Let the Flame Burn Brighter

I hope you are enjoying a happy and holy twelfth day of Christmas! 

The transition from the Christmas season means that the church calendar leads us into Epiphany and rejoicing over how Christ’s light is being shed abroad to all nations. This reality is displayed in the Bible in the story of the magi. In the Gospel of Matthew the magi are described as simply coming from the east, and so they have come to represent the various people of the earth being drawn to the revealing (epiphany) of God in Jesus Christ.  

The coming of the magi has been linked to the prophecy in Isaiah 60 that reads “Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”  With this connection Epiphany and the season to follow often involve the imagery of bright lights (even bonfires!), as a celebration of God’s glory made manifest in the light of Jesus’ life, igniting hearts, minds and lives around the worldwith love, glory, and grace. Caught up in this conflagration of goodness, our lives reflect and magnify him, spreading and shedding his light to others.

In a lighthearted but meaningful way our community celebrates the light of Christ with bonfires this Saturday. See below for details, reach out to one of the hosts, and join us! Feel free to bring your tree (real ones only) or Christmas greenery to contribute, and bring a friend to enjoy the light! 

On Sunday (as we celebrate seven baptisms!) you can also pick up chalk and a prayer for an Epiphany blessing of your home, welcoming the light of Christ into your household for 2023.  The season of Epiphany is also a great time to receive a house blessing! Feel free to contact one of our clergy to find out more and arrange this. 

Christ’s light is still shining and go forth in our city and among the nations. As an expression of this and a marker of the ways that we have joyfully been drawn into this work at COTC over the coming Sundays different COTC mission partners will be sharing a bit about what they do. 

Lastly, at the start of this New Year I’m aware of the ways so many of us hard-pressed and heavily laden. In whatever you are facing, or with whatever you are carry, “May Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon you, scatter the darkness from before your path, and make you ready to meet him when he comes in glory; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you for ever.”

Grateful for the Light,

Peter+