8 January 2025
One of the challenges we face every year in the Church is that once Christmas Eve and Day have been celebrated, people have grown tired of Christmas. Because the secular world begins Christmas so early, by the time the Nativity of our Lord arrives, people are ready to be finished with Christmas. Add to this the great emphasis placed on New Year's Eve in our local cultures, and there is little energy left for a robust celebration of the Twelve Days of Christmas culminating with Epiphany Day on January 6.
In addition to the busyness of family life during the holidays, there has also been societal trauma during this time. The deadly fireworks explosions in Honolulu on New Year's Eve started the year with a black cloud, throwing a wet blanket of depression on the city and state. The date of January 6 has also been blemished by the capitol riots four years ago. People's patience is being tested by the toxic politics of our time, as well as the seemingly insurmountable challenges facing our local communities, whether that be illegal fireworks, homelessness, or the destruction of Lahaina, just to name a few.
Yet in the midst of this societal dysfunction and human sin, we were fortunate at the church to be healed by multiple holy liturgies this Christmas and Epiphany. People are still talking about the majesty of our Midnight Mass, while others have voiced gratitude that our church was open on Christmas Day, offering a full choral high mass. The Latin Chant Mass on New Year's Day was sublime as we feasted on the Body and Blood of our Lord at the start of a new year. That liturgy was healing balm after the catastrophe of the prior eve, offering grace after so much frustration and disappointment. The silent gem of the season was the Epiphany Vigil when we made Epiphany water. Epiphany water has been viewed historically as the strongest holy water the Church makes all year, as the rite includes extensive exorcisms of the salt and the water, as well as a robust formula of blessing.
We celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany a day early this year, on Sunday, January 5. I made the pastoral decision not to add another weekday high mass to our Christmastide schedule on Monday, January 6. Truth be told, more than ever before in my ministry, people are telling how fatigued they are. Life is throwing so many problems at so many people these days, and when they come to church they have less energy to share. Many people are coming to church to receive ministry these days. Fewer are coming to church to equip themselves to minister to others in the Name of the Lord. This phase, by God's grace, will eventually run its course, as it is unsustainable for the church.
During these times, joyful worship, such as we celebrated this Christmas and Epiphany, is a critical lifeline for people. Beautiful masses with roaring organs and sweet-singing choirs are essential services for the health of people. We need more worship, and we need more adoration. We need more exposure to the beauty of holiness. We need more holy time and space pointing our hearts and minds to what truly matters - Jesus Christ and the alternate world God champions.
During Epiphany-tide we will discover who Jesus Christ objectively is, and why we must celebrate him unashamedly. We shall discover him with the Magi at the Manger, with John the Baptist in the River Jordan, with his Mother Mary at the Wedding at Cana, with the suffering and the sick at healings, and in Transfiguration Light with Peter, James, and John. As he called his disciples into service, he shall call us into ministry this Epiphany season too. We shall witness the abundant life and faith-filled ministry of the Light-that-is-coming-into-the-world, and this Incarnate Light named Jesus is worthy of all the glorious worship we can offer.
Father Paul Lillie +
