just the space of a manger and shed, unless it left that height and came down, and stood over the very head of the young child? And at this the evangelist was hinting when he said, “Lo, the star went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.”
'Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, 'Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage''
Matthew 2: 1-3#Epiphany pic.twitter.com/9XSbMs7DES— Westminster Abbey (@wabbey) January 6, 2023
O God,
who by the leading of a star
manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth:
mercifully grant that we,
who know you now by faith,
may at last behold your glory face to face;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
As we prepare to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity, we pray blessings upon sisters and brothers around the world celebrating #Epiphany today, and pray that our Incarnate Lord fills our world with the Hope, Light and Joy that can only come from Him.#DifferentCalendarsOneFaith pic.twitter.com/eHbqxTP7gI
— Archbishop Angaelos (@BishopAngaelos) January 6, 2023
Enjoy the whole thing.
Lyrics:
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has come to make you new?
This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Will calm the storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy
Has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby
You kiss the face of God
Mary, did you know?
Mary, did you know?
Mary, did you know? Did you know?
Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know?
Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know?
Mary, did you know? Mary, did you know?
The blind will see, the deaf will hear
The dead will live again
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your baby boy
Would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy
Is heaven’s perfect Lamb?
That sleeping child you’re holding is the great, I Am
Mary, did you know? (Mary, did you know?)
Mary, did you know? (Mary, did you know?)
Mary, did you know? Oh
And then, just when everything is bearing down on us to such an extent that we can scarcely withstand it, the Christmas message comes to tell us that all our ideas are wrong, and that what we take to be evil and dark is really good and light because it comes from God. Our eyes are at fault, that is all. God is in the manger, wealth in poverty, light in darkness, succor in abandonment. No evil can befall us; whatever men may do to us, they cannot but serve the God who is secretly revealed as love and rules the world and our lives.”
–Dietrich Bonhoeffer, from a letter he wrote to his fiancée Maria von Wedemeyer from prison, Dec 13, 1943; God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas (Louisville: John Knox Press, 2010 E.T.), p. 5
Today's art: The Nativity – Caravaggio https://t.co/FdWaQ1f3br pic.twitter.com/TqUwAb82Od
— Art and the Bible (@artbible) December 25, 2020