THE ADORATION OF THE MAGI

“And when they had heard the King they went their way, and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And seeing the star they rejoiced with great joy. And going into the house they found the Child with Mary his Mother, and falling down they adored him; and opening their treasures they offered to him gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
Matthew 2:9-11

1. There is an astonishing simplicity about these Wise Men from the East. They trust the blind guidance of a star; they entrust themselves to an unknown people in Jerusalem; they trust a King whose reputation for treachery is notorious; they go again on their way full of trust; and they are rewarded first by the revived guidance of the star, and then by the fulfillment of all their best hopes. It is the way of God; there are some virtues in whose exercise He seems to take special delight; and to secure this He will play with His children. Among them conspicuous are faith, and hope, and charity. He will make things appear impossible that they may assert their faith the more; He will darken the way that they may the more emphasize their hope; He will take Himself away, that they may appeal the more vehemently in love. But “He is faithful”; and to such as He tries He gives the power to respond, and to such as respond He gives the guiding star and Himself.

2. “Seeing the star they rejoiced with great joy.” The words obviously imply that the days in Jerusalem had been painful days, days of darkness and trial, perhaps even of ridicule and insult. The King, it is true, had treated them with a show of interest; but the attitude of the rest, from the mere fact that none cared to go with them to act even as a guide, seems to show some contempt and opposition. But now their joy returned, and soon it was complete. “And entering into the house”–thank God, we say, it was now a house, and no longer the cold cave–“they found the young Child, with Mary his Mother.” It is remarkable that St. Matthew should so emphasize the Mother, and should even add her name, Mary. Would not “they found the Child” have been enough? Would not “they found the Child and His Mother” have been enough? This little word alone shows us that St. Matthew was no less devoted to that Mother than was St. Luke or St. John.

3. The Gentile Church has always dwelt upon the scene which follows. So deeply did it in the early days associate itself with this act of adoration that the feast of the Epiphany was held with greater pomp than the feast of Christmas; even until now its octave is in one sense of greater rank, and there are parts of England where it is still called “Old Christmas Day.” “They adored Him,” acknowledging Him as the King Whom they sought. Did they know Him to be also God? They offered Him the best that they had; the tiny offering signified their desire to give Him all; nothing in their eyes was too good, nothing should be kept back. This is enough; when we speak of such worshipers believing our Lord to be God we know not what we say. He was the One; He was the Master of the stars; He was worthy of all worship; what need we more?

Summary Meditation Points:

The simple confidence of the reward of the Magi met with its reward of consolation.

The consolation was found, first in the guidance from Heaven, then in the finding of “the Child, with Mary, his Mother.”

Their adoration begins the unending adoration of the nations

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Sunday, January 4

Liturgical Color: White

Today is the Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann
Seton, a widow with 5 children, and
foundress of the Sisters of Charity. In 1808
the Archbishop of Baltimore asked her to
open an all-girls school which became the
first Catholic school in America.

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for:January 04, 2015
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: May the splendor of your majesty, O Lord, we pray, shed its light upon our hearts, that we may pass through the shadows of this world and reach the brightness of our eternal home. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

RECIPES

o Brazilian King's Bread

o Candied Fruit Peel -- Epiphany Gift

o Cappelletti all'uso di Romagna

o Gateau des Rois (1)

o Gateau des Rois (2)

o Insalata di Rinforzo

o King Cake (New Orleans' Style)

o King’s Ring

o Kings’ Bread Ring

o Lamb Pie with Poppy Seed Crust

o Lamb’s Wool (1)

o Lamb's Wool, Non-alcoholic (1)

o Lambs’ Wool (2)

o Little Hats Cappelletti

o Little Mince Pies

o Mostarda di Cremona

o Pate de Noel

o Rosca de Reyes

o Spanish King's Bread

o Spanish King's Cake

o Twelfth Cake

o Twelfth Day Cake

o Twelfth Night Bread I

o Twelfth Night Bread II

o Twelfth Night Bread of Lady Carcas

o Twelfth Night Cake

o King's Cake

ACTIVITIES

o A Children's Party for Twelfth Night

o A Christmas Play

o An Epiphany Drama

o Carnival or Mardi Gras

o Celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany

o Christmas and the Eucharist

o Christmas at Home and in the Liturgy

o Day Eleven~ Activities for the Feast of Epiphany

o Day Twelve ~ Activities for the Twelfth Day of Christmas

o Enthroning the Crib for Epiphany

o Epiphany Cake Tradition

o Epiphany Crib Scene Figures

o Epiphany Feast Suggestions

o Epiphany Home Blessing Ceremony

o Epiphany Mass

o Epiphany Mass in an Eastern Rite

o Epiphany of Our Lord

o Epiphany Plays for the Family and Community

o Explanation of Epiphany, or the Manifestation of the Lord

o Family and Friends of Jesus Scrapbook Album

o Giving of Presents

o Kings' Party or Twelfth Night Party

o Living the Liturgy in the Home for Advent and Christmas

o Meaning of Epiphany

o Posters for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany

o Singing and Acting

o The feasts of Light: Christmas, Epiphany and Candlemas

o The Wise Men, An Epiphany Legend

o Tradition of the Epiphany Mystery Play

o Twelfth Night Cake And Kings Tradition

PRAYERS

o Roman Ritual: Blessing of Chalk on Epiphany

o Blessing of the Home on Epiphany

o Procession to the Royal Crib

o Christmas Morning Prayers

o Christmas Evening Prayers

o Epiphany Prayers for the Home (without Home Blessing)

o Summary of Epiphany Blessings

o Christmas Table Blessing 1

o Christmas Table Blessing 2

o Christmas Table Blessing 3

o Christmas Table Blessing 4

o Book of Blessings: Blessing of a Christmas Tree

o Book of Blessings: Blessing of Homes During the Christmas and Easter Seasons

o Book of Blessings: Blessing Before and After Meals: Christmas Season (2nd Plan)

o Epiphany Blessing

o Book of Blessings: Blessing of the Christmas Tree for the Home (Shorter Rite)

o Epiphany Prayer from Mozarabic Breviary

o Epiphany Prayer - 2 from Mozarabic Breviary

o Roman Ritual: Blessing of Gold, Incense, and Myrrh on Epiphany

o Roman Ritual: Blessing of Homes on Epiphany

o Roman Ritual: Blessing of Water on Eve of Epiphany

o Roman Ritual: Litany of the Saints

o Epiphany Home Blessing Ceremony

o Epiphany Meal Blessing

o Solemn Announcing of Movable Feastdays on Epiphany

LIBRARY

o Be An Epiphany Of Christ, Of His Merciful Love | Pope John Paul II

o Benedict XVI Homily for Feast of the Epiphany 2011 | Pope Benedict XVI

o Epiphany Celebrates Church's Catholicity | Pope John Paul II

o The Epiphany of the Lord | Kilian J. Hennrich

o and Myrrh on Epiphany

o Roman Ritual: Blessing of Homes on Epiphany

o Roman Ritual: Blessing of Water on Eve of Epiphany

o Roman Ritual: Litany of the Saints

o Epiphany Home Blessing Ceremony

o Epiphany Meal Blessing

o Solemn Announcing of Movable Feastdays on Epiphany

LIBRARY

o Be An Epiphany Of Christ, Of His Merciful Love | Pope John Paul II

o Benedict XVI Homily for Feast of the Epiphany 2011 | Pope Benedict XVI

o Epiphany Celebrates Church's Catholicity | Pope John Paul II

o The Epiphany of the Lord | Kilian J. Hennrich O.F.M., Cap., A.M.

· Christmas: January 4th

· Epiphany of the Lord

Old Calendar: Holy Name of Jesus

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Epiphany. "The Lord and ruler is coming; kingship is his, and government and power." With these words the Church proclaims that today's feast brings to a perfect fulfillment all the purposes of Advent. Epiphany, therefore, marks the liturgical zenith of the Advent-Christmas season. — Pius Parsch

Ordinarily today is the feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton which is superseded by the Sunday Liturgy.

The feast of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, which is ordinarily celebrated today, is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.

According to the 1962 Missal of Bl. John XXIII the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite today is the feast of the Holy Name of Jesus. In a Motu Proprio dated October 23, 1913, Pope St. Pius X moved this Feast to the Sunday between January 2-5, or January 2 if none of these days is a Sunday.

The Solemnity of the Epiphany is celebrated either on January 6 or, according to the decision of the episcopal conference, on the Sunday between January 2 and January 8. The young Messiah is revealed as the light of the nations. Yet, as the antiphon for the Magnificat at Second Vespers reminds us, three mysteries are encompassed in this solemnity: the adoration of the Christ Child by the Magi, the Baptism of Christ and the wedding feast at Cana. Extra candles and/or lamps may be placed around the sanctuary and in other parts of the church to honor Christ revealed as the Light of the Gentiles (Ceremonial of Bishops). It is customary to replace the images of the shepherds at the crib with the three Magi and their gifts. — Ceremonies of the Liturgical Year, Msgr. Peter J. Elliott, Ignatius Press.

Click here for commentary on the readings in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

The feast of the Epiphany, which was kept in the East and in certain Western Churches before being observed in Rome, seems to have been originally a feast of the nativity; January 6, for those churches where it was kept, was the equivalent of Christmas (December 25) in the Roman Church. The feast was introduced at Rome in the second half of the sixth century and became the complement and, so to say, the crown of the Christmas festival.

Epiphany means manifestation. What the Church celebrates today is the manifestation of our Lord to the whole world; after being made known to the shepherds of Bethlehem He is revealed to the Magi who have come from the East to adore Him. Christian tradition has ever seen in the Magi the first fruits of the Gentiles; they lead in their wake all the peoples of the earth, and thus the Epiphany is an affirmation of universal salvation. St. Leo brings out this point admirably in a sermon, read at Matins, in which he shows in the adoration of the Magi the beginnings of Christian faith, the time when the great mass of the heathen sets off to follow the star which summons it to seek its Saviour.

That is the meaning, too, of the wonderful prophecy from Isaias which the liturgy appoints to be read in the first nocturn at Matins and at the Epistle of the Mass. This same thought of universal redemption the Church returns to as she sings, in the antiphon to the Magnificat at 2nd Vespers, applying the words to herself, of the union with Christ typified by the wedding feast at Cana, by the baptism of her children foreshadowed by that of Christ in the waters of the Jordan. Formerly the Epiphany was an additional day for solemn baptisms.

The Twelfth Day of Christmas

Solemnity of the Lord's Epiphany

Many traditions and genuine manifestations of popular piety have been developed in relation to the Solemnity of the Lord's Epiphany, which is of ancient origin and rich in spiritual content. Among such forms of popular piety, mention may be made of:

the solemn proclamation of Easter and the principal dominical feasts; its revival in many places would be opportune since it served to make the connection between the Epiphany and Easter, and orientate all feasts towards the greatest Christian solemnity;
the exchange of "Epiphany gifts", which derives from the gifts offered to Jesus by the three kings (cf. Mt 2,11) and more radically from the gift made to mankind by God in the birth of Emmanuel amongst us (cf. Is 7, 14; 9, 16; Mt 1, 23). It is important, however, to ensure that the exchange of gifts on the solemnity of the Epiphany retain a Christian character, indicating that its meaning is evangelical: hence the gifts offered should be a genuine expression of popular piety and free from extravagance, luxury, and waste, all of which are extraneous to the Christian origins of this practice;
the blessing of homes, on whose lintels are inscribed the Cross of salvation, together with the indication of the year and the initials of the three wise men (C+M+B), which can also be interpreted to mean Christus Mansionem Benedicat, written in blessed chalk; this custom, often accompanied by processions of children accompanied by their parents, expresses the blessing of Christ through the intercession of the three wise men and is an occasion for gathering offerings for charitable and missionary purposes;
initiatives in solidarity with those who come from afar; whether Christian or not, popular piety has encouraged a sense of solidarity and openness;
assistance to the work of evangelization; the strong missionary character of the Epiphany has been well understood by popular piety and many initiatives in support of the missions flourish on 6 January, especially the "Missionary work of the Holy Child", promoted by the Apostolic See;
the assignation of Patrons; in many religious communities and confraternities, patron saints are assigned to the members for the coming year.

— Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy

Things to Do:

Read about the Epiphany, or the Manifestation of the Lord.
For family activities please see the Blessing of Water and Chalk and the Blessing of the Home on Epiphany.

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Matthew 2:1-12

The Epiphany of the Lord

They opened their treasures and offered him gifts. (Matthew 2:11)

Without a doubt, the Magi were big spenders. The gifts they gave to Jesus were about the costliest items you could find in the ancient world. Not only that, they were exactly suited to their recipient: gold, a precious metal that was meant for royalty; frankincense, an oil used for worship; and myrrh, a perfume used in anointing the departed, pointing toward Jesus’ passion and death.

But what about us? Can we even pretend to match these extravagant offerings? Yes, we can! In fact, we can offer Jesus something much more valuable: ourselves! Imagine how valuable we are to the Lord. He became a man for us. He devoted his life to spreading the good news for us. He died on the cross for us. Jesus did everything for us because he sees us as the “pearl of great price” (Matthew 13:46).

Unfortunately, many of us have a hard time seeing how valuable we are. Instead of a shiny, gift-wrapped present, we see ourselves as a dull, brown-paper package of weakness and sin. That’s not how the Lord sees you! Yes, he sees the flaws and failings, but he sees so much more. He sees the love in our hearts, even if it’s somewhat buried by selfish thoughts. He sees the noble desires, even if we don’t always follow them. He sees the sacrifices we are making for our loved ones. He sees our longing for peace, even if we are sometimes agitated—or agitators. He sees us and tells us we are “very good” (Genesis 1:31).

So don’t discount the treasure you have in these earthen vessels. Go ahead and offer the Lord the gold of your talents and gifts, the frankincense of your prayer and worship, and the myrrh of your sufferings and heartaches. As you do, your heart will change. You will become a gift to your brothers and sisters, and you’ll change their lives!

“Lord, let this coming year be my gift to you. Take everything I have, and use it to build your kingdom!”

Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13
Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6

Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion

(Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-2,7-8,10-13; Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6; Matthew 2:1-12)

1. The first reading should fill us with hope as we contemplate what God has accomplished in the coming of Jesus. Through his coming: “the glory of the Lord shines upon you,” “your sons (and daughters) come from afar,” and “you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow” (Isaiah 60:1,4,5). In what ways does your faith in Jesus fill you with hope? What are some ways that you can increase your faith in him during 2015?

2. The Responsorial Psalm speaks of a king endowed by God to “govern your people with justice,” “rescue the poor when he cries out,” “have pity for the lowly and the poor,” and “the lives of the poor he shall save” (Psalm 72: 2,12,13). In what ways has Jesus fulfilled these words? In the coming year, what are some new steps you can take to share in this work of Jesus?

3. In the second reading, we hear the wonderful revelation that the Gentiles are now coheirs with the Jewish people in all the promises fulfilled in Jesus Christ. How can we as Catholics be a better witness of Christ’s love to our Jewish brothers and sisters? Why not spend a few minutes now to pray for Jewish people whom you know, and for all the Jewish people, that they may one day come to know Jesus as their Messiah.

4. In the Gospel, we are told that when the magi inquired of the whereabouts of the “newborn king of the Jews,” King Herod was “greatly troubled and all Jerusalem with him” (Matthew 2: 2,3). Why do you think King Herod was so troubled by this news? The magi, on the other hand, were overjoyed when they found Jesus, and “did him homage” (2:11). Why do you think the magi’s reaction was so different than Herod’s? What is your reaction when you reflect on these events?

5. The meditation, in speaking of the gifts of the magi, says that “we can offer Jesus something much more valuable: ourselves!” Why is this true? The meditation goes on to say that “Unfortunately, many of us have a hard time seeing how valuable we are.” What prevents you from seeing yourself as “the Lord sees you,” that is, a beloved child of God and the “pearl of great price”? Finally, the meditation exhorts us not to “discount the treasure you have in these earthen vessels.” What are the gifts the Lord has given you that you would like to offer back to him?

6. Every day, God invites us to roll up our sleeves and get to work building his kingdom, using the gifts he has given us. What additional steps can you take individually, or with others, to help build the kingdom of God?

7. Take some time now to pray that in 2015, you would receive the grace to use the gifts God has given you to build his kingdom. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.

A Christian Pilgrim

THE MANIFESTATION TO THE GENTILES

04 Jan

THE MANIFESTATION TO THE GENTILES

(A biblical refection on THE SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD, Sunday, 4 January 2015)

Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:1-12

First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalms: Psalm 72:1-2,7-8,10-13; Second Reading: Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6

The Scripture Text

Now when 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 have seen His star in the east, 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 inquired 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 govern My people Israel.’”

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star 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.” When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till 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 worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:1-12 RSV)

Today’s feast, also known as “the Manifestation to the Gentiles” celebrates the call of Gentiles, or non-Israelites, to salvation. Many first-century Jews were eagerly awaiting a Messiah who would deliver them from foreign oppression and reestablish Israel as God’s dwelling place. But Jesus did not come to deliver His people from political bondage. He came to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). In Jesus, the Father set out to create one universal Church encompassing men and women of every nation.

This is where the magi come in, the first Gentiles to whom Jesus was made manifest. They came seeking the “king of the Jews”, but found the King of the universe instead!

And who were these magi? They probably were not kings, but astrologers – similar to today’s New Agers and zodiac readers. These “wise men” were wise in that they were searching for truth and undertook a long and arduous journey just to find it. And when they found Jesus, who is truth incarnate, they bowed down in worship – the surest sign of wisdom.

Just as Jesus at His birth drew wise men from afar, so today He draws people of all backgrounds to Himself. People all over the world, whether consciously or unconsciously, are searching for the truth and life found in Jesus. There is not one person, no matter how far from the truth they seem, to whom Jesus does not want to manifest His presence and love.

Let’s commit ourselves to praying that people of every religious and cultural background come to know salvation and the fullness of life that God offers them through Jesus. Let’s pray for those who are sincerely seeking the truth, especially those who seem to be looking in the wrong places. Let’s ask God for the wisdom to recognize those people with whom He wants us to share His light and love. As Saint John Paul II once encouraged, let us be like that star that guides others to the light of Christ, “so that individuals and peoples in search of truth, justice, and peace may come to Jesus, the one Savior of the world”.

Short Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for revealing that Your plan of salvation is meant for everyone, including myself. Help all those who are searching for You to find the light of truth in Your Son Jesus. Amen.

Marriage=One Man and One Woman 'Til Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for January 4, 2015:

“Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Mt 2:11) Do you and your family support the Church or any charities financially? If you are not in a position to donate money, offer gifts to the Lord through your service to others.

Sunday Scripture Study

The Epiphany of the Lord - Cycles A, B, C

January 4, 2015

Click here for USCCB readings

Opening Prayer

First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6

Psalm: 72:1-2,7-8,10-13

Second Reading: Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6

Gospel Reading: Matthew 2:1-12

The word “Epiphany” means an appearance, especially of a king or other important person. The Feast of the Epiphany marks the appearance of the Messiah to the Gentiles (non-Jews) represented by the Magi. It is also celebrated as the 12^th day of Christmas, marking the end of that liturgical season, and beginning of the liturgical season of Ordinary time.

The Magi, astrologers or sages from the east, come to Jerusalem seeking “the newborn king of the Jews” after seeing “his star at its rising” (verse 2).

Herod, the reigning king of Judea, was a paranoid and violent ruler who was known to put to death any and all threats to his throne (including several wives and children). He pretends to help the Magi as a means to destroy this new rival.

Despite Herod’s schemes, the Magi are able to find and worship the newborn King in safety, though Herod’s fury later will have tragic results (see Matthew 2:13-18).

QUESTIONS:

The 1^st Reading from Isaiah contains a prophecy which is directed to the Jews returning from Exile, but it is not primarily about them. Who does it describe and what will be their experience? What will Israel’s response to this be? What should our response be to seeing people who were formerly “outsiders” entering the Church?

In the 2^nd Reading, what is the “great mystery” of which St. Paul speaks of in verse 3? Why is this significant for the Church of his time? Of our time?

Why was it important for Jesus to be born in the city of David, Bethlehem, a name which means “house of bread” (verses 4-6; Micah 5:1-3; 2 Samuel 5:2)?

What do the star, the Magi, the gifts, the homage, the hostility and the prophecy teach about the significance of Jesus?

Since the Magi were pagan astrologers, why would they leave everything to follow that star? In your journey toward God, how are you like the Magi? Unlike them? Have you had to leave anything to follow Jesus?

Note the responses of the Magi upon finding Jesus. How are they similar to the response that Christians make to Jesus, including before the Blessed Sacrament?

What is the “gold, frankincense, and myrrh” in your life? How have you offered this to Jesus?

Closing Prayer

Catechism of the Catholic Church: §§ 528, 486, 724

Like the Magi, we have discovered a star—a light and guide in the sky of our soul. “We have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him.” We have had the same experience. We too noticed a new light shining in our soul and growing increasingly brighter. It was a desire to live a fully Christian life, a keenness to take God seriously. --St. Josemaria Escrivá

Wise Men Still Seek Him

PASTOR’S COLUMN

Feast of the Epiphany

January 4, 2015

“…and bowing down, they did him homage.

Then they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.”

from Matthew 2:1-12

An Epiphany in the Scriptures is a manifestation of God. We tend to think of the feast of the Epiphany as a kind of “also-ran” that is often tacked onto the end of the Christmas season. In reality, the celebration of the feast of the Epiphany by Christians preceded Christmas by several centuries. Many cultures, in fact, exchange gifts on this date rather than Christmas. The gifts the wise men offered to Jesus reflect deeply on who Jesus in the manger really is: a child who is God (and thus immortal); one who is a king and, paradoxically, one who would die. This fits the description of Jesus: a God-King who would die.

GOLD is a gift for a king. This is why we still tend to use gold and other precious metals for the chalice and paten at the altar, and why the priest wears nice vestments: because Jesus comes to us as a great King who is God hidden under the form of bread and wine. In our liturgy and our lives we wish to give only the best to Jesus.

FRANKINCENSE, then as now, was used in worship. The wise men “knelt down and did him homage” (Matthew 2:11). When they arrived, the wise men saw only a child with their eyes, but their actions and gifts clearly were symbolic of being in the presence of God. Likewise, some of the first believers in Christ were not even from Israel, but were gentiles like we are! In the same way, when we come forward to receive the Eucharist, our eyes see only a piece of bread or a cup of wine; but, like the wise men, we too kneel down to pay him homage for we believe the Christ is truly hidden within the humility of the appearance of bread and wine. Incense, when used at Mass, represents the prayers and sacrifices we share together and offer to the Lord.

MYRRH was used for burial. How startling it is that here, when Jesus was still only a baby, he received a gift to prepare him for burial. Jesus was truly the God-King who was born to die. In the same way, in the Eucharist, Jesus is broken for our sakes so that we through faith might become the children of God.

Father Gary

The Epiphany of the Lord: Out Spiritual DNA

Is 60: 1-6
Eph 3: 2-3a, 5-6
Mt 2: 1-12

The Word for Sunday: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010415.cfm

Last August I went to the Ancestry.com website and decided to find more information on how to test for your DNA in order to learn more of my genetic lineage. So, I found it was easy, sent for the kit and after I received it I completed the simple process, sent off the sample and waited. About six weeks later I got the results with an appropriate chart and analysis. I really didn’t discover anything that I didn’t already suspect since all four of my grandparents were from the same eastern European country, Lithuania but it was interesting to see the results in print.

I learned that my DNA is 100% European of which 96% is east European with a 4% combination of Finland and Russia. In one sense, not exactly exciting since I wondered if maybe there would be some surprise match that we never heard of: Irish? Italian? German? Chinese? That would have been a huge surprise for sure.

I am sure the DNA test has been used by thousands or maybe even millions of others like myself. We have a fascination to know where we came from and consequently where we might go to learn more. What is our background, what cultural ties have held us together or what our behavioral characteristics may reveal about our families or ourselves?

Most of that is of course genetic and written into the code of our complex DNA along with our life experience and parental guidance. But what about our spiritual DNA? Is there such a spiritual genetic code that would influence our prayer life or make some more spiritual than others? Are Italians more spiritual than Mexicans? Are those of Native American ancestry more spiritual than Africans or Asians?

Not exactly yet today’s Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord and the sign of the Magi who unexpectedly arrive in Jerusalem in search of the “new born King of the Jews” reveals something about our spiritual DNA. If our genetic code links us to our ancestors then today’s Feast connects us to millions before us.

In our second reading from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians we hear: “. . . the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” (Eph 3: 6). The light which shined in the sky and guided the Magi to Bethlehem is a sign of our link, our spiritual connection to the promised one of Israel born in Bethlehem. The Magi who come from the non-Jewish world to recognize this child as greater than themselves and their ways of searching for truth are the connection we have to the very seeds of our faith.

In God’s mysterious plan for humanity, gradually revealed over time, we see today’s Epiphany as a moment to look on those who came before us and through them we can trace back in time our spiritual connection to the very birth of Christ and the first to hear the good news, our Jewish brothers and sisters. We among the Gentiles are the present day Magi who came later but still

recognized a benefit from adoring this child, the God/Man among us. Like family ancestors before us in our individual genetic links, the Magi are a sign which connects us to Christ and his good news which has been embraced since nearly the beginning by the Gentile world.

There is speculation about who these men really were. Did such Magi really exist and what about that “star?” Was it just an alignment of planets which happened to occur at the time of Jesus’ birth? Were they only men who traveled? Where were they from?

Scripture scholars, astronomers and historians can answer those questions in fascinating ways. Yet, today’s Feast is a spiritual one for us all for though it may have been a star which led them only faith was the force that made them recognize the Christ child for who he was. Their faith is symbolic of what ours must be as well.

At the end of today’s Gospel we learn the Magi after being warned in a dream about Herod’s true intentions, “departed for their country by another way.” (Mt. 2: 12).

The call to tell others is rightly implied by the cast of Christmas. Having come to recognize this child as the greater King we could only speculate what stories they might have told in their homeland. By the same token, what about those shepherds? What sort of report did they give to their fellow sheep herders and others? That’s a part of the Gospel hidden from us and some theories have been proposed. Who do we see? If we have come to know Jesus and his Church, maybe in a fresh way this Christmas season, where do we go?

Once the Magi in faith were moved to see the truth before them they continued their journey, changed with a new direction. We can imagine this new way as a kind of conversion. We too, who have come to know the Christ are called to journey with others along a new way of life; a new direction that leaves the old behind and embraces something new.

It is the mission of the Church, Christ’s Body, and as those who are coheirs to the Gospel, who have inherited that spiritual DNA. We are privileged as we hear at the end of each Mass to “Go, and announce the Gospel of the Lord.”

O God, who on this day

revealed your Only Begotten Son to the nations

by the guidance of a star,

grant in your mercy

that we, who know you already by faith,

may be brought to behold the beauty

of your sublime glory.

(Collect of Feast)

Insight Scoop

Mary, true Seat of Wisdom and true Mother of the King, presents the Redeemer of all peoples

"St. Juvenal Triptych" (1422) by Masaccio [WikiArt.org]

A Scriptural Reflection on the Readings for Sunday, January 4, 2015, The Epiphany of the Lord | Carl E. Olson

Readings:
• Isa 60:1-6
• Psa 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
• Eph 3:2-3A, 5-6
• Mt 2:1-12

Pope Paul VI, in the Apostolic Exhortation, “Marialis Cultus” (Feb. 1974), emphasized that the “Christmas season is a prolonged commemoration of the divine, virginal and salvific motherhood of her whose ‘inviolate virginity brought the Saviour into the world.’” This is so much the case, he wrote, that “on the Solemnity of the Birth of Christ the Church both adores the Savior and venerates His glorious Mother.”

He then stated the following about today’s great feast: “On the Epiphany, when she celebrates the universal call to salvation, the Church contemplates the Blessed Virgin, the true Seat of Wisdom and true Mother of the King, who presents to the Wise Men, for their adoration, the Redeemer of all peoples (cf. Mt. 2:11).”

Mary’s presentation of her Son to the wise men was another demonstration of her mysterious and maternal role in salvation history. It was mysterious—not magical—because Mary, sinless from conception by the power of the Holy Spirit, conceived the sinless Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. Her faith is that of a disciple—but not just any disciple, for she is the first and perfect disciple of her Lord.

Her role, then, is truly maternal, for she is both mother of the Incarnate Word, Jesus Christ, but also mother of the Church, the mystical body of Christ. Mary, although not divine by nature, is at the heart of the culmination of divine revelation: the coming of God in the flesh.

And so the Solemnity of the Epiphany is a celebration of the epiphaneia—that revelation and manifestation—of God become man, Jesus the Christ. The feast, going back to the early centuries of the Church, has focused on three key events, related to one another by virtue of being revelatory in nature: the visitation of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, and the turning of water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana.

Each manifests the astounding, transforming truth of the Incarnation. Each, in turn, opens up further the mystery of God and calls us to worship and adore the Messiah.

Consider that Mary and Joseph did not have to receive the magi. We also recognize that Mary did not have to accept God’s invitation to be the mother of the Savior, nor did Joseph, the foster father of Christ, have to obey the directives given to him by angels. Mary and Joseph were not stock characters or tools used by an impersonal force, but real people who accepted the call and the word of God with free will and full faith. Then, in turn, they opened up their hearts and home to those seeking the Word who is the way, the truth, and the life.

The magi represent those who earnestly desire the fullness of truth and who yearn to see the face of God. I am struck again by how Matthew’s account presents, so simply but powerfully, the four actions or responses of the magi. First, they were filled with joy upon recognizing the star and being brought to the home of the Christ child. Secondly, they entered into His home and into communion with Him and His Mother. Third, they worshipped Him. And, finally, they offered Him the finest gifts they possessed.

The readings from the prophet Isaiah and from Saint Paul to the Ephesians draw out this fact about the magi: they were not Jews. The Kingdom of God is offered to and includes peoples from all nations; it is not for a people united by ethnicity or geography, but by grace and the fullness of revelation. Thus, the magi represent the first of a vast number of Gentiles brought into the family of God through the Christ-child, who is the King of the Jews and the King of kings.

And Mary, the true Seat of Wisdom and true Mother of the King, continues to open the doors to her Son so we can see him, know him, and worship him.

(This "Opening the Word" column originally appeared in the January 8, 2012, issue of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper.)

Responding to Glory

Dr. Mark Giszczak

shutterstock_167186063

January 4, 2015
Epiphany
First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/010415.cfm

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.

Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.

Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.

Introduction

In the hot summer nights on the opposite side of the calendar from where we are, I like to watch the insects congregate around a light bulb at night. They wildly twitter away and fly repeatedly into the bulb itself as if that would give them a closer look. They are drawn to the light and they celebrate the light, even if they don’t understand what they are responding to. This Sunday’s reading from Isaiah points to how it is that we ought to respond to the Light which comes to us.

Light and Darkness

Isaiah, the Shakespeare of the Hebrews, offers us a delicious poetic tension between light and darkness. As he announces the time of Jerusalem’s visitation, he contrasts the shining radiance which the Lord bestows on her to the “thick darkness” under which the rest of the nations suffer. Araphel is the Hebrew word translated as “thick darkness.” Usually, it indicates the fearsome presence of God as on Mount Sinai (Exod 20:21), but here in the prophetic literature it seems to more precisely indicate his judgment (cf. Joel 2:2). The difference between Jerusalem and the world is that it will be mercifully blessed and the world will be judged. While the ancient exile of the Jews seemed like an irreversible curse, it will actually turn out for blessing (Isa 60:10). The Lord temporarily chastised his people, but soon will overwhelm them with light so bright that they too become radiant: “Then you shall see and be radiant, your heart shall thrill and rejoice” (Isa 60:5 RSV). The darkness of judgment gives way to the radiance of mercy, which opens up to receive the flood of pilgrims from all nations to worship the Lord at Jerusalem.

Centripetal Force

Jerusalem possesses a kind of centripetal force, which draws people from all over the world. Even today pilgrims from the three great monotheistic religions—Christianity, Judaism and Islam—make the journey to the ancient city for worship. Isaiah portrays a glorious future for Jerusalem, where the wealth of the nations is brought to her doorstep. In one way, this hope is brought to fulfillment with the arrival of the magi at the stable of Bethlehem, the epiphany, the shining of the light, to the nations. Isaiah forecasts peoples from Midian, Ephah and Sheba (modern day Saudi Arabia and Yemen) will visit with “gold and frankincense” (60:6), though western tradition often identifies the magi as originating more widely in India, Persia, and Arabia. Isaiah’s prophecy is beautifully and literally fulfilled in the magi, but it has a longer reach. Even the arrival of a magi takes on prophetic undertones, as a harbinger of the coming conversion of the Gentiles. The magi are merely the first-fruits of the millions upon millions of Gentiles who will flock to the light and come to worship at the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:2).

Responding to Glory

The glorious light of the little baby at Bethlehem demands a response. If it is really true that God became man and was born of a virgin in a humble stable, then we can’t just sit on our hands.

Scripture Speaks: The Epiphany of the Lord

Gayle Somers

shutterstock_67785961

In today’s Gospel, magi “from the east” ask, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?” Just by asking this question, they herald the New Light that has dawned on all men.

Gospel (Read Mt 2:1-12)

Today, St. Matthew tells us that after Jesus’ birth, an event loaded with significance for the whole world took place. “Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,” looking for a king who had been recently born, the “king of the Jews.” Who were these men, and why did they ask this question?

The “magi” were likely astrologers, considered at that time to be “wise men” because of their lifelong commitment to studying the skies and finding meaning in the cosmos. They probably came from Persia, and they possibly were part of a school of wise men over which the Jewish prophet, Daniel, had been given authority hundreds of years earlier. Daniel, as a young man, had been carried off by the Babylonians into exile, along with all the other Jews. This was the punishment God meted out to Judah for her covenant infidelity in the sixth century B.C. In that strange, pagan land, Daniel resolutely kept the faith of Israel, trusting in God as his only king and refusing to participate in the rampant idolatry. God called Daniel to be His prophet there, and He also gave him an extraordinary gift of interpreting dreams and visions. Daniel interpreted one of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams that no one else in the realm could understand. In gratitude, the king made Daniel “chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon” (read Dan 2:48). If this school of wise men endured through the centuries (Daniel never returned to Judah), it was still in existence at the time of our story, although Babylon had long ago been conquered by the Persians. The school would likely have preserved a certain Jewish prophecy that would have been well-known to Daniel and of great interest to astrologers. Why?

During the Exodus (about 1500 B.C.), as Israel was making her way back to the Promised Land from bondage in Egypt, one the kings who felt threatened by their advance commissioned a “seer” to pronounce a curse on the Israelites. Instead, he was moved by God to bless them, and he was given “the vision of the Almighty,” as well as this prophecy: “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not nigh: a star shall come forth out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (read Num 24:17). Here we have a Gentile prophet moved by God’s Spirit to foretell the rise of a great king in Israel, but “not now.” Every Jew knew this prophecy. Every Jew also knew that, of Jacob’s twelve sons, the one who would rule with a “scepter” would be Judah: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he comes to whom it belongs, and to him shall be the obedience of all the peoples” (read Gen 49:10, emphasis added).

We have to wonder if Daniel, the fearless, faithful Jewish prophet and wise man in Babylon, made sure to preserve these prophecies in the school over which he presided, because their fulfillment would affect not only Israel but “all the peoples.” If so, hundreds of years after Daniel lived, the magi from the east, upon seeing an unusually bright star in the night sky, knew they needed to make the long trek to Jerusalem. They wanted to pay homage to their newborn king.

See how disturbed Herod was by all this. Surely that is because another part of the prophecy about the rising star was that “Edom will be dispossessed” (Num 24:18). Herod was a non-Jew, an Edomite usurper to the throne in Jerusalem. No wonder he was worried! The wise men of Judah, when consulted by Herod concerning the place of the king’s birth, knew where to find him: Bethlehem. This, too, had been prophesied long ago (read Micah 5:2). The magi made their way there, following the star. It appeared to “stop” over one particular house, so they entered and saw “the Child with Mary, His mother.” They saw the fulfillment of the promise God had made to all people, not just the Jews, in the Garden of Eden. There He promised that “the woman” and her “seed” would take up, definitively, the battle waged against mankind by His enemy, the Serpent. The magi “prostrated themselves and did Him homage.”

Of course they did!

Possible response: Lord Jesus, the magi brought You wonderful gifts in their adoration for You. What can I give You today that is worthy to do the same?

First Reading (Read Isa 60:1-6)

The prophet, Isaiah, had to preach God’s judgment against Judah for her disobedience to Him, but he also preached great comfort to them as well. Here he speaks of a future glory in Jerusalem: “Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the LORD shines upon you.” We see that the “light” is the LORD Himself, and, to announce its coming, Isaiah says to the city: “Upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears His glory.” Such was the light of the star seen and followed by the magi. Isaiah also foresees a time when “the wealth of the nations shall be brought” to Jerusalem; men from outside Judah shall “come bearing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.” Israel’s vocation had always been to serve as a “kingdom of priests” (read Ex 19:6). He chose them for the work of declaring His glory to all the nations on earth. Their constant disobedience prevented them from fulfilling this calling for much of their history, but Isaiah sees a time when Jerusalem “shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow.” Surely this description perfectly fits what must have happened in that house in Bethlehem when the magi, under the star’s great brightness over it, entered and presented theirs gifts to their infant King. God’s restoration of Jerusalem, promised through Isaiah 700 years earlier, was now being fulfilled.

“Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem. Your light has come.”

Possible response: Lord Jesus, grant me the perseverance of the magi to search out and follow Your light when darkness surrounds me.

Psalm (Read Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13)

The psalmist writes about, prophetically, the consummate King of Israel. King David was the man God chose to establish an enduring throne in Jerusalem. David was “a man after God’s own heart,” but although he led Israel to a kind of golden age in its history, he was only a foreshadowing of the king described in this psalm. This king is one who rules in justice and peace, who rescues the poor and has pity on the lowly. This king will receive tributes from other nations and “all kings shall pay him homage.”

The magi, representing all the nations and kings outside Judah, found this king in Bethlehem. This king would preside over an eternal kingdom “not of this world.” This king rules now over His kingdom, the Church, which includes people from every nation and tongue. Someday, when this king returns, what we say in our responsorial today will find its perfect fulfillment: “LORD, every nation on earth will adore You.”

Possible response: The psalm is, itself, a response to our other readings. Read it again prayerfully to make it your own.

Second Reading (Read Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6)

St. Paul speaks of what, in his day, was truly a “mystery” to his people, the Jews. In Israel’s long history, she had been so weak in the face of the temptation to the idolatry practiced by Gentiles that those who desired to remain faithful to God kept strict separation from them. Even though Israel’s vocation had always been to mediate as priests between God and all other peoples, by St. Paul’s day, the Gentiles seemed like their enemies. However, with the coming of Jesus, all that changed. With their true king on His throne, salvation went out to all men everywhere, and St. Paul preached this Good News with gusto: “The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.”

The magi in Bethlehem, as they adored their new king, were the first Gentiles to experience the unfolding of this great mystery, and St. Paul, many years later, became its first great evangelist.

Possible response: Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love for all people everywhere, even those who seem like Your enemies. Help me love them, too.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 31, Issue 1

<< Sunday, January 4, 2015 >>

Epiphany

Isaiah 60:1-6
Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6
View Readings

Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13
Matthew 2:1-12
Similar Reflections

STARRY-EYED

"They were overjoyed at seeing the star." —Matthew 2:10

For centuries, astronomers have tried to determine which celestial body was the star of Bethlehem. In the book of Numbers, it was prophesied that the star not only led the wise men to Jesus, but that the star was Jesus (Nm 24:17). Jesus is "the Morning Star shining bright" (Rv 22:16). Paul taught that not only was Jesus like a star, but also we, Jesus' disciples, are "like the stars in the sky while holding fast to the word of life" "in the midst of a twisted and depraved generation" (Phil 2:15, 16).

We are either Herods or stars, either in the kingdom of darkness or the kingdom of light (see Col 1:13). In the physical world there is twilight, but not in the spiritual world. The light is either on or off. There is no in-between.

Therefore, "rise up in splendor! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the Lord shines, and over you appears His glory" (Is 60:1-2). "Awake, O sleeper, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light" (Eph 5:14). "There was a time when you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Well, then, live as children of light" (Eph 5:8). "You are the light of the world" (Mt 5:14).

Prayer: Father, may I be wise enough to give Your Son the gift of my life.

Promise: "In Christ Jesus the Gentiles are now co-heirs with the Jews, members of the same body and sharers of the promise through the preaching of the gospel." —Eph 3:6

Praise: Jesus "was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit; seen by the angels; preached among the Gentiles, believed in throughout the world, taken up into glory" (1 Tm 3:16).

One is quite a bit older, the second is middle age to old (depending on the arthist), and the third is quite young.

You are right. Same as with the three races they traditionally represent, that points to the universality of Catholic Christianity that knows no geographical or historical distinction.