January 6, Holy Mother Church celebrates "Epiphany," a Greek word that means "to shine upon." The Western Church focuses on the star that shone on Bethlehem and the visit of the magi. 
We, the Eastern Church has long celebrated Epiphany as the Baptism of the Lord, when the 30-year-old Jesus was manifested as God and King at the River Jordan before hundreds of people. “All Judea and the whole region” were rushing to John the Baptist by the River as they “acknowledged their sins.”  
   The venerable tradition of the Church (East mainly and West) on the Eve of Epiphany, is to bless the waters. This water will refresh and sanctify your family throughout the year. Please be sure that your home is consecrated and blessed during the season of Epiphany.
On this First Sunday of Epiphany, we continue the journey of our Lord’s Baptism and the manifestation of God, in Jesus Christ, we hear the First and eternally echoing voice of John the Baptist, coming from the Baptismal Font of the Jordan proclaiming: THIS IS THE LAMB OF GOD WHO TAKES AWAY THE SINS OF THE WORLD.
   In the form of the Latin mass, the priest turns to the people to show them the newly-consecrated Host. He says ecce Agnus Dei; ecce qui tollit peccata mundi (“behold the Lamb of God; behold Him who takes away the sins of the world”), and the people say, “Lord I am not worthy….” The effect is that all of us “behold” the Lamb.
   Last Sunday, on the feast of Epiphany, I held up the sacred Host. A feeling of tenderness came to me. Feelings are undependable, but I think we should take what is true from them and discard what is not true. This feeling accorded with the truth of what I held in my hands; and so this blessed assurance, which deepened into an act of faith, came to me as I elevated the Host. “I believe, Jesus, that you are in my hands at this moment. You look at me, and I look at you. You clothe yourself in the simple and tender appearance of smooth bread, a little bit of unleavened manna between my thumb and forefinger. You look at me, you look at all of us, with tender love. I love you.”
   It’s as simple as that, the Sacred Eucharist that little white Host. God assured Moses that “I AM … here … for you.” He is here, for us, at every Eucharist. I can feel that presence of the Lamb of God, directing humanity, when I hold up the Lord of history, the lover of mankind, between thumb and forefinger in the Divine Liturgy.