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Abbeylara Parish Bulletin – 5th January 2025
Priest on Duty: Fr. Simon Cadam – Phone 086 2401295.
www.abbeylaraparish.com
Masses:
St Bernard’s: Saturday 4th January 2025
7.30 p.m. Eamon Brady, (37th A) Derragh and Fr. John Brady (3rd A) Knock and formerly Derragh.
Philomena Kelly, (4th A) Kinkillew and all the deceased members of the Kelly and Farrell families.
St. Mary’s: Sunday 5th January
9.30 a.m. Mary Bernadette Coyle, (6th A) Terry Coyle (26th A) and their son Stephen Gerard (6th A) Cloughernal and Rathcronin and all the deceased members of the Coyle family, Kilcogy Lower and O’Donnell family, Westport.
St. Bernard’s:
Monday 6th January 7.30 p.m. Helen Brady, (7th A) Camagh.
Thomas (38th A) & Nancy (18th A) Walsh, Toneymore and all the deceased members of their families.
St. Bernard’s: Saturday 11th January 2025
7.30 p.m. Mary Gallagher, (14th A) Abbeylara.
Nancy and William Crawford, (A) Abbeylara.
Bernard and Maureen Smyth (A) and their son Peter and daughter Mary Keogh.
St. Mary’s: Sunday 12th January 2025
9.30 a.m. Tom and Bridget Lynch, (A) Creevy and all the deceased members of the Lynch & Kiernan families.
Weekday Masses
Monday 6th January – 9.30 a.m. in Carra.
Monday 6th January- 11.30 a.m. in Granard.
St. Mary’s Church, Carrick, Finea.
Mass for Fr. Michael Campbell and Fr. Frank Gray on Sunday 5th January at 12.
St. Bernard’s Afterschool Abbeylara:
Two Job Opportunities. Afterschool Manager and Afterschool Childcare Assistant. To apply please send CV to stbernardsafterschoolchairman@gmail.com
Mass Bookings: Please contact Patricia Mahon for booking Masses, certs etc. Phone no 086 0685092
Collections: Offertory – €468.70; Priests Dues – €25: Thank you.
Abbeylara Parish Centre: Tuesday 7th – Energy plus school of dance: 6-7.30pm. Thursday 9th – Self Defence: 6.30-7.30
The Message of Epiphany – When the Magi followed the light of a star to Jesus – builds on this model of worldly action. We are called to testify to the light and we are called to follow the light. This is the common theme of the Gospel readings for January 5 and 6: testifying to and following the light. But, as the Gospel reading for Epiphany reminds us, Christ’s presence as temporal and divine authority is a threat to the authority of empire, the authority of kings, the authority of unjust rulers and regimes.
In Matthew 2, King Herod hears news of the Word made flesh, the light of the world, “the king of the Jews” (2:2) and “he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him” (2:3). Herod asserts his authority over the chief priests and scribes (also frightened) by calling them together. He then refuses to repeat the title of king given to Jesus by the Magi, instead asking where the Messiah (Christos) was to be born. These are tactics of those seeking to consolidate their power: they assert their authority and refuse to recognize other authorities as equal. Christ’s call to follow the light and testify to the light challenges these kinds of tactics and this kind of power.
Nevertheless, the wise men follow the light to the manger, to Jesus, to the light of the world, and are overcome with joy. They carry their treasure chests to pay homage to Christ and offer him gifts, establishing a new site of worship, away from Herod’s center of authority. In this, they fulfill the call to testify to and follow the light while also submitting to the authority of Jesus Christ over the authority of King Herod. Matthew testifies to the very real danger of challenging a dominant, oppressive power a few verses later in Matthew 2:16.
In John 1, Jesus Christ has authority as the Word of God made flesh and we are called to join messengers testifying to Christ’s light. Matthew’s Magi are examples of those who follow the light that leads to the Light. Today, likewise, both readings call us to testify to Christ – to share our stories – and to follow Christ – to care, feed, shelter, and serve – even, perhaps especially, when doing so de-centers the powers of our day.
May we continue to proclaim good news that leads us away from oppressive regimes. May we continue to seek the light that leads to life and chooses to dwell among us.
