A Few Words...

Here in Sacred Heart in Camden, we celebrate Christmas for 40 days, from December 25th until February 2nd, which is the feast of the Presentation in the Temple, or what we always call, Candlemas. Consequently, Christmas is a wonderful time here, a season of meaning in the winter, a season of light. There are three Epiphanies in those 40 days. First, is the Royal Visitors, who were wise enough to set their sights on the right star. A shared vision, they had, and a shared journey. A quest that could not rest until it found the truth. Twelve sets of camel pads and toes moving purposefully on the unmarked sand. No signs or guidance in the endless sameness. But, the wise ones were never downcast. They were all looking up. Their stellar satellite led the way through hill and hollow, and safely through the dangers on the ground of political snakes that sought to use them for evil ends.

The star knew where the truth lay. It stopped to shine on an animal trough in Bethlehem where the light was so bright, it wiped out the star. Then, the Magi stopped looking up and began looking down. They got off their high camels and found God at their feet. The God of high heaven was down to earth. It was an awesome realization, a glorious Epiphany.

It is true that the three royal ones, in a reverent gesture, brought gifts for the giver of all gifts. In a childlike way, here at Sacred Heart, three people dress up at the end of mass on the Feast of the Epiphany, two men and a woman, in costumes representing the three royal visitors. Two of them have ornate wooden boxes and one holds an elevated vessel of rising incense. The boxes have silver dollars and are placed on the altar and blessed with these words:

O God, creator of the universe, source and strength of all life, we thank you for giving the whole earth to each of us for the benefit of all of us.
Help us to share it generously and fairly.
Bless this money, let it be a sign of sharing and a good channel of distribution.
Help us trust in you more than in it, and be alive to your presence in all material things.
May all who receive this money have enough to live on and some to share for the coming year.
May it be blessed in your holy name.
The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Then the people in the pews come forward, old and young and babies in arms. Each one gets a coin. (Expecting mothers get two. Those with big expectations get at least three.) The dollar is not worth much in itself but it comes bearing the blessing: "May all who receive this money have enough to live on and some to share for the coming year." This coin proclaims truthfully: "In God we trust."