By Sister Stefanie MacDonald, OSB

Visit the monastery this time of year and you might be surprised. All our Christmas decorations are still up! Christmas music is still playing!

That’s because the Church celebrates Christmas until the Baptism of Jesus next Monday. We also celebrate Epiphany for a week. Not too much time for such a momentous event!

So this week we will consider the star, the sign that led the wise men to Jesus. It reminds me of Isaiah: The people of darkness have seen a great light.

The sign itself, and Jesus himself, are both worth the celebration … and carrying forth in our own intentional way. How do we follow the sign? How do we embrace the light? Further, how are we, ourselves, the sign? How are we, ourselves, the light? Are we following Christ’s example and being a light for those in darkness? Are we a light for ourselves?

Happy Epiphany. ❤