Epiphany: The feast commemorating Christ's
manifestation to the Gentiles in the person of the Magi, as well as his baptism
and first miracle at Cana. It began in the East in the third century and soon
spread to the West, where it is identifies with the visit of the Magi. In some
countries it is known as Twelfth Night (after Christmas) and is the occasion
for special celebrations. For centuries the Epiphany has been a holy day of
obligation in many places. (Etym. Greek epiphaneia:
appearance, manifestation.)
Our Archbishop, Cardinal Wuerl, has had as his motto since
becoming a bishop, “Thy Kingdom Come.”
Several years ago, on the occasion of his 25th anniversary of
ordination a bishop by Pope John Paul II, he acknowledged people from around
the Archdiocese with a new award he called Manifesting the Kingdom. These people were chosen for having by their
lives and their work built up the Church and made Christ’s presence known in
outstanding ways.
Now, as we begin the year that will mark the 75th
anniversary of the foundation of the Archdiocese of Washington, once again he
is calling for recognition of the gifted and gift-giving souls who have made an
extraordinary contribution to the life of our local church.
From our parish, His Eminence will be acknowledging the good
work and gracious spirit of David and
Mary Ellen Barringer. They have
worked most visibly in the Religious Education community and Boy Scouts here,
but overall have been leaven in the loaf of our parish across the spectrum of
our life and activity.
Because I had seen them working for the Scouts, I approached
them in 2008 to help me organize and energize the families who participate in
our Religious Education program. They
eagerly and energetically took up leadership of the Religious Education
Enrichment Committee (REEC), which has been an engine of community- and faith-building
in that portion of our parish family.
In seeking to share their commitment to the faith, they first
worked to deepen and strengthen their own.
The grace that they found in this has led them both to be leaders among
our parishioners who work together to grow in the knowledge and love of God and
of His Son Jesus Christ. They have been
leaders in the men’s and women’s groups, respectively; continued to be strong
in Scout leadership; and have led Bible study and other enrichment
opportunities. Both have also served
well as lectors at weekday and Sunday Masses.
This past summer, Dave took on a new position as head of the
nationwide Saint Vincent de Paul Society, which requires that he live most of
the time in Saint Louis. Mary Ellen
remains here with their son Thomas until he finishes at DeMatha in 2015. We still see a good bit of Dave, who
predictably lends a hand whenever he is back in town.
Dave and Mary Ellen have been Manifesting the Kingdom here for all these years, and so I am glad
that Cardinal Wuerl will present the award to them this Sunday (January 5th)
afternoon at two o’clock, at a Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of
the Immaculate Conception. If you cannot
join us there for it, keep them in your prayers, and pray as well that God continue
to inspire good people among us here to take up the life-giving work of
manifesting the Kingdom.
The manifestation of the kingdom that we celebrate on this
Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus Christ as the Kingdom come, and
the King who will come. It is a marvelous occasion to remember that
we are all called, and able, to manifest this Kingdom now, in our own day, and in
our world.
Monsignor Smith
