By Father Bob Bates features@algarveresident.com
Fr Bob Bates joined St Vincent’s Chaplaincy in the Algarve in May 2009, having previously served in the Peterborough Diocese in the UK. Fr Bob and his wife Diane live in the Chaplaincy House in Boliqueime with their dogs. Their son Tom has recently completed a post graduate music degree and lives and works in Cardiff.
Twelve days after Christmas Day, the Church celebrates Twelfth Night.
Shakespeare’s play of the same name plays much on mistaken identities and deception, but in the case of the religious celebration, it is more an occasion of clarification and realisation, as we look at the revealing of the true identity of Christ. In church circles, the day is referred to as Epiphany, which means ‘manifestation’ – an old-fashioned word which nevertheless describes the awakening of the world to God’s presence in human form, here on earth.
We all know the Christmas story of the stable scene at Bethlehem and the angels appearing to the shepherds, and their visit to the manger.
Do we realise, though, that no one else came, only these poor labourers (how appropriate that it was such folk, earning a pittance for looking after someone else’s sheep, who were the first who were called)?
There were no priests or Bishops, not the Mayor of Bethlehem or anyone from the royal circles, not even a reporter from the Algarve Resident!
“Hey!” I hear you call out, “What about the three kings?” – yes they are part of the school nativity play and are on many of your Christmas cards, and they were on their way at Christmas, following the star, but they did not arrive until 12 days later, and their arrival is the first indication of who this baby really was.
The Kings, the Magi, the Wise Men, call them what you will, were not Jews, they were Gentiles – they had travelled many hundreds of miles to Bethlehem, because they knew that this journey was so important, that they must drop everything to be there.
Where were the Jewish wise men? The Magi knew that this baby was far more important than they were despite all their magnificence.
They knew that they must kneel before him in this rough stable and pay him homage. They knew that their gifts honoured a much greater king than the world had ever seen. And by telling of them in his gospel, St Matthew tells his Jewish readers and us, that God was truly with us “Emmanuel”.
In many parts of Europe, much is made of the arrival of the Kings and in some places you can spot the initials ‘B’ ‘M’ and ‘C’ and a date over a doorway to show that Balthazar, Melchoir and Caspar have visited there.
We will celebrate the feast of the Epiphany at our Service of Holy Communion at 6pm at Nossa Senhora de Fátima, near Almancil on Thursday, January 6, and you are invited to be with us (phone me 289 366 720 for directions or look on our website www.stvincentsalgarve.org and click on “Almancil”).
We will honour the arrival of the Magi with their gifts, but also the baptism of Christ, acknowledging the start of his ministry; and the miracle at Cana, when he turned water to wine and his disciples first saw Christ as God incarnate.
After the service we retire to a local restaurant for a meal together – if you would like to join us for the meal and fellowship, please let me know so that we can book you in.
On behalf of all of us at St Vincent’s, may I wish you God’s blessings for the New Year.
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