Notes from Yukiko’s Desk

Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ,

  
    <p style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">This Sunday, we are observing the <b><i>Feast of the Transfiguration of the Beloved Son</i></b><strong style="font-style: inherit; background-color: var(--ast-global-color-5); color: var(--ast-global-color-3);"> (transferred from Tue 6 Aug).</strong></p><p style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">The story of the <b style="color: #262626; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt; font-style: inherit; background-color: var(--ast-global-color-5);"><i>Transfiguration</i></b> is the story of Jesus climbing a mountain with his closest friends. There Jesus has a profound experience. There is a dazzling light, a cloud that overshadowed them, and they were terrified by the cloud, and a voice.</p><p style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">There are several days on which the Transfiguration may be celebrated. Symbolically, August 6 works well as it precedes the feast of the Exaltation of the <b><i>Holy Cross</i></b> on September 14 by 40 days. A recent tendency in the West is to commemorate the <b><i>Transfiguration</i></b> on the Sunday just before Lent, in accordance with the pattern found in the Synoptics.</p><p style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">In the light of the fact that we are Holy Cross Church, I thought it would be appropriate to observe this feast in August.  But also, as you know, 6<sup style="color: #262626; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; background-color: var(--ast-global-color-5);">th</sup> of August is Hiroshima day. Being born and raised in Hiroshima, this day has been a very special day for me. Every year on that day, at 8:15 a.m, the exact time when the atomic bomb was dropped, the Peace Bell is rung and everyone in Hiroshima (wherever we are) offers silent prayers for one minute for the repose of the souls of the atomic bomb victims and for peace.</p><p style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">At both St. Michael’s and Holy Cross, I am going to share korero (the story) of Hiroshima as a second generation of Hiroshima survivor. And I am also inviting you to pray for world peace.</p><p style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><i style="background-color: var(--ast-global-color-5); color: var(--ast-global-color-3);">Peace in Christ,</i></p><p><em style="font-weight: inherit; background-color: var(--ast-global-color-5); color: var(--ast-global-color-3);">Yukiko</em></p>      
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