THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM
The unfolding of the story of the Incarnation continues today as the Church celebrates the Epiphany. The tale of the magi from the East is one of the most fascinating in all of scripture. It has much to teach us about what we can come to expect, even in circumstances and places that may seem insignificant or small. Bethlehem was a tiny town, what we might refer to today as a town without even one stop light. Yet it is over this seemingly insignificant place that the guiding star stops in its own search for the place where the Savior would be born. Too often we fail to recognize the fact that the star of Bethlehem comes to rest in our everyday lives, where we can experience God's presence, manifested in ever new ways. Epiphany calls us to shake off our stupor and recognize the One who comes to save us. (c) Copyright, J. S. Paluch Co.
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They opened their treasures and offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11b
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SAINTS AND SPECIAL OBSERVANCES
Sunday:The Epiphany of the Lord;National Migration Week
Monday:St. Raymond of Peñafort; Orthodox Christmas
Wednesday:Muslim New Year 1429
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READINGS FOR THE WEEK
Monday:1 Jn 3:22 -- 4:6; Mt 4:12-17, 23-25
Tuesday:1 Jn 4:7-10; Mk 6:34-44
Wednesday:1 Jn 4:11-18; Mk 6:45-52
Thursday:1 Jn 4:19 -- 5:4; Lk 4:14-22a
Friday:1 Jn 5:5-13; Lk 5:12-16
Saturday:1 Jn 5:14-21; Jn 3:22-30
Sunday:Is 42:1-4, 6-7; Ps 29; Acts 10:34-38; Mt 3:13-17
 
TODAY'S READINGS
 
First Reading -- Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! The LORD shines upon you and the glory of the Lord appears over you (Isaiah 60:1-6).
 
Psalm -- Lord, every nation on earth will adore you (Psalm 72).
 
Second Reading -- The mystery has been made known that the Gentiles are coheirs, copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel (Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6).
 
Gospel -- Magi from the east arrived, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews?" (Matthew 2:1-12).
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Sacrificial giving nurtures the spirit of the giver and helps to build a better world.
Thank you for your support and generosity for last week's collection.
Last Sunday's Collection: $5,041.00
Additional Christmas Collection: $5,536.00
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Happy New Year
Father Bogie and the Staff of Immaculate Conception Parish wish you a
Happy and Blessed New Year
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Please Note the Change in Times
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Exposition 7:30 AM—Benediction 7:30 PM
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
will take place on the LAST Friday of each month from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ending with a blessing. Sign-up sheets will be located on a podium near the confessional area. Please sign up for a time you are available to assure that there is adequate coverage each hour. If you sign up for a specific hour but find that you are unable to attend, please call the rectory.
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10 Simple Rules for a Brighter World in 2008
 
· Speak to people – there's nothing as cheerful as a word or greeting!
· Smile – it takes 66 muscles to frown, only 16 to smile!
· Call people by name – it's sweet music to one's ears to hear the sound of one's name.
· Be friendly and helpful – if you want friends, be friendly.
· Be sincerely cordial – show that what you say and do gives you genuine pleasure!
· Be considerate of the feeling of others – no one likes to be spoken to rudely!
· Be thoughtful of the opinions of others – we all need to be heard.
· Be genuinely interested in people – we can find something to like about everyone if we try.
· Be generous with praise, cautious with criticism – praise lifts, criticism lowers!
· Be alert to render service – what we do for others counts!
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From an Epiphany Blessing
Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation: By the guidance of a star you led the magi to your child, and by the light of faith you bring us to know Christ as Lord, the Messiah you have sent.
May all who come to our home this year rejoice to find Christ living among us; and may we seek and serve, in everyone we meet, Jesus who is Lord for ever and ever.
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 Ministry to the Homebound
If you are unable to come to Church or know of someone who is homebound and would like to receive Communion, please contact Janice at the rectory and convenient arrangements will be made to visit the home.
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A Letter from Partnership for Social Services Family Center
Dear Fr. Bogie,
We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to you and your parishioners for the food drive collection that was donated to our Food Pantry. Ending hunger world-wide is one of the most critical challenges that humanity faces today. Ending it locally, however, is something we can do, one donation at a time. Thank you for helping the Partnership for Social Services achieving this mission in meeting the needs of those who are less fortunate in our community.
Again, we thank you and your parishioners for the kindness shown and appreciate your continued support.
Sincerely,
Sr. Thomasina Gebhard
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Marriage Encounter Weekend
Instead of a New Year's Resolution….try a new Marriage Relationship.
Try a Marriage Encounter Weekend and find out why so many couples say, “Since Marriage Encounter we celebrate our Marriage every day!” For more information call Ralph and Eileen Perez at 1-800-499-6552.
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Request for Transportation
Help is needed to transport one of our parishioners to the bank and shopping one day at the beginning of each month. If you are able to donate your time please call the rectory.
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...“when you let me give I am blessed.”
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Christmas Flower Offerings In Loving Memory of:
Mary Bielecki
Deceased Members of the Campana Family
Edwin & Lottie Carroll, Sr.
Jack and Joyce Carroll
Irene & John Dowd
Deceased Members of the Eiermann Family
William Gada
Ada & Wally Gordon
Frank McCloskey
Anna and Frank McCloskey
Helen Van Orden
Deceased Members of the Pollizzi Family
Kevin Reagan
Deceased Members of the Salony Family
Thomas & Mary Spidaletto
Henryk Stypula
Emil Tomaskovic
Mary Tomaskovic
Edward Tomaskovic
 
Christmas Flower Donations:
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Heath Sr.
Linda Koske
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Matisko
Peter and Kathleen Mitchell
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Morris
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Peck
Mr. and Mrs. Truman Slate
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Tam
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Tatka
Tom & Patricia Trainor
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Zarzycki
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Help reduce poverty in the United States
“Poverty Around Us”
There are 4,803 children in New Jersey on waiting lists for child care assistance. Childcare needs place a burden on many individuals in the working poor population that often prevents them from attending traditional educational programs. Affordable childcare is necessary to ensure parents can work and update their skills.
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Help Support Immaculate Conception Regional School
Scrip gift cards are available at the school. You can purchase Shop-Rite, Weis, A&P cards and they are available in many denominations. Also available: Sussex Meat Packing, Staples, Barnes & Noble, JC Penney, Sears, Bed Bath & Beyond, Wendy's Applebee's and many more. The cards cost only face value with a percentage returned to the school from the retailers. See Marie McKeever or contact Kathy Trainor at the school 973-827-3777.
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CASA Volunteers
The Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) programs are recruiting volunteers to serve as advocates for abused/neglected children. Such volunteers help facilitate placement of children into a permanent home and represent the child's best interest in family court. CASA volunteers must be 21years of age or older and have a sincere desire to help abused/neglected children.
To become a CASA volunteer, call: 973-579-0723
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Sussex County MOWs Volunteers
Your help is needed. Become a volunteer for Sussex County Meals on Wheels. By donating one hour a week of your time to help deliver meals in your community, you will enhance the wellbeing of a homebound senior citizen. For more information call 973-209-0123 and speak with the Volunteer Recruiter. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 
Stephen Ministry
Do you know someone who is alone and needs comfort?
Do you know someone who is suffering because they have experienced a loss of a loved one?
Whatever You Did for the Least of These...You Did for Me... In Matthew 25, Jesus says, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in...” Stephen Ministry is a way to respond to Jesus' great love by showing that love to others. Stephen Ministry is a confidential, one-to-one caring ministry. Stephen Ministers care for people facing a variety of personal crises. please call the Rectory or contact Eileen Theys at 973-579-6145.
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Please remember to pray for our parishioners and friends who are ill:
In Nursing Homes: Ceil Williams, Pauline Trofimuk, Anna Elekes, Betty Swetz, Pete Yurchak, and Frank Kalafut.
At Home: Loraine Schenker, Maria Woppel, Diane Sidoli, Robert Zeuner, Evelyn Caljean, Danielle Dionisio, Thomas Dionisio, Jr., Steven “Itchy” Novak, Flo Yurchak, Mary Carmody and Lisa Stine.
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Please continue to keep all those serving in the military in your thoughts and prayers especially:
Jamison Micke, Stephen Saski, Jr., Christopher Faber, SFC Morgan McHose, LCPL William Mathes, LCPL Ernest Mathes, Karen Hassler, Tom Oroho and CPL Matt Lindquist.
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March for Life—Washington DC—1/22/08
Sussex County Right to Life busses will be sponsoring buses to The March for Life in Washington DC on January 22, 2008. The buses will leave from Our Lady of the Lake church in Sparta at 6:00 a.m. and leave Washington DC at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $35.00 per person. Payment must be received no later than January 15, 2008 to reserve your seat. Sussex County Right to Life, P.O. Box 141, Augusta, N.J. 07822, 973-948-5989.
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Pro-Life Rally-Trenton, NJ-1/22/08
For those who cannot make the trip to Washington for the March for Life, a pro-life rally is being held at the State House in Trenton. If you are interested in going please call the Sussex County Right to Life at 973-948-5989.
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The Prayer Shawl Ministry
 
meeting for January has been cancelled. Please continue to knit and crochet at home. We will resume regular meetings in the spring. Our Prayer Shawl Ministry welcomes all those who wish to participate. No prior skill is required. We will teach you to knit or crochet. Materials will be provided for you if you are a beginner. Besides knit and crochet; the shawls can be woven, sewn, quilted, or machine knit. To be part of this Ministry, call the Rectory and ask for Janice.
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With Sincere Thanks
Thank you to all who participated in decorating our church for the Christmas season. We are so very blessed to have an array of people who devote their time, energy and talents to make our church so beautiful. The true spirit of this Holy Season was certainly apparent to all who visited our church for Christmas.
And a special thank you for all those who donated to our Flower Collection. You and your loved ones will be in our prayers throughout the New Year.
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A NEW VISION FOR CREATION
We often live in the tension of conflicting visions, much like parents who try to teach their children common sense or how to make wise choices when confronted by the easy comforts and conveniences that the youngsters prefer. Too often we would rather walk more familiar and friendly paths-but God has more uncharted ways in mind.
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INSIDE THE READINGS
Today's Gospel highlights the "epiphany," the "manifestation" of the Child Jesus to the magi. The author uses the sacred scriptures to teach some major points about Jesus Christ. Herod is told that the King of the Jews, the Messiah, will be born in Bethlehem, the city of David. Matthew quotes Micah, who mentions Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah (Micah 5:1). He conflates this verse with a quote from 2 Samuel (5:2), wherein God tells David, "You shall shepherd my people Israel"
Having identified Jesus as the son of David in the chief priests' and scribes' response to Herod, Matthew now uses the coming of the magi to stress the role of Christ as the son of Abraham. God had promised Abraham, "All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you" (Genesis 12:3). The coming of the Gentile magi is the foreshadowing of the conversion of the Gentiles into the church.
The book of Numbers provides a key text that Matthew probably had in mind. "I see him, though not now; / I behold him, though not near: / A star shall advance from Jacob, / and a staff shall rise from Israel" (Numbers 24:17). Like the magi, Balaam, who is responsible for this prophecy, was also an astrologer/astronomer who saw in the stars critical events such as the birth and death of important persons. Today's first reading is appropriate for this feast. "Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come. . . all from Sheba shall come / bearing gold and frankincense, / and proclaiming the praises of the LORD" (Isaiah 60:1, 6).
Thus Matthew shows that Christ is the Son of God receiving homage; he is the connection between the two covenants, son of David and son of Abraham; the Gentiles will be part of his kingdom; and he will experience both rejection and acceptance in his public life as in his infancy.
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THOUGHTS FOR ACTION
From the very beginning divine energy has moved through every aspect of creation. Jesus was its fullest manifestation. Ever since then, God's power has been moving through us all in new and uncharted ways until all nations will come to walk in the new light of brotherhood and sisterhood.
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Excerpted and edited from LIVING THE WORD for the Epiphany of the Lord commentary by Msgr. Ralph Kuehner and Rev. Joseph Juknialis,8 2008 by J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.1/6/08

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