‘Weekly Post. Anno Domini 2024 January 3

Beloved of the Lord:

Happy New Year! (Albeit the secular year, the Christian year having commenced on Advent I). Today is Wednesday, 3 January, in the year of our Lord 2024. The scheduled services are as-follows:

• Thursday (tomorrow): 6:30 PM, Mass, Octave Day of the Holy Innocents, followed by Soup & Study.
• Friday: 9:00 AM, Mass, Vigil of the Epiphany, with Gregorian Canon.
  Immediately following, Adoration of the Holy Sacrament.
• Saturday: 5:00 PM, sung Mass with incense, The Feast of the Epiphany.
• Sunday: 8:30 & 10:00 AM, Mass, Epiphany I.

'And let all things become as-new; radiant in the glory of fresh creation ... on this, the very threshold of the next year of our Earthly lives, may we first appreciate, and then give thanks for all that we have. We sometimes become so involved in the typical prayer-cycle of petition and need, that it becomes an afterthought, if we consider it at all, to give thanks to the Father for our Creation, the Son for our Salvation, and the Holy Ghost, for all of the gifts that He bestows upon us. No matter what sort of beginning we're contemplating, that is when we determine the rules of engagement, the policies of procedure, call it what you will. In any event, we have before us new start ~ let us stop, and pray, and set the tone of our worship, and of our very Christian lives for this year, now.

As-noted above, we will be having our usual course of study, tomorrow-evening. We've had a volunteer to bring the supper, so all y'all the rest of you simply come to Mass at 6:30 PM. Bring sharpened appetites and wits, and we shall see what we shall see....

Having shockingly ~ stunningly ~ already completed Adventide, we will rapidly progress into the other Seasons that exemplify, that teach the earthly life and ministry of our Lord, Jesus, the Christ. Christ-Masstide will soon end, Epiphanytide is hard-upon us, and others will follow in quick succession. Open your hearts and minds to the teachings of Holy Mother, the Church, as we take a front-row seat to the perfect example that He left for us, in all things, that we might know-, and serve Him, all the better. I remain

in His praise,

The Rev'd Canon. T. L. Crowder

Pastor, Saint Matthew's Parish