Epiphany Sky (Carlisle)

Adoration of the Magi Guiseppe Cali Rotunda Malta

                                                                 
 Dear William,

Thank you for the SKY of your Epiphany
and best wishes for Days of Christmas Season.  

fr. Donald                                                                  
                                               

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: William W...
To: Donald...
Sent: Sunday, 6 January 2013, 8:52
Subject: Epiphany sky

Dear Father Donald,

 

The sun this morning (see attachment) was full of mystery, rising to greet the arrival of the "Wise Men from the East" in a blaze of glory!

 

With my love in Our Lord,

William

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Nunraw Vespers.

Pope Astronomer: Much of the Church's tradition has underlined the miraculous nature of the star, as in the writings of Ignatius of Antioch (c. 100 A.D.), who saw the sun and the moon dancing around the star, and likewise in the ancient Epiphany hymn from the Roman Breviary, which states that the star outshone the sun in beauty and brilliance. (Ben XVI)

Kepler calculated that in the year 7-6b.c., which as we have seen is now thought likely to have been when Jesus was born, there was a conjunction of the planets Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. He himself had experienced a similar conjunction in the year 1604. with the further addition of a supernova. This is a weak or very distant star in which a colossal explosion takes place, so that for weeks and months an intensive radiance streams from it. Kepler regarded the supernova as a new star. He took the view that the planetary conjunction at the time of Jesus' birth must also have been accompanied by a supernova, and this was how he attempted

Nevertheless, the question whether or not this was an astronomically identifiable and classifiable celestial apparition was not going to go away. (Ben XVI)

In our story both elements can be seen: in the first instance, the star leads the wise men as far as Judea. It is quite natural that their search for the newborn king of the Jews should take them to Israel's royal city and to the king's palace. That, surely, is where the future king must have been born. Then they need the direction provided by Israel's sacred Scriptures–the words of the living God-–n order to find the way once and for all to David's true heir.  (Ben XVI)