The clock is ticking down now. Only about 4 hours until a new year starts. Are you ready? Have you made your resolutions? Have you resolved to keep them a little longer than you kept them last year? Have you resolved not to be upset when you do break them? Are you going to stay up to watch the ball drop and the party roll? Don’t forget tomorrow’s a high feast of The Church! . . .

Today we have entered into a new year. Our Lord was born 2,017 years ago. Last night the world partied away, and now it sleeps. But Our Lord does not sleep. He remains ever active. While we celebrated His Birth a week ago, His work has just begun. Last week the angels told us why He came. Today He shows us. Today we see what He’s all about. Today He is circumcised and receives His Name, Jesus. . . .

Do you like to look at the stars? One of my favorite classes in college was astronomy. One of the best parts was this: on a couple nights we went up on top of our school to look up at the stars with a telescope. What a sight to see all those beautiful, and colorful!, stars and planets! . . .

“Behold, The Lord, The Ruler, hath come, and the kingdom and the power and the glory are in His hand.” But what are His kingdom and His power and His glory? Why is He here? Why is God in Man made manifest? Is He come to upset the powers of this world? Is He come to rule some foreign nation, whether Jews or Gentiles? Or is He come for some other reason? Is He come for your bodies and your souls? Is He come for you? . . .

One of the most important things to us in life is family. We see them at Christmas, during the summer, maybe all the time. We grew up with them. Sadly families sometimes drift apart for any number of reasons. It’s always amazing when a long-lost family member pops up out of nowhere. . . .

“The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near; repent and believe in The Gospel.” These are your Savior’s words to you. They are words He first spoke when He began to preach in Israel nearly 2000 years ago. But they aren’t old fashioned or passé. They are the most important words you can ever hear! “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near; repent and believe in The Gospel." . . .

Christmas has come and gone. Now we’re well into the Epiphany season. The Christmas decorations are disappearing, but the white remains and will stay for a little while. For Epiphany means “manifestation, revelation.” “God in man made manifest” is our theme. The Baby born of Mary is true Man, but He is also true God. This is what The Church teaches us in these Sundays. Rejoice! . . .

The pastor who confirmed me likes to call Christmas “The Jewish Christmas.” Now you might scratch your head at first and wonder why he says that. After all, doesn’t the Christmas angel say “Fear not, for I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people”? Doesn’t that mean Christ The Lord is born for you and me? . . .

“What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” What kind of man is He? You’re not able to stop winter winds and cold or snow and rain. You’re not able to start them up either. You aren’t able to call for clouds or sun. You aren’t even able to tell the President of these United States what to do – right now. What kind of man is this, Who the winds and sea obey? . . .