Dear Brothers and Sisters

A very Happy New Year to you all. As we begin this year of Grace 2021 we do so in the company of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Whatever this year brings to us we will meet it in his presence, we will meet it under his protection, we will meet it with Faith and Hope and above all with Love. With the Love that God has for each of us, with the Love that we are called on to share with each other. The Old Year has gone, the New Year lies ahead of us. Today is the day that each of us are called to live in the Light of Christ. So today, and every day of this year, let’s shine in that light.

So many of our Christmas ‘traditions’ have been imported from other nations. The Christmas tree, famously, came to our country with Prince Albert on his marriage to Queen Victoria. The Christingle, a much more recent import, came to us from Central Europe. Another Central European tradition is the Blessing of your home at Epiphany. This tradition is hundreds of years old but has become popular in the United Kingdom in the past few years. Epiphany is the time when we remember the visit of the Wise Men to Jesus. We don’t know how many Wise Men visited, or what their names were, but traditionally three have been identified, because of the three gifts that they brought, with the names Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar being given to them. If you would like to adopt this epiphany tradition it is really very simple. You take a piece of chalk and write the following on the lintel of your front door or on the wall next to it: 20 + C + M + B + 21. 20 and 21 stand for the current year but splitting them shows that Christ is at the centre of the year and our lives. The fours +s remind us that the Gospel needs to be shared in all four corners of the world. C, M and B are the initials of the Wise Men. They also stand for the Latin words; Christus Mansionem benedicat; May Christ bless this home. So if you are looking for a ‘new’ tradition this Epiphany consider chalking this blessing on you home as a reminder of the Epiphany all through this year. 

Sunday’s Readings

A Reading from the letter to the Ephesians

This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles— for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given to me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow-heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given to me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.                                                         (3:1-12)

The Gospel according to Matthew

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, 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.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 
“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
   are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
   who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.                                                                                                              (2:1-12)

Services for next Sunday 10th January         

  • Farnley                            9.30am
  • Denton                             11am

Services for Sunday 17th January                 

  • Farnley                            9.30am
  • Fewston                           11am
  • Weston                            2.30pm             

Please remember in your prayers: To give thanks for all who have helped develop the vaccines that will bring this pandemic to an end. Those who are anxious about the year ahead. Our hospitals and all who work in them. Those who care for others. Our schools faced with uncertainty about reopening. Those who have nowhere to sleep tonight. Those who are hungry, sick or dying. All those who mourn.

God bless you all.                       

Stephen