Our photo today is from Pixabay to mark the feast day of the Epiphany
The story of the three wise men is fascinating. As we begin 2023 the story of the Wise Men is still relevant and important. Their story touches our story too. The Epiphany is celebrated all over the world and yet their feast day (January 6th) comes at a time when most people are taking down their Christmas decorations!
I have made two videos to mark this special feast day. You can just copy and paste the link
Who Really Were The Wise Men?….. https://youtu.be/uAuq2CnfW3Y and also
The Three Wise Men Teach Us Many Things…. https://youtu.be/RwmpodQ9N3g
On This Day
On January 6th 1979 The Village People’s “Y.M.C.A” becomes their only UK single and at its peak it sold over 150,000 copies a day.
On January 6th 2021 Supporters of US President Donald Trump storm the Capitol in Washington during congressional certification of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s win, resulting in five deaths and prompting evacuation of lawmakers and Vice President Mike Pence
Birthdays Today
Rowan Atkinson (Better known as Mr. Bean) is 68
Miriam O’Callaghan (RTE Presenter) is 63
Nigella Lawson (Journalist and Celebrity Chef) is 63
Al Porter (Comedian) is 30
Saint For Today
The Magi from the East
Significance Of Today
Today January 6th The Epiphany is celebrated in many parts of the world. I always have a soft spot for the three wise men! Yes we know some bits about the story and there is also so much more we don’t know too. This adds to the mystery of the Magi and the reason why of their visit. I admire their sense of adventure, determination, courage, bravery and their willingness to take a risk. I am fully convinced their story has a message for all of us too especially as we begin 2023.
Interesting Quote For Today
“The Wise Men remind us to never give up. Their journey was long, difficult, and uncertain but they kept going, even when all was not clear to them.” ~2u.ie
Did You Know
Did you know that the names given to the wise men are Balthasar, Melchior and Casper
Thought For The Week
“Love is more important than what we can take in life. Love, Love, Love.” ~Pelé
Two world figures went to their eternal reward during the past week, Pope Benedict and Pelé.
I will start with Pelé and there have been wonderful and glowing tributes given to him. He was a man who simply loved the game of football. His real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento but of course he is known around the world as simply Pelé. But where did the name come from? There are no obvious explanations as the word has no translation in the Portuguese language. But the late RTE commentator Jimmy Magee had his own theory and shared it with Pele in one of their interviews.
The story relates to an Irish speaking missionary priest who was working in one of the poorer parts of Brazil where Pele was born and raised. Of course, back then Pele was simply known as Edson, the name everyone called him. Watching the young boy play on the street with a ball made of paper, the priest talked in Irish about the “buachaill ag imirt peile” (boy playing football) and on hearing the Irish phrase, the local women began calling the boy “Pelé”. Nobody has been able to prove the exact origins, but Jimmy Magee was always convinced this is where it came from.
There are many quotations from Pele himself, but the one on love is most appropriate as we journey through the season of Christmas and as we begin the New Year. Love is at the heart of the Christmas Story. Take away love and there is no story. We celebrate the difference love makes in our lives every single day. We so often talk about God using the language of love. A new year’s resolution is to be open to the blessings of love in our life today. Love so often comes to us in small moments and often quietly and without fuss. We can allow these moments to touch us and allow us to share a loving moment with someone else.
Pope Benedict was a man who also believed in love and believed totally in the difference it can make in our lives. Yes he may have come across as stern and serious, but those who knew him up close said he always was very gentle with a relaxed style. Like Pele he believed that our world is such a better place when we receive love and when we share it. The late Pope Benedict was known as a ‘Pilgrim of Peace’ and he brought the Gospel message of peace to so many parts of the world including Northern Ireland. We pray that this message of peace will be heard in the troubled parts of our world especially in Ukraine.
Wishing you a Happy New Year and a blessed 2023
The Thought For The Week is updated each Monday
