Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
Gospel
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
h/t WeeWeed!
WeeWeed! 🤣🤣
Always good for levity with brevity !
Thanks to Menagerie again for her coverage of Epiphany.
Queenie Ness and I went to confession, then Mass on Jan 6.
We did pray for our people in jail, too.
One other note: Joan of Arc was born Epiphany (January 6) 1412.
Queenie Ness and I stood in the house Joan was born in and grew up in, and we attended Mass on the eve of All Saints Day in the little village church in Domremy Joan worshiped in … for it still stands.
Joan, besides being a military leader and saint of the Church, petitioned her king for a chapel for the saying of Masses for the souls of the war dead of France. Joan also was a political prisoner who suffered multiple attempted rapes while imprisoned and had to tie her thigh boots to her hose and her tunic with leather cords to keep the English soldiers at bay. (Her hose had a leather pantie and waistband to protect her modesty, so it could withstand the cords.) This was testified to at her English-ordered trial of condemnation in 1431 and her trial of nullification in 1456 ordered by Pope Callistus III to clear her name and to expose the English government and the ungrateful French king and the French clergy who collaborated with the English. The French king who Joan and her men placed on the throne would not ransom her. The English murdered Joan in public by burning her alive. Joan died in agony, but she had the courage and good sense to invoke the Name of Jesus loudly and pray aloud for her people.
The FBI, Capital Police, and other federales murdered Ashli Babbitt and Roseanne Boylan and have caused deaths and harm to others imprisoned unjustly for the January 6 fedsurrection.
Joan hated injustice and treason against her people. Joan also understand unjust treatment by evil and corrupt officials. I would think she has her eyes on those who were murdered and falsely imprisoned on the day of her birth. Joan would be an apt patroness for fighting patriots and martyrs of this country too.
Again, grateful thanks to Menagerie for her role in making the Treehouse the 360-degree floodlight of truth and hope that it is.
Wow!
Remembrance of an oft forgotten Holy Day in the West.
Bless you, Wee Weed!
Praying for peace worldwide today and particularly our Eastern Orthodox brethren in far away strife ridden locales.
Long live the King of Kings!
Thank you! I will be telling the story of the Wise Men at the Kids Time tomorrow. I have my lesson typed out but the video was very interesting. Prayers for Sundance, President Trump, Treepers and the country. May God bless America!
It is so easy to think that the Church has a lot of different objects – education, building, missions, holding services. Just as it is easy to think the State has a lot of different objects – military, political, economic, and what not. But in a way things are much simpler than that. The State exists simply to promote and to protect the ordinary happiness of human beings in this life. A husband and his wife chatting over a fire, a couple of friends having a game of darts in a pub, a man reading a book in his own room or digging in his own garden – this is what the State is there for. And unless they are helping to increase and prolong and protect such moments, all the laws, parliaments, armies, courts, police, economics, etc., are simply a waste of time. In the same way the Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing this, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, charities, etc., are simply a waste of time also.
– C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
Thanks for the quote, Checkmate!
Many of my friends are wringing their hands saying, “The end is coming!” It is prophesied! Fine
But the prophets of the OT were telling us the Lord was coming, and not to despair, because there was a remnant that the Lord had reserved for himself. And Jesus told us the end is coming, but no man knows the day or hour.
Back then Herod was seeking to kill the Saviour before he could even walk, and many sought to kill the Nation of the Lord, or the followers of the Way, or the Christians who meet. Or if they could not destroy it, take it over and give he followers some state controlled replica.
Often my eschatology studying Christian friends will respond to the overwhelming forces assembled against us and this nation, but seemingly saying, “Well the end is coming” — as if to say, don’t worry and don’t fight it because its all gonna end soon. If feels like a call to put my head in the sand and wait for the Lord to come
When the writers and prophets are predicting the coming of the Lord or the end of the world soon, the response they are seeking is this: To put God first, submit to him, feed His sheep, do His will, to do with all my might whatever my hands find to do, as if serving the Lord. To carry the message. To serve one another, lay down our lives for each other, submit to one another as we follow Christ.
So much of the work of those in the WEF globalist world dominance forces are seeking to destroy us, just as Herod did. They break up our families, overwhelm us making bricks without enough straw, keep us from assembling, keep us from teaching the Truth to one another, keep us from leading.
The Jewish leaders were looking for a King to take the world by force. And our Lord had the power and ability to do that. But instead he found twelve followers and asked them to walk with him while he taught the crowds and ministered to those seeking and threw zingers of sand at the leaders of the synagogue and leaders of Rome.
It was grassroots, guerilla fellowship war that built the church, that destabilized Rome, that allowed the birth of this nations freedom from England. Our Grand Experiment of a constitutional republic was built on unity to a simple cause: To pursue the inalienable God given rights of Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Sundance says Live your best life, meet, fellowship, serve those around you, get yourself right with God, seek him, carry the message to those around you. Sundance says throw sand in their machinery.
We must meet, communicate, encourage, teach, build relationships, set goals, encourage each other to live our best lives. iPhones, computers, media, entertainment, rules and regulations, and ridicule of our families, faith, relationships, communities, and nations — these have all become weapons against us.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, [the Magi] departed for their country by another way. Herod said, “Drat! Those wascally wise men!!”. He later succumbed to horrible complications of disease (look it up) while the Lord’s church spread light through the whole world.
Amen and Amen
”set apart” it is something that WE do as Christians/believers and we the church have to do this. It is an invitation to Gods spirit. End of the world, death will come to us all it should mean nothing to a believer maybe even less than nothing.
When you are given sixty seconds to collect all the $100 bills for yourself you always want more time. As Christians that should be our thoughts “more time to reap Gods harvest.” That just crystallized in my thoughts, I always thought there was sin in looking for the “end times” now I see it. rapture is not mercy it’s God saying “time is up come home my child.” Mercy is long in patients and allowing us time to bring in the harvest of the lost.
Yes, I believe we are right where we are supposed to be. It is our destiny to be here to help Him gather His lost sheep before He comes again to raise up all His followers and dispatch the unbelievers. The great awakening (of the masses) is what we all should strive to achieve, through our good works in His name.
“Bad times, hard times, this is what people keep saying; but let us live well, and times shall be good. We are the times: Such as we are, such are the times.”
Saint Augustine
guerilla fellowship war
That’s a keeper, Doc!!
Recently watched an interview of Catherine Austin Fitts by Greg Hunter.
CAF served as Assistant Secretary of HUD under George Bush. She is an investment banker and an able economist.
She also is a staunch conservative and patriot.
In the interview she quoted a prominent Swiss physician active in creation of alternate health care systems:
“The currency of the future will be in relationships of trust.”
“Little Christmas”
Today is Orthodox Christmas Eve, tomorrow — Orthodox Christmas (Little Christmas). Tomorrow I’ll bake Cesnica (Christmas Bread) and nut roll.
Merry Christmas 🎄
Thank you! Tomorrow the greeting will be “Christ is Born, Happy Christmas!” And the reply is “Truly He is Born!”
How perfect… beautiful ✝️
It isn’t a wasted day; as I learned something!
-Thank you, Lanna💖
Yes. Growing up with aunts who were Orthodox, we celebrated both and never took down decorations until after Little Christmas. Boy, do I miss the nut and poppyseed rolls.
Ah, we have those! In fact, just this morning I opened up a new package of a poppyseed roll, because yesterday we finished off a walnut roll. Merry Little Christmas to you. “Kis Karacsony” in Hungarian.
Nollag na mBann in Irish – it’s when the women put their feet up and get waited upon by the men. ‘Women’s Christmas’ and 12th Night
I like that!
I sure would like to have a way back machine Mr. Peabody. I would visit Isaiah and spend hours talking to him about the future.
How cool it would be to learn of his impression of Messiah.
May the splendor of your majesty, O Lord, we pray, shed its light upon our hearts, that we may pass through the shadows of this world and reach the brightness of our eternal home. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever amen.
🕊️💕🙏
A blessed and holy day.Three powerful, learned men pay homage to Baby Jesus! 🕊️
Just read Mystery of the Magi by Dwight Longenecker – a very good, very scholarly examination of what we know about the Magi. He points out that much of what people think they know about the Magi are traditions added by later generations. He concludes that they were probably not from Persia, but from the area of Petra, and that they were probably not following a single star, but a combination of unique astronomical events. A very thought-provoking book.
You might enjoy this brief discussion by an excellent theologian who was raised in the Middle East.
I am going to put this on my list to read next Chritmas. Thank you.
Here also is a good video that brings out how very much influence Daniel and his three fellow Jewish exiles had upon the Chaldeans.
The magi were highly esteemed officials of an advanced civilization that already had a lot of astronomic knowledge. How did they obtain prophecies of the birth of Messiah?
It must have been that Daniel and his friends transmitted these Old Testament prophecies to them, in the several hundred years before the birth of Christ.
Thank you for the video. It is good to be reminded how things are, and not how we “imagine”. Praise God! Blessings.
Thank you, Menagerie, for this post.
My Bible read this morning was from John 1:4-5:
”In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Then, I read your Scripture here from Isaiah – all about the Light has come!
Seems like a good time for this pic – now, that Christmas celebration is over.
But for followers of Christ, Christmas remains in our hearts every day…
Amen Patience!
I want to know Him in a deeper, higher way in days to come.
Pressing on …
🙏🏻
John 1:4
“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”
John 8:12
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.””
John 14:6
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.””
Amen, amen!
The verse John 14:6 is imprinted on my paper checks … (remember those?)
Have had people mark through the verse with black marker!
The darkness has not understood the Light!
Happy Three Kings’ Day!
Why did God make Eve from Adam’s rib?
https://creation.com/eve-adams-rib
Your Wise Men meme made me smile. That’s about right!
Here is some research about the date of birth of Jesus Christ.
I got tired of the screed of Christmas being a substitute for pagan rituals.
No it is not!
themoorings.org
🥰 🥰 🥰
It is just wonderful to read about prophesy fulfilled. I am so awed by a God who stooped low, to take on flesh, to be our savior, redeemer and friend. Thanks for sharing.
-Jesus is King
✝️
🙏🏻🤗✝️💕
💖, Miss Della❣️
“Footprints”
Epiphany – Home Blessing!
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?”
Matthew 2: 1-12
20 + C + M + B + 24
A lot of people don’t realize who the wise men were. The Chaldeans were king-makers. No one became king of Babylon (Greek for Babel, as in “the tower of”) without their approval. So of course, when a train of well-armed king-makers shows up at Herod’s (conveniently at a time when most of Herod’s armed forces were away) looking for a new king, Herod was upset. Those king-makers were the descendants of the wise men overseen by Daniel who was the second in charge of Babylon about 500 years earlier. Daniel was likely the one who left the Chaldeans with the signs to watch for. And the sign was that Jupiter (known as a “wandering star” at the time) would circle the king-star, Regulus, 3 times about 490 years (“70 weeks”) from the time of Daniel’s vision. Today, when a planet appears to move backwards relative to stars in the sky, we call it “retrograde motion.” It happens about once in 50-70 years for Jupiter – once or twice in a lifetime for the Chaldean astrologers. Something memorable.
Something the Pharisees would have also known to look for, because they knew all too well about Daniel. And they also knew to look for Jesus in Bethlehem, easily within a day’s *walk* from where they were. But they didn’t walk down to see what was going on and they liked serving Herod more than God, because Herod put them above other men. So when Herod asked them where their Messiah was coming from, they told him knowing it would likely bring death to a lot of Jewish infants.
Interesting and compelling.
It should be noted that the Pharisees were not Levites, either, the tribe that was to conduct priestly duties.
Nice info to consider.
Where do you get that no Pharisees were Levites? I haven’t seen them described as anything other than a sect based on their beliefs about how to interpret scripture; one that arose after the exile to Babylon.
When I was a kid growing up in the 50s the Catholics always kept their Christmas trees up and their outside lights on until the Epiphany! That was first hearing of the Epiphany! Do they still do that today? Just wondering?
We do! We think of the home as the ‘domestic church’, so we follow the liturgical seasons. Some do not, maybe out of ignorance or being influence by the secular culture we live in these days. Our 16 yo grandson was visiting. I understand that he is likely asserting his independence, but his parents are divorced (5 yr now) and he lives with his dad, who does really try to raise him in the faith. They live 1K mi away and we don’t see them in person often enough. Also, grandson attends public school and I’m sure he gets a lot of cultural influence there (to his spiritual detriment). I made it a point to greet him each morning (or afternoon, whenever he got out of bed) with “Merry Christmas”. He’d reply, “Nope. Christmas is over.” Oh well, I figure he has a lot of learning to do yet and pray that he’ll understand someday how beautiful it is to have this wonderful season for 3 weeks! The ornaments will be put away tomorrow and the artificial tree disassembled and stored on Monday or Tuesday. Merry Christmas and Happy Epiphany!
We do in New Orleans and Southeast La. The Feast of the Epiphany (Kings’ Day) marks the end of the Christmas season and beginning of Carnival season here.
My folks moved to NOLA in the 70s. There is a tradition of a Epiphany celebration with a king cake decorated in “Mardi Gras” colors of gold/green/purple representing the gifts of the Maji, and a plastic baby representing the Christ child baked into it. Whoever got the piece of cake with the baby was supposed to host the party next year. As you say, it starts carnival, which historically was more about the masked balls rather than parading.
I remember when the T-P had a “society” section on Sunday and during carnival it was packed with events.
My New Orleans cousin (and godmother) now on the MS Gulf Coast has always had a party for family/friends on 1/6 to celebrate Epiphany and the start of the Mardi Gras season. NOLA mainly lives the Catholic religion,…. most of the city does.
Our tree is still up and I won’t take my lights down,… cuz, like Jeff Epstein, they won’t hang themselves, again, if I take’em down before Epiphany.
Yes we do (in our house) We have 12 little candles in an open windowsill one lit each night from Christmas to 6th Jan know in Ireland as ‘the 12th night’ Little Christmas or Nollag na mBann. Or it used to be in the old days before Ireland reverted to paganism.
I have this book on my Want to Read list: Mystery of the Magi: the Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men by Dwight Longencker. I heard him on a radio show yesterday, Jan. 5. One interesting thing he said was that it was likely the Magi rode horses because they were Nabateans, the horses possibly being an Arabian breed. Here’s the link to the 55 min. interview. https://avemariaradio.net/kresta-in-the-afternoon-january-5-2024-hour-2/
Nat King Cole – official music video
O Come all Ye faithful
Today is/was my mother’s birthday. Although she had departed from us many years ago, we siblings still celebrate her birthday on January 6th. In light of that we also acknowledge this day as the visiting of The Three Kings; for us easy to remember. Anyway, for us it is a two-fold celebration.
Praise be to God, from Whom all good things come. (James 1:17)
My mom and one of my uncle’s birthday as well. She passed in 2019 at 95. She knew about her three great grandchildren and had pictures of two. My tree remains up for the epiphany.
Lovely! <3
That symbol is supposed to be a heart.
The relics of the Three Kings are still in the Cologne Cathedral, Germany. Would always go to Cologne between years 1975-1985. Love the every day walk for afternoon Kafe Kuchen (afternoon cakes and tea) cafes there.
https://www.koelner-dom.de/en
Sounds like a delightful afternoon event. Too bad the cathedral is now closed for simple walk-ins and prayers. You have some wonderful memories of that time.
Glad you had the opportunity to enjoy and the wonderful memories
Happy New Year to you and your family.
Thank you, and to you.
I think it’s not random happenstance/coincidence… but rather a Divinely Orchestrated event of concurrent incidents of High Purpose – that what happened on this day in WDC in 2021 happened on this Christian Holy Day of ‘revelation & insight’.
e· piph·a·ny| əˈpifənē |
noun (plural epiphanies) (also Epiphany)
…
• a manifestation of a divine or supernatural being.
• a moment of sudden revelation or insight.
Repenting to our Divine Judge & Law Giver… May we always remember to be guided only by Divine inspirations, rather than man’s &/or satan’s devious incitements; may we always increase the sharpness of our discernment to recognize & know the difference clearly…
and Blessed Be all our Earthly learnings, creative, & remedial actions that follow from Divine Revelations & Insights.
May our willingness to pro-actively & effectively grieve our losses and help ourselves & others deepen and increase… to show we desire and are worthy of His help in carrying out His Will. May we be still, and know that I Am that I Am; May we feel the Truth of Divine presence in every now moment.
One of my Soul Sisters finds herself opposed by family who are descending the slippery slope of the deviously-manipulated path and have turned against her & their mother without compunction; her own family (she, husband, & children) have experienced a full year of numerous & painful losses to that slippery slope besides; they also live within walking distance of the recent terrifying events in Maine, and at the time, the man of their house was working out of town; they were deeply impacted by this evil war on Humanity. They are both strong & wise, and are a strong & wise couple; doing their best to keep to the eye of the storm.
We prayed together last night and I felt like offering a general part of our prayer to all in fellowship here; I believe we have all suffered numerous & painful losses and are, to a degree, in similar circumstances with people we know & care for, who were/are caught up in the maelstrom to one degree or another. Even knowing that Chaos is what Divine Order looks like, it can be deeply distressing to watch Loved ones succumb unconsciously to the Chaos.
I hope it’s ok I chose this place instead of the prayer post – I’m feeling that awareness & acknowledgment of, and our alignment with, God’s arrival in physical form – our own in-the-moment Insight & Revelation – is key to our grieving, our healing, and our remedial & creative endeavors in every now moment, both individually and as a MAGA (Make America Godly/Great Again) community. The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost are Here now.
May God Bless us every one, and may God Bless His America.
Good observation,
I feel that you are correct.
WeeWeed! I come for the majesty of the Word, and stay for the levity. You are soooooooooo naughty!
Happy New Year!
And to you and yours, ZM!
Praise God on high!!!!!
May La Befana visit you all!
Happy Epiphany!
Our Christmas tree stays up through Epiphany, and won’t come down until 1/8, as do our prayers for family health and World Peace. Prayers, positive affirmations and meditation can help one in living their best life.
Christ said, “Ye reap as ye shall sow”,… meaning that your reality manifests from the thoughts you keep,…. an allegory not about agriculture.
Think good thoughts,… Happy New Year!
PS: Some think the Westward Proceeding Star that the three Wise Men followed from the East was a Comet,… as per the Astrology that was practiced then that claimed that comets foretell coming events here on Earth.
Every now and then I need a password.
Where do I get one?
Three Kings Day. The last day of the 12 days of Christmas.
Perhaps telling of what happened 3 years ago today.
How do I get a password for the above content on TCTH? Thanks for the help. I must have missed it somewhere.
Email Admin and ask for it, they won’t bite!
[email protected]
Thank You!