Mass Reflection: Sunday - 28th January 2024

DT 18:15-20; PS 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9; 1 COR 7:32-35; MK 1:21-28

Our readings today remind us of God’s authority. If we willingly give God authority over our lives and trust in His provision, He will take care of us no matter what. 
 
In our First Reading, Moses announces to the Israelites that God will send them another prophet through whom He will communicate His commands. Regarding the prophet, the Lord says, “Whoever will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name an oracle I have not commanded… he shall die.” 
 
These are tough words to hear from our Lord, but they are a good reminder for us. We, too, will answer to the Lord one day as to how well we listened to His words and lived by His commands. The thought of our final judgment may cause us to cringe in fear. And while it is good to have a holy fear of being separated from God for all eternity, fear is not to be the motivating factor on our faith journey. 
 
As Christian stewards, it is our job to imitate Christ and follow His commands out of gratitude for all that He has given us. We are more willing to live by God’s commands when we are motivated by love and gratitude.  
 
In our Second Reading, St. Paul tells us how to give God authority over our lives. St. Paul was preaching to the people of Corinth regarding Christ’s Second Coming. Because he thought the Second Coming was approaching fast, he encouraged them, if unmarried, to remain that way so they might fix their hearts on Christ with the time they have left. It might seem that St. Paul’s message cannot apply to us in our present day — however, what he said has great value to us. No matter our state of life — bishop, priest, deacon, religious, married, single — we are called to put Christ first in our lives and to strive to please Him in all that we do. We are inviting God to have authority over our lives when we make Him our top priority. As a result, we will be more prepared to meet Christ at His Second Coming, and we will have an overwhelming peace in our hearts.  
 
Our Gospel today reminds us why we want to give God this authority. Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath. All were fixed on His words and astonished at what He had to say. Suddenly everyone’s attention shifted to a man with an unclean spirit who began to question Jesus and His authority. Jesus responded, “Quiet, come out of him!” and removed the evil spirit from the man. All were amazed at the healing of this man. 
 
Life can sometimes look like the synagogue in Capernaum. We are living as disciples of Christ when we suddenly recognize evil around us — through events in our lives, temptations we are enduring, or by falling into sin. It can distract us, consume our attention, or even cause us to despair. In these moments of trial, we must remember the Healer in our Gospel today. Recall His words, “Quiet, come out of Him!” Jesus has the power and authority over evil, for He has conquered sin and death. He also has the power and authority over us. And when we invite Him to have that authority, He will heal us and help us persevere. 
 
Today, we are reminded that God is in control and that we want Him to be in control. He is the loving Healer Who will work miracles in our lives if we give Him the authority to do so.
 

Mass Reading: Sunday - 28th January 2024

First reading
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
I will raise up a prophet and put my words into his mouth

    Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like myself, from among yourselves, from your own brothers; to him you must listen. This is what you yourselves asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the Assembly. “Do not let me hear again” you said “the voice of the Lord my God, nor look any longer on this great fire, or I shall die”; and the Lord said to me, “All they have spoken is well said. I will raise up a prophet like yourself for them from their own brothers; I will put my words into his mouth and he shall tell them all I command him. The man who does not listen to my words that he speaks in my name, shall be held answerable to me for it. But the prophet who presumes to say in my name a thing I have not commanded him to say, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.”’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 94(95):1-2,6-9

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come, ring out our joy to the Lord;
    hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come before him, giving thanks,
    with songs let us hail the Lord.

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come in; let us bow and bend low;
    let us kneel before the God who made us:
for he is our God and we
    the people who belong to his pasture,
    the flock that is led by his hand.

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

O that today you would listen to his voice!
    ‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
    as on that day at Massah in the desert
when your fathers put me to the test;
    when they tried me, though they saw my work.’

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

________

Second reading
1 Corinthians 7:32-35
Give your undivided attention to the Lord

    I would like to see you free from all worry. An unmarried man can devote himself to the Lord’s affairs, all he need worry about is pleasing the Lord; but a married man has to bother about the world’s affairs and devote himself to pleasing his wife: he is torn two ways. In the same way an unmarried woman, like a young girl, can devote herself to the Lord’s affairs; all she need worry about is being holy in body and spirit. The married woman, on the other hand, has to worry about the world’s affairs and devote herself to pleasing her husband. I say this only to help you, not to put a halter round your necks, but simply to make sure that everything is as it should be, and that you give your undivided attention to the Lord.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, 
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.

Alleluia!

Or:
Mt4:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

The people that lived in darkness
has seen a great light;
on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death
a light has dawned.

Alleluia!

_________

Gospel
Mark 1:21-28
Unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority

    Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.

    In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 21st January 2024

First reading
Jonah 3:1-5,10
The people of Nineveh renounce their evil behaviour

    The word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah: ‘Up!’ he said ‘Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to them as I told you to.’ Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was a city great beyond compare: it took three days to cross it. Jonah went on into the city, making a day’s journey. He preached in these words, ‘Only forty days more and Nineveh is going to be destroyed.’ And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least.

    God saw their efforts to renounce their evil behaviour, and God relented: he did not inflict on them the disaster which he had threatened.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 24(25):4-6,7b-9

Lord, make me know your ways.

Lord, make me know your ways.
    Lord, teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:
    for you are God my saviour.

Lord, make me know your ways.

Remember your mercy, Lord,
    and the love you have shown from of old.
In your love remember me,
    because of your goodness, O Lord.

Lord, make me know your ways.

The Lord is good and upright.
    He shows the path to those who stray,
He guides the humble in the right path,
    He teaches his way to the poor.

Lord, make me know your ways.

________

Second reading
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
The world as we know it is passing away

    Brothers: our time is growing short. Those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn should live as though they had nothing to mourn for; those who are enjoying life should live as though there were nothing to laugh about; those whose life is buying things should live as though they had nothing of their own; and those who have to deal with the world should not become engrossed in it. I say this because the world as we know it is passing away.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Mk1:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

The kingdom of God is close at hand:
repent, and believe the Good News.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Mark 1:14-20
I will make you into fishers of men

    After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’

    As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him.

    Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 21st January 2024

Jon 3:1-5, 10; PS 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9; 1 COR 7:29-31; MK 1:14-20

Our readings today call us to be decisive in our faith. God calls us as stewards to repent and renew our commitment to Him each day.
 
In our First Reading, God instructs the prophet Jonah to travel through the city of Nineveh and warns the people that the city would be destroyed due to their evil ways. When the people of Nineveh heard this, they declared a fast in repentance. The Lord saw this and had compassion for them.
 
Every moment is an opportunity to either grow closer to God or further away from Him. We can identify with the people of Nineveh when we recognize that our actions are not drawing us closer to God. We may be attached to certain sins or living in complacency — over time, that can weaken our commitment to the Lord and sever the relationship we have with Him.
 
When we become aware of our weaknesses, it should not cause us to despair. Instead, it should call us to act quickly as the people of Nineveh did. Jonah had been gone only a single day's walk before the people repented. We, too, should go no more than a single day without acknowledging our offenses towards God and renewing our commitment to Him with greater conviction. God wants to be compassionate towards us, but we must be willing to recognize our need to repent.
 
Our Gospel today shares Mark's account of Jesus calling His first disciples. In his account, Jesus approaches Simon and Andrew, and later, James and John. These four men were fishermen, casting their nets. Jesus states, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." In both instances, the men immediately abandoned what was before them and followed Christ.
 
Imagine if Simon and Andrew looked at their Savior and said, "Thanks for the offer, but we will finish up fishing and meet you later." That is no way a disciple should respond to Christ’s call. Yet, that is how we often respond to Jesus' offer to us, "Come after me." We can easily fall into the misconception that we have plenty of time to live active discipleship. We rationalize that we will eventually get around to deepening our commitment to prayer when we have time, even though we have been wanting to do so for months. We can justify that we are too busy right now to make time to go to confession regularly, but tell ourselves we will do it soon once our schedules ease up. But as faithful stewards of our time, we must change our ways and immediately follow Christ more intentionally, because Christ is calling us to act now, just like the first disciples did.
 
These men became members of Jesus' 12 apostles. They surrendered their entire lives to follow Christ. They left their jobs, homes, and families, devoting their lives to God's work. We, too, are called to surrender our lives to the Lord so that He may work through us. We might think, “God isn't calling me.” But indeed, He is. Just as He called four ordinary fishermen, He is continuously calling each one of us. Renewing and reevaluating what God might be asking of us throughout our lives is a key component of our stewardship journey.
 
As we settle into this New Year, let us ponder the ways we can repent and renew our commitment to God. Let us ask ourselves, what are we casting our nets for? And are we willing to leave it behind for something much greater? If not now, when?

Mass Reading: Sunday - 14th January 2024

First reading
1 Samuel 3:3-10,19
'Speak, Lord, your servant is listening'

    Samuel was lying in the sanctuary of the Lord, where the ark of God was, when the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ He answered, ‘Here I am.’ Then he ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since you called me.’ Eli said, ‘I did not call. Go back and lie down.’ So he went and lay down. Once again the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since you called me.’ He replied, ‘I did not call you, my son; go back and lie down.’ Samuel had as yet no knowledge of the Lord and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. Once again the Lord called, the third time. He got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since you called me.’ Eli then understood that it was the Lord who was calling the boy, and he said to Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if someone calls say, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.”’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

    The Lord then came and stood by, calling as he had done before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel answered, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’

    Samuel grew up and the Lord was with him and let no word of his fall to the ground.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 39(40):2,4,7-10

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

I waited, I waited for the Lord
    and he stooped down to me;
    he heard my cry.
He put a new song into my mouth,
    praise of our God.

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings,
    but an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and victim.
    Instead, here am I.

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

In the scroll of the book it stands written
    that I should do your will.
My God, I delight in your law
    in the depth of my heart.

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

Your justice I have proclaimed
    in the great assembly.
My lips I have not sealed;
    you know it, O Lord.

Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

________

Second reading
1 Corinthians 6:13-15,17-20
Do not sin against your own body

    The body is not meant for fornication: it is for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. God, who raised the Lord from the dead, will by his power raise us up too.

    You know, surely, that your bodies are members making up the body of Christ; do you think I can take parts of Christ’s body and join them to the body of a prostitute? Never! But anyone who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.

    Keep away from fornication. All the other sins are committed outside the body; but to fornicate is to sin against your own body. Your body, you know, is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you since you received him from God. You are not your own property; you have been bought and paid for. That is why you should use your body for the glory of God.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
1S3:9,Jn6:68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening:
you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

Or:
Jn1:41,17

Alleluia, alleluia!

We have found the Messiah – which means the Christ –
grace and truth have come through him.

Alleluia!

 ________

Gospel
John 1:35-42
'We have found the Messiah' 

    As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher – ‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour.

    One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning Rock.

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 14th January 202

1 SM 3:3B-10,19; PS 40: 2,4,7-10; COR 6:13C-15A,17-20; JN 1:35-42

 “Behold the Lamb of God.” It is with these words that St. John the Baptist introduces Jesus to two of his followers, who then in turn do indeed follow Jesus to learn more about Him. One of those followers is identified as Andrew, brother to St. Peter, and the other is presumed by historians to be St. John. Throughout his Gospel St. John, although he appears often, is never specifically named. 

  
But why did John the Baptist use that name in particular, “Lamb of God?” Lambs were sacrificed regularly, and it was believed that their blood in sacrifice was given for the sins of that day. Of course, the blood of Jesus was given for our sins, not just for a particular day but for all time.

It is as if each Gospel presents a view of who Jesus is. You might say Matthew shows Him as the King of Kings. Mark presents Him as a Servant of God. Luke views Him as the Son of Man. And John illustrates Jesus as the Son of God. All together the Gospel writers give us a glimpse of the greatest Man who ever lived. This Man/God healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the hungry, and most importantly loved unconditionally. Jesus has cared for us like no other. No one has ever loved us like Jesus has.

In our First Reading from the Book of Samuel, we hear of how Samuel answered the call of God. His response has become the subject of numerous hymns and other writings. Twice Samuel says, “Here I am,” and then declares (once he is aware that it is God Who is speaking to him), “Speak, for your servant is listening.” One of the more popular hymns has as its refrain, “Here I am Lord; is it I Lord? I have heard You calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if You lead me. I will hold Your people in my heart.”

Just as the reading from 1 Samuel captures the essence of what our response to God’s call should be, this hymn does as well. Do we respond as definitely as Samuel does? That is what we are called to do.

In the Second Reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, Paul confirms that we (as Samuel realized) are completely God’s. Paul indicates that just as the Church as a whole is a temple of the Holy Spirit, that is also true, especially in a spiritual sense, of each of us as Christians. We belong to God; our bodies belong to God, and not to ourselves. We are not our own for Christ has purchased us with the price of His sacrifice. It is human nature perhaps to take better care of something that does not belong to us.

Although Paul is referring to sexual conduct, he is making a more important point. If our bodies belong to Jesus, we should not be idle with or wasteful with what belongs to Him. Our purpose is to respond to the Lord (as Samuel did) and to glorify God (“Therefore, glorify God in your body.”).

Our Gospel Reading comes to us from the Gospel of St. John. You may recall that Matthew, Mark, and Luke are considered the synoptic Gospels — that is, “synoptic” is a Greek word that means “to see together.” The synoptic Gospels present the life, Passion, death, and Resurrection of Jesus in a similar way.

The Gospel according to John is quite different. It is (at least according to scholars) more literary and more symbolic. It does not follow the same order as the synoptic Gospels, nor does it include the same stories. It was quite likely the last of the Gospels written.  Today’s Gospel Reading affirms and confirms what we have heard in the first two readings.

Jesus asks these first two disciples an important and logical question: “What are you looking for?” It is the same question He asks of all of us. For the answer, the Lord directed them, as He does us as well, to Himself – to live with Him, to “Come and… see.” Those disciples followed Him. They do this at the urging of John the Baptist. Their willingness to follow Jesus fulfills John the Baptist’s ministry. 

From our First Reading to our Second Reading to this Gospel we are all called to do the same. We are called to be Christ’s disciples. People come to faith in the Lord through invitation. Andrew invites and introduces his brother Simon Peter to Jesus. If we truly believe in the Lord, and wish to share that belief, we do invite others to join with us. That is part of our calling.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 07th January 2024

First reading

Isaiah 60:1-6 ·

Above you the glory of the Lord appears

Arise, shine out, Jerusalem, for your light has come,

the glory of the Lord is rising on you,

though night still covers the earth

and darkness the peoples.

Above you the Lord now rises

and above you his glory appears.

The nations come to your light

and kings to your dawning brightness.

Lift up your eyes and look round:

all are assembling and coming towards you,

your sons from far away

and your daughters being tenderly carried.

At this sight you will grow radiant,

your heart throbbing and full;

since the riches of the sea will flow to you,

the wealth of the nations come to you;

camels in throngs will cover you,

and dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;

everyone in Sheba will come,

bringing gold and incense

and singing the praise of the Lord.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 71(72):1-2,7-8,10-13

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

O God, give your judgement to the king,

    to a king’s son your justice,

that he may judge your people in justice

    and your poor in right judgement.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

In his days justice shall flourish

    and peace till the moon fails.

He shall rule from sea to sea,

    from the Great River to earth’s bounds.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts

    shall pay him tribute.

The kings of Sheba and Seba

    shall bring him gifts.

Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,

    all nations shall serve him.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

For he shall save the poor when they cry

    and the needy who are helpless.

He will have pity on the weak

    and save the lives of the poor.

All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

________

Second reading

Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6 ·

It has now been revealed that pagans share the same inheritance

You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery. This mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ, through the gospel.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation

Mt2:2

Alleluia, alleluia!

We saw his star as it rose

and have come to do the Lord homage.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel

Matthew 2:1-12

The visit of the Magi

After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote:

And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah,

for out of you will come a leader

who will shepherd my people Israel.’

Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward, and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 07th January 2024

Today, we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord. "Epiphany" comes from the Greek word meaning “to manifest” or “to make known.” In other words, today we celebrate the first manifestation or revelation of Jesus as the Son of God. Our readings today remind us of God’s numerous manifestations in our lives and how we are called to share these manifestations with others.    The Gospel account of the three magi traveling to meet the newborn Baby Jesus bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh is one that we know well. Yet, when we pause to reflect on this passage and unpack the richness of that moment when these men met Christ for the first time, we recognize that there is much to be said for us still today.  As today's Gospel tells us, the magi traveled quite a distance as they followed the star, and “on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage.” Clearly these men knew that they were in the presence of their King, for one prostrates himself out of reverence and submission. They also came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, which symbolize Christ’s kingship, divinity, and humanity. These gifts make known to us Who Christ is — our Lord, our God, and our Redeemer.  Christ is still manifesting Himself to us today. We enter God’s house weekly. Upon entering His house, we are in His presence. Is meeting Christ our top priority each week? When we meet Him, do we give Him homage and show reverence knowing that He is our King? Do we offer Him our gifts — our time, talent, and treasure? As Christian stewards, we are called to respond to Christ’s manifestation in the Eucharist with love, reverence, and gratitude.    And as Christ primarily manifests Himself in the Eucharist, He also manifests Himself in everyday moments — like a beautiful sunrise, a good conversation, a merciful spouse. He gifts us with little manifestations throughout our days and we often miss them. In order to recognize Him, we need an attitude of gratitude — a key component of a stewardship way of life.  A faithful steward not only receives Christ gratefully but also shares His goodness responsibly. St. Paul expresses this in our Second Reading in his letter to the Ephesians, “the mystery was made known to me by revelation… the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body.” St. Paul is sharing the Good News that has been revealed to him with the Gentiles. As Christian stewards, we too are called to share what has been revealed to us. We are called to manifest Christ to others by the way we live our lives.     As we strive to become more faithful disciples of Christ, let us prepare our hearts to receive Christ’s many manifestations in our lives, both big and small, and let us be Christ to others. In other words, let us look at every moment through the lens of gratitude, and share what we receive with one another. God gifts us with countless little epiphanies! We just need a grateful disposition to receive them.