Sunday, January 07, 2007

Epiphany and "The Ordinary"

Happy Feast of the Epiphany, and soon, tomorrow, happy Feast of the Baptism of the Lord!
Today we celebrated the Epiphany of Jesus to the Magi, that is, the non-Jewish peoples of the world.
Tomorrow we celebrate Jesus' Baptism, the beginning of his ministry. We will also begin the first week of what the Church calls "Ordinary Time." St. Theresa of the Little Flower used ordinary things done extraordinarily well to show her love for God. That makes Ordinary Time not so blah or dull, right?
At our community's Boston headquarters (for our USA/English-speaking Canada Province) many Sisters have gone to our St. Thecla Retreat House to begin our Provincial Chapter. Chapters take place every six years in our congregation. Our Superior General has a six year term. She is elected or re-elected at a General Chapter with representatives from our Sisters all over the world. The Provincial Chapter deals with issues in our area--or as our documents call it: our circumscription. As is true in our case, our circumscription covers more than one nation: USA and Canada's English-speaking areas. In prayer, we in Toronto are accompanying the Sisters gathered at St. Thecla's. One of the provincial councillors emailed me the prayer booklet that the Sisters will be using for morning and evening prayers. I printed it out for each of us five Sisters here. So we will be with them in spirit.
St. Thecla, by the way, is said to have been the first woman convert of St. Paul, and one who collaborated with him in his evangelizing mission. We pronounce it as "Teck" like the "tech" in technician.
My prayers and best wishes to all of you who read this blog for a happy and holy Ordinary Time!

1 comment:

Ginny said...

This is my first time answering a blog. Hope that I can find my way back here.
I was surprised that ordinary time came up so fast. This means that Lent will be here soon and Easter while it is probably still winter.
The Franciscans near me in Kennebunk have gone to Lithuania for their
Chapter. This means , perhaps , a change in leadership at the local monastery.
I am thrilled that our new Pope has taken such a leadership role and is will ing to stand firm to challenges