The Bishops' Conference of Scotland

Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord and marks the annual Day of Prayer for Justice and Peace.

Each year, this day invites us to reflect on the deep human longing for peace and to recognise that true peace begins not with systems or structures, but with the conversion of the human heart.

At Mass today, parishes across Scotland will hear about the work of Justice & Peace Scotland, a commission of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, which supports prayer, education, and reflection on issues of peace, human dignity, and care for creation, rooted in the Gospel and Catholic social teaching.

As we begin a new year, we are invited to pray for peace in our world, in our communities, and within our own hearts.

Gospel of the day (Matthew 2:1-12)

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

“And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.” ’

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.’ After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

As we prepare for the Feast of the Epiphany and the Church’s annual Day of Prayer for Justice and Peace, Archbishop William Nolan reflects on where peace truly begins.

This weekend, the Church in Scotland will pray for peace in our world, our communities, and within our own hearts.

The Annual Day of Prayer for Justice and Peace is this Sunday, 4 January 2026, which is the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.

Archbishop Nolan, President of Justice & Peace Scotland, has written the following pastoral letter:

My Dear Sisters and Brothers,

There is a zoo in Mexico which I visited a few years ago, and it has one exhibit which is labelled “the most dangerous animal on the planet”. As you look into the enclosure to see that animal, you see yourself. For what is in the enclosure is a mirror, and the most dangerous animal is humanity. Human beings are a danger to the world and to themselves.

When we lock the door of our house at night, we do so to protect ourselves from our fellow human beings. When our country stockpiles its arms and builds up its military defences, it does so to protect itself from our fellow human beings.

We all long for peace, we have a deep desire for peace – yet peace is shattered by
our fellow human beings.

Each year we start the new year with a prayer for peace, but, as we do so, we look
around and see war and conflict, death and destruction – all caused by humanity.

Every dispute arises, every fallout with our neighbour starts, every military
intervention begins in the same place - the human heart. Because in our heart there is anger, bitterness, greed, envy, pride, fear. It only takes a little spark to flame a fire.

The more at risk we feel, the more we take action to protect ourselves, with better
locks on our door, or more weapons for our army. Better locks on our door may help keep out the thief, but more arms for our army just tends to encourage our potential enemy to do the same and increase their weapons, and we end up no safer than we were before.

So, our prayer for peace is not just that armies will stop fighting, that acts of
terrorism and warfare will cease, that countries will live in harmony with one another. Our prayer is for every human heart, our own included, to be purified of all that is within it that leads to conflict. We pray for disagreements to be settled without resorting to violence, for human life be valued as precious, and for the taking of human life to never be seen as a means to resolve human disputes.

We are each of us part of humanity, and we all struggle to have that peace in our
heart, that leads to peace in our family, in our neighbourhood and in our world.

We pray for peace, since only with God’s help can we overcome the human
weakness that makes humanity a danger to the world and a danger to ourselves.

May God answer our prayer and fulfil the longing of our heart for peace.

With my prayers and good wishes,
+William Nolan
Archbishop of Glasgow, President of Justice & Peace Scotland

This Sunday is the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord and the Church’s annual Day of Prayer for Justice and Peace.

Justice & Peace Scotland is a Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, supporting prayer and reflection on peace, human rights, and care for creation.

As the Church celebrates the Epiphany, the light of Christ is revealed anew to the world. At the beginning of the year, the Church turns again to prayer for peace, asking for hearts open to conversion and renewal.