The Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord

Kathy Uncategorized

Epiphany is normally celebrated on January 6th although it can be celebrated on the Sunday between January 2nd and 8th as is done in the United States and many other countries. It may also combine the celebration of all three epiphanies (“showing forth”) of Christ: His epiphany to the Magi at His birth; His epiphany to St. John at His baptism in the Jordan and; His epiphany to the disciples, and the opening of His public ministry by the miracle of Cana. However, the primary significance of this feast is the closing of the Christmas season with the celebration of the visit of the Magi to the manger (Matthew 2:1-12). The Messiah is thus shown to have come to all people, not just the Jews.

The three kings represent the three major races: Melchior, an old white man with a long white beard, bearing the gift of gold for Christ’s royalty; Caspar, young and of darker hue, carrying incenses for Christ’s divinity; and Balthasar, a black man, offering myrrh for Christ’s suffering and death. The names of the wise men are not given in the Bible, but were supplied by later story tellers to enrich the meaning and celebration of the Epiphany.

Blessing of Homes: A tradition associated with the Epiphany is the blessing of homes. Using chalk, a parent can mark the inside of the main door of the house with the initials of the Magi and a code of the current year connected with crosses: 20+C+M+B+20. The initials refer to two things. First, they refer to the names of the three kings, Casper, Melchior, and Balthasar. It also refers to the Latin phrase, “Christus mansionem benedicat,” meaning, “May God bless this house.”

 The point of this rite is to recognize the coming of Christ, to ask Him to fill your home with His grace, peace, and love, and to protect the people who live there from the attacks of the Ancient Enemy. In other words, as we celebrate the coming of the Lord into the world and His becoming known at Epiphany, in this blessing you are asking the Lord to come into your home and make Himself known to you. 

 The family can offer the following prayer: 

Visit, O blessed Lord, this home with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who live or visit here with the gift of your love; and grant that we may manifest your love to each other and to all whose lives we touch. May we grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you; guide, comfort, and strengthen us in peace, O Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen

Blessings in this New Year,

Fr. Socorro

Invitation To A Festival of Lessons & Carols

 As a gift from your parish, you are invited to close out your Christmas season at a special evening service of readings, music, prayer, and reflections on Sunday, January 5th, at 7pm in the Church. There is no charge to attend; but free will offerings will be accepted. Hope to see you there. See the small fliers on tables in each vestibule.

– St. Valentine Worship Commission

Invitation To A Festival of Lessons & Carols

Kathy Prayer Opportunities

As a gift from your parish, you are invited to close out your Christmas season at a special evening service of readings, music, prayer, and reflections on Sunday, January 5th, at 7pm in the Church. There is no charge to attend; but free will offerings will be accepted. Hope to see you there. See the small fliers on tables in each vestibule.

 – St. Valentine Worship Commission

“Joy to the world! The Lord is come”!

Kathy Weekly message

Dear parish members, wishing you every blessing this festive season! 

“A child is born for us; a Son is given to us” (Is 9:5). What Isaiah prophesied as he gazed into the future from afar, is now proclaimed to the shepherds as a present reality by the Angel: “To you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Lk 2:11). The Lord is here. From this moment, God is truly “God with us”. No longer is he the distant God. He has entered the world. He is close to us… “For you the Savior is born”.

The celebration of the birth of Jesus is therefore a celebration of the infinite love of our heavenly Father and we need to thank God for that great gift given to each one of us so freely.  As we remember and celebrate this gift, we need to realize that only Christ can bring us the love, peace, joy and happiness which we all seek. We need to come to Him as often as we can and be filled with those graces and blessings, He longs to bestow on us. As I wish you happiness during this season, I pray that the gifts of love, joy and peace brought by Jesus may overflow into the New Year for each one of you.  

The Mother of Jesus is our mother, if we intercede to her she will definitely assist us on this journey of experiencing her Son’s blessings, and she will help us to bear witness in our world to His truth, His love and His peace.

On behalf of Fr. Kishore and our parish staff I pray that our loving Lord bless you and your loved ones with a joyful grace-filled Christmas. And may the gift of God’s love come alive in your heart in the New Year 2020 and bring you many occasions for rejoicing. Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus and allowing Him to lead us, will definitely help us to have a new 2020 vision, a better vision.

A Merry and blessed Christmas!

Fr. Socorro Fernandes

 Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!

A warm welcome to all those who will be returning back to this parish even though you have not been here regularly – you have 2020 to look ahead and to make new decisions. All we can say is Welcome Home. If you are a member of this parish, I hope to see you taking a more active part in various ministries, in commissions and committees that we have. I am sure you will find something that will stir your interest if you are really looking forward to actively taking part. We remember those family members who are still far from home and unable to be with their loved ones.

We hold in our prayers those who may be sick, lonely or bereaved. May the Peace and Joy of God’s presence surround you and bless you with Grace. 

 From the Principal

Dear St. Valentine Parish,

The faculty, staff, and students of St. Valentine School wish you all the blessings of the season. Our school year theme is “Be Still and Know that I am God”. Our teachers and students are focusing on our relationship with our Lord and relationships with each other. During the Advent season our students from kindergarten through grade 8 all have had the opportunity to spend time growing closer to God during their daily reflections, during our weekly Advent wreath lighting prayer service, and during their mini- retreats. Our teachers do a wonderful job offering a prayerful and age appropriate retreat for each grade level. St. Valentine School has been working to prepare the path to our hearts for Jesus.

 In a favorite Christmas song “O Holy Night” there is a line that states “the thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices”.  We are indeed a weary world as we look around and see division among people, poverty, violence, and so much intolerance and hatred in our own country and around the world. It often seems that our world is again in darkness as it was at the time of Christ’s birth. St. Valentine Church and School communities shine forth as a beacon of Christ’s light for a “weary world”. I count myself very blessed to be a part of a community of faith that supports a Catholic School. Our children need faith and the values the Gospel teaches to be able to go out and continue to shine with Christ’s light. Thank you, St. Valentine parish, for your continuing support of our faith-based school.  Your prayers, support and generosity help us to carry out our mission of a school based on values that are rooted in Catholic teachings, academic excellence, love and respect for all, and allows us to provide a community of faith for our young learners making us a strong community in Christ. Thank you for being a part of our mission. Merry Christmas!

Mrs. Damuth