{"id":106101,"date":"2021-01-03T08:02:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-03T16:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/?p=106101"},"modified":"2021-01-02T16:23:36","modified_gmt":"2021-01-03T00:23:36","slug":"epiphany-or-not-your-mileage-may-vary-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/epiphany-or-not-your-mileage-may-vary-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Epiphany, Second Sunday, or Most Holy Name (Your Mileage May Vary)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

H<\/span>appy Tenth Day of Christmas! Today is… complicated. Depending on what calendar you happen to be using, today might very well be the great Solemnity of the Epiphany. Or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Traditionally, though, the Epiphany is celebrated on January 6 – the the day after the Twelfth Day of Christmas. Since the calendar reforms of 1970, any diocese may choose to move the celebration to the Sunday following January 1<\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span>. Indeed, this is what my own archdiocese of Seattle does, so happy Epiphany!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ll make a fuller post on the Epiphany on the sixth, when we’ll be heading over to Saint Joseph parish for the Epiphany High Mass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In many other places in the United States and around the world today is simply the Second Sunday after Christmas<\/em>. This is what it is in my Benedictine Ordo, so this morning I prayed Lauds of that Sunday. If this is true where you live, merry Christmas!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, this evening we plan on attending Mass our local parish of Saint Patrick, where it will be the Epiphany. Whee!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then, in the calendar used by the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, today we celebrate the Memorial of the Most Holy Name of Jesus<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.<\/p>

(Philippians 2:9-11)<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

As Saint Paul attests, devotion to the Lord’s Name goes right back to Apostolic times. The feast, however, is of much more recent origin, dating to the fifteenth century<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The devotion was popularized by Saint Bernardine of Siena<\/a>, who often used the letters “IHS”, the first three letters of “Jesus” in Greek. This “Christogram<\/a>” proved popular, because in Latin it can also be taken as the initials of the phrase “Jesus Hominum Salvator”, (“Jesus, Saviour of men”)<\/span>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And why honour the Holy Name?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Names are a powerful thing, indeed. In faerie tales and myths, if you know somebody’s “true name”, you have power over them. You can call on them at need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When God told His name to Moses (Exodus 3:13-17<\/a>), it was carefully recorded when the Torah was written. But to this day, anyone who is reading aloud in synagogue, when the come to this name, instead say “Adonai”, which simply means “Lord”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God’s name was too sacred to be spoken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when the Second Person of the Divine Trinity is conceived, it is God Himself who names Him. When God becomes man, becomes relatable, He somehow becomes more reachable<\/em> as well. The Angel of the Annunciation says to the Blessed Virgin Mary:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.”<\/p>

(Luke 1:30b-31<\/a>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Here is a name that God gives Himself, and it is the name we are to call Him, and call upon Him with. At need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is an ancient custom to bow one’s head whenever the Holy Name is mentioned. You will see priests and altar servers alike bow their heads during Mass whenever they hear the name of Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try it. It will make you more acutely aware of the Lord as you focus on hearing the Holy Name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this is the feast you are celebrating today, I wish all the joy of the feast!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Happy Tenth Day of Christmas! Today is… complicated. Depending on what calendar you happen to be using, today might very well be the great Solemnity of the Epiphany. Or not. Traditionally, though, the Epiphany is celebrated on January 6 – the the day after the Twelfth Day of Christmas. Since the calendar reforms of 1970, any diocese may choose to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":86456,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[46,5,25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-106101","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-annual","category-holy-days","category-seasons"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=3000%2C2923&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1aGBK-rBj","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":101302,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/twelfth-day-of-christmas-2020\/","url_meta":{"origin":106101,"position":0},"title":"The Twelfth Day of Christmas: Epiphany Confusion!","author":"Thom","date":"05 January 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I hope you're enjoying your twelve drummers drumming. Depending on what calendar you happen to be using, today might very well be the Epiphany for you. If so, happy Epiphany! Traditionally, though, the Epiphany is celebrated on January 6. Since the calendar reforms of 1970, any diocese may choose to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Annual"","block_context":{"text":"Annual","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/annual\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/galette-des-rois.jpg?fit=448%2C336&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":109350,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/epiphany-confusion-2025\/","url_meta":{"origin":106101,"position":1},"title":"The Twelfth Day of Christmas: Epiphany Confusion!","author":"Thom","date":"05 January 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"I hope you're enjoying your twelve drummers drumming. Depending on what calendar you happen to be using, today might very well be the Epiphany for you. If so, happy Epiphany! Traditionally, though, the Epiphany is celebrated on January 6. Since the calendar reforms of 1970, any diocese may choose to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Annual"","block_context":{"text":"Annual","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/annual\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":110188,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/the-eleventh-day-of-christmas-epiphany-confusion\/","url_meta":{"origin":106101,"position":2},"title":"The Eleventh Day of Christmas: Epiphany Confusion!","author":"Thom","date":"04 January 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"I hope you're enjoying your eleven pipers piping. Depending on what calendar you happen to be using, today might very well be the Epiphany for you. If so, happy Epiphany! Traditionally, though, the Epiphany is celebrated on January 6. Since the calendar reforms of 1970, any diocese may choose to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Annual"","block_context":{"text":"Annual","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/annual\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":106748,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/the-twelfth-day-of-christmas-and-assorted-calendar-craziness\/","url_meta":{"origin":106101,"position":3},"title":"The Twelfth Day of Christmas and Assorted Calendar Craziness","author":"Thom","date":"05 January 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This year I've been terrible about posting for the twelve days of Christmas, but I've made a handy list at the end of this article which should catch you up. I hope at least you're enjoying your twelve drummers drumming! This evening is called Twelfth Night, traditionally the vigil of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Annual"","block_context":{"text":"Annual","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/annual\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/12drummers.jpg?fit=630%2C355&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/12drummers.jpg?fit=630%2C355&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/12drummers.jpg?fit=630%2C355&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":89276,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/the-epiphany-2018\/","url_meta":{"origin":106101,"position":4},"title":"The Epiphany!","author":"Thom","date":"06 January 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Happy Epiphany! Throughout most of the world, today is the great Feast of the Epiphany. Most of my American readers, however, will have to wait until tomorrow. For reasons I can\u2019t quite fathom, in the dioceses of the United States this feast has been moved to the Sunday between January\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Divine Office"","block_context":{"text":"Divine Office","link":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/category\/sacred-liturgy\/divine-office\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/epiphany.jpg?fit=1200%2C1169&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":86346,"url":"https:\/\/www.thomryng.com\/amateurmonk\/the-twelveish-days-of-christmas\/","url_meta":{"origin":106101,"position":5},"title":"The Twelve(ish) Days of Christmas","author":"Thom","date":"26 December 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The rest of the world thinks Christmas is over, with the possible exception of those who celebrate Boxing Day today or those fond of partridges in pear trees. 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