Happy Epiphany

One of my colleagues likes to refer to the seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany as the Nativity cycle of our Church year, when we reflect upon the need for a Savior, his birth, and then the amazing reality of having “God with us.” January 6th marks the beginning of the Season of Epiphany, commonly thought of as the season of light.  During this time of year, as there is gradually more daylight, it is apropos to consider how the light of Christ shines in our lives, externally and internally. 
For your consideration and mediation, I offer this wonderful prayer from the Mozarabic tradition. The Mozarabic language is late Latin from the Iberian Peninsula (modern day Spain). The Mozarabs were descendants of Hispano–Gothic Christians who lived under Islamic rule.
I hope this offers you some light upon your path today.
In Christ,
Rev. Valerie+
An Ancient Mozarabic Prayer

Hear us, O never-failing Light,
Lord our God, our only Light, the Fountain of Light,
the Light of your angels, thrones, dominions,
principalities, powers, and of all the beings of this world;
you have created the light of your saints,
the bright cloud of witnesses around us.
May our souls be your lamps, kindled and illumined by you. 
May they shine and burn with your truth,
and never go out in darkness and ashes.
May we be your dwelling, shining from you, shining in you; 
may we shine and our light never fail;
may we worship you always.
May we be kindled brightly and never extinguished.
Being filled with Christ’s splendor,
may we shine within, so that the gloom of sin is cleared away, 
and the light of everlasting life abides within us. Amen.

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