The rhythm of the Church’s liturgical seasons reflects the rhythm of life with its celebrations of anniversaries and its seasons of quiet growth and maturing. Now that the Christmas season is officially over with the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord, we are in the season of ordinary time. After the pivotal event of Jesus’ baptism, he now begins his public ministry.
Ordinary Time is celebrated in two segments: from the Monday following the Baptism of Our Lord up to Ash Wednesday, and from Pentecost Monday to the First Sunday of Advent. Ordinary time is the largest season of the Liturgical Year. The vestments and altar hangings are green, the color of hope and growth. During this time we are invited to pray over and to meditate upon Jesus Christ, the life of his public ministry, his teachings in the light of the miracle of God with us and his Resurrection.
If you and I are to mature in the spiritual lives, we must descend the great mountain peaks of Christmas and Easter in order to “pasture” in the green meadows of ordinary time.
On this first Monday in ordinary time, we remember the life and ministry of St. Aelred who was born in 1109 in Durham, England and died in 1167 when he became abbot of Rievaulx in Yorkshire, England. He is known for his spiritual writings.
Let us pray: Almighty God, you endowed the abbot Aelred with the gift of Christian friendship and the wisdom to lead others in the way of holiness: Grant to your people that same spirit of mutual affection, that, in loving one another, we may know the love of Christ and rejoice in the gift of your eternal goodness; through the same Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
Due to the inclement weather, we have postponed our Annual Meeting to Sunday, 18 January 2015.
The Seaside Seniors will meet this Thursday at 11:00 am in Sutton Hall.
Annual MLK Prayer Circle at St. Vincent’s Episcopal House, Monday, January 19,2015 12 Noon at 2817 Alfreda Houston Blvd., Galveston, Texas.
We will conclude our Adult Christian Education class, Focus on Islam, on Sunday, 15 February 2015, when Dr. Ahmed will speak to us. All are invited to attend.
ESL continues this evening from 6 pm to 8 pm in Sutton Hall.
Al-Alon in Spanish meets on Thursday evenings at 6 pm in Sutton Hall.
Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, especially those who are ill and recovering.
Your servant in Christ,
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550
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