Joy

Good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.

Luke 2:10

It is Orthodox Christmas Eve in Russia today. Meanwhile the Western Church celebrates Epiphany. Japan celebrated a secular Santa orientated Christmas, but Catholics here delay Epiphany til this Sunday. Given that Epiphany is all about 'wise men from the East' (Matt 2:1) it is sad Epiphany is not more well known here. It seems the K pop song is more popular than the feast! James Joyce went back to the Greek meaning of the word, 'reveal' which has led to modern usage of "sudden and great revelation or realization"(Oxford), but the Church uses the word Epiphany to specify the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, ie everyone outside Israel. What the world needs now is an Epiphany more than ever. In secular England today is known as the day Christmas decorations should be down by, and the "Twelfth Night" (after Christmas) has its own Shakespeare play, but again England desperately needs an Epiphany. To quote Sir Toby from the play, let us hope : "This will end without the perdition of souls". (Act 3: Scene 4: line 245)