By Sharon Frank
February, the shortest month of the year, is often the coldest and dullest – lots of grey days. Yet even here there are days when the sky turns blue, and the sun shines brightly on new fallen snow, and sparkles like jewels.
A magical experience; a perfect time to stop and say “thank you” to our creator! It is also an in-between time. Life both secular and liturgical is at a slower pace, a time between the celebration of Christmas and the preparation time for Easter, the two major periods in “church land”.
February sees the end of The Season of Epiphany…. theologically, insight through the divine – when the Magi shared that Jesus is the Son of God for all the world. From a secular perspective, the epiphany concept is more often used without religious connotations. There is an implication of supernatural, as the discovery seems to come suddenly from the outside. A perfect time to “just be” and in silence; listen and hear what the great “I am“ imparts for faith grows when we prayerfully listen!
What a perfect time to reflect back to the anticipatory waiting of Advent and the blessings of Christmas as we ponder what is it to be in the journey to Lent and Easter. In-between time lends itself to prayerfully consider where the “ah ha” moments are, in each of our lives and in the life of our beloved church. Praying about those “ah ha’s” moments can lead to a whole new level of relationship with the Divine.
Epiphany like Eucharist, is a great time for individuals to reflect on past – present – future; for the “memory of the future”(Julia Gatta, Life in Christ – Practicing Christian Spirituality, 2018)) which is the Mystery of Faith, will be personal and distinct for every individual. This time affords an opportunity to look through new lenses at our lives, in our hearts, homes, churches, communities and our world. Be open to insights and “ah ha” moments for they come and go when least expected! All this just might support prayer through the witness of our lives.
Sharon Frank is AFP Huron Executive/Parish Rep.