EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

The Epiphany of the Lord is a feast of light that encourages us to continue to seek. It is a quest that will lead us to find Jesus in our Lives—the only ONE capable of giving us hope, peace, and full happiness.

In the Epiphany we recognize Jesus as God, King, and Savior of the World! We can celebrate this Feast with special, but different kinds of gifts, remembering the offerings presented by the Magi to the Child Jesus. A friend sent me a gift that I could give to God at the beginning of 2023: “An examination of conscience for the year 2022 in 25 minutes or less” so that we can look back to see where God has been active in our lives. It’s a way to help us notice, be grateful, and experience the desire for improvement and growth.

1. Remember that you are in God’s presence. That’s essential for any prayer.. It’s not just running through a list or talking to yourself. You’re doing it with God. St. Ignatius used to recommend actually looking at the physical place where you’ll be praying (a chair, on the floor, in a pew) and imagine God looking at you. It helps you to remember God is with you. Or you could simply invite God to be with you. God is always with us, but it’s good to remind ourselves of that, especially when we pray.
2. Call to mind what you’re grateful for. Think of all the wonderful things that happened to you this year. Take your time to do this. Savor them, like you would savor a good meal. And give thanks to God for them. Even if you had a bad year, call to mind what you’re grateful for. You may be surprised by how many wonderful events you’ve forgotten about. Know that these are God’s gifts to you.
3. Review the year. Of course you can’t do this day by day, but perhaps go month by month. Or just do it by topic—family, friends, work and so on. Cast your mind back over the year. Notice where God was present, where you said yes to God’s invitation to greater love. Where God loved you. Notice.
4. Express your sorrow, Surely in the space of 365 days you’ve done some things you regret. Tell God you’re sorry. If you have really harmed someone, today is a good time to seek forgiveness. Think about going to Confession if you’re Catholic and conscious of grave sin. But don’t wallow in your sins; remember you’re human and we all make mistakes.
5. Ask God for the grace to live 2023 as a good person. All of us have things that we need God’s grace to face: health problems, financial problems, family problems, work problems. So ask God for help. Be specific about what you need. St. Ignatius often encouraged people to pray for what they want and need. Finally, ask for the grace to see God’s presence in the New Year.