Belize Catholic Answers/APOLOGETICS

—from “Hope to Die” at bit.ly/3QTr0Pp

—from “First Comes Love” at bit.ly/3QCaQKH

Or, do you believe in Magi? 😉

“Redemptive suffering is an essential part of our master story. This is what it means for us to bear the image and likeness of God. By the power of the Holy Spirit, our suffering refines our charity, just as our charity transforms our suffering into a living sacrifice that allows God to have his way into our lives.”

- Dr. Scott Hahn

As we begin a new year, I suggest you read through the Bible, and familiarize yourself with the concept of covenant, which is the central thread woven in all of Scripture. Indeed it is rightly called “the master-theme of the Bible.”

So what is a Covenant? A Covenant is a sacred kinship bond between two parties, ratified by swearing an oath. Two examples of Covenant would be Marriage and adoption. The Covenant is the means by which God unites His will to ours - through Jesus and Mary - to father the human family thoughout salvation history.

”God the Father, through a series of covenants, has moved from dealing with one couple—Adam and Eve—to the whole world. Each step along the way has moved us further up the pathway to heaven... Viewing the history of salvation through the lens of covenant helps us to see the fatherly wisdom and power of God, and will offer a clearer perspective on the human family.”

This is only a brief description of a Covenant. To learn more I suggest you read “A Father who Keeps his Promises” or get started simply by reading the entry for Covenant in the Catholic Bible Dictionary https://amzn.to/3qGGaMD

Here’s a timeline that highlights God's plan to father his growing family in the periods of salvation history (taken from “A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God’s Covenant Love in Scripture,” p. 34) https://amzn.to/3EQ65GG

A blessed Feast of Epiphany (Jan 6). The word “epiphany” comes from the Greek epiphainen, a verb that means "to shine upon," "to manifest," or “to make known.” Epiphany commemorates the visit of the Magi, and the manifestation of Jesus’ divinity and saving mission to all nations (Matt 2:1-12).