THE THREE KINGS FOLLOWING OF THE CHRISTMAS STAR THAT IS THE LIGHT OF THE NATIONS..........

7:30 am - My first Sunday, the Solemnity of the Epiphany, had me up before 6:30 am, in order to be over to open up the church. My Masses today are at 8 am & 11 am. I look forward to meeting more of the parishioners and celebrating this first Sunday of 2010, and second Sunday of Christmas with them...10:10 am - Having celebrated the 8 am Mass which went pretty smoothly for a first time Sunday Eucharistic celebration in this splendid, marble laden sanctuary, and greeted the arriving 9:30 am Mass attendees, I had my breakfast and organized my medications for this week. My Holy Family / Presentation parishioner, Donna Ransom, who was my last parish secretary in Citrus Heights, attended the 8 am Mass and my longtime friends and 10th wedding couple as a priest, Tony and Katherine Clark, and their daughters Molly and Erin, I chatted with for quite awhile after the 5:30 pm Mass last night. I am preparing to head over to meet and the greet the departing 9:30 Massgoers and get ready to preside at the 11 am Mass...12:30 pm - The 11 am Mass was wonderful, with the choir on post Christmas vacation for two Sundays, the Parish Music Ministry Director, Dr. Don Kendrick, led a quartet of quality voices, highly enhancing our Christmas-Epiphany Liturgy. The warmth of the parishioners welcome to me is extraordinary. They are expressing as much happiness at having me here, as I am happy to be have this time to minister to and with them...My homily today was introductory, as well as scriptural and pastoral. The scriptural focus being on the Christmas Star followed by the Magi, by which they discovered the Christ Child, the true and ultimate King, who is the Light of the Nations, and truly the Light of the World. I posed this question, which I now propose for your Christmas-Epiphany New Year reflection. How will you follow and discover the Light of Christ Our Lord and Savior, with your families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, fellow students, within the community of believers, and in all you encounter during the coming week ? For following, discovering, and sharing the Light of Christ, that is the Light of the World, will enlighten your path on the way to salvation..........May the 3 Kings, Known as Caspar, Melchior, + Baltazar, Inspire You to be Generous in Sharing Christ's Light With Others, Fr. Troy