Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 01-08-06, Solemnity, Epiphany of the Lord

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Catholic Caucus: The 16 Days of Christmas (Christmas to the Baptism of the Lord)

The Season of Epiphany

Journeying with the Magi

The Magi and the Host

Who Were The Magi?

Were the Magi who visited Jesus -- Persian?

The Journey of the Magi

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From: Isaiah 60:1-6

A Radiant New Jerusalem

[1] Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord
has risen upon you. [2] For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and
his glory will be seen upon you. [3] And nations shall come to your
light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

[4] Lift up your eyes round about, and see; they all gather together,
they come to you; your sons shall come from far, and your daughters
shall be carried in the arms. [5] Then you shall see and be radiant,
your heart shall thrill and rejoice; because the abundance of the sea
shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
[6] A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian
and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come.

Commentary:

60:1-64:11 In the central section of Third Isaiah, the restored
Jerusalem has a wonderful radiance; it is the dwelling place of the
glory of the Lord, and from it all the nations will hear about God’s
salvation. These are chapters that shine with hope and joy. In the
opening verses, Jerusalem, the Lord’s spouse, is invited to leap with
joy, for the glory of the Lord will light up the holy city, which will
become a beacon for the nations (60:1-22). From there, too, the Lord’s
herald proclaims the good news of salvation to the poor, the oppressed
and all who labor under some burden (61:1-11). The holy city will
radiate righteousness for all the nations to see (62:1-12). Finally,
the Lord, depicted as a conqueror, enthroned in a glorious Jerusalem,
is proclaimed as the sovereign lord who wilt judge and reward and
punish (63:1-64:11).

60:1-22. These verses are a magnificent hymn to Jerusalem, completely
restored, idealized; the prophet does not need to identify it by name.
The most remarkable feature of the city is its radiance, mentioned at
the start and end of the poem (vv. 1-3 and 19-22): it stems from the
glory of the Lord, who has made the city’s temple his dwelling-place.
The city acts as a magnet for all the nations, not only because it
instructs them by means of the Law and by the word of God, as we heard
at the start of the book (2:2-4; cf. Mic 4:1-3) but also because they
are in awe of its splendor. The central verses of the poem rejoice in
the pilgrimages that make their way to the holy city: first, those of
Israelites, who had been scattered across the world: the pilgrims are
most happy and they bear rich gifts for the Lord (vv. 4-9). Foreigners
will come, too, and they will bring precious materials to reconstruct
and embellish the city they previously destroyed. The obeisance they
must do corresponds to the harm they did earlier (vv. 10-14). But the
most important event is the arrival of the Lord who will bring gifts
in abundance, the most precious being peace (vv. 15-10) and light (vv.
19-22). This picture of the new Jerusalem (one would expect) must have
raised the spirits of those engaged in the final stages of the
rebuilding of the temple.

This poem clearly has resonances with the eschatological description
of the heavenly Jerusalem in the Revelation to John (cf. Rev 21:9-27).
Some of the wording is virtually the same: cf. v. 3 with Rev 21:24
(“By its light shall the nations work; and the kings of the earth
shall bring their glory into it”); v. 11 with Rev 21:25-26 (“its gates
shall never be shut by day--and there will be no night there”); v. 14
with Rev 3:9 (“I will make them come and bow down before your feet”);
v. 19 with Rev 21:23 (“the city has no need of sun or moon to shine
upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb”)
and 22:5 (“night shall be no more; they need no light of lamp or sun,
for the Lord God will be their light, and they shall reign for ever
and ever”). The hopes harbored by the early Christians (and the
consolation to which the new people of God look forward) are in
continuity with the hope felt by the ancient people of Israel. The
message of Isaiah and that of the book of Revelation were each (in
different historical contexts) calling for firm faith in the Savior of
all. The New Testament fills out the Old by openly declaring that God
saves us through his Son, Jesus Christ.

60:4-9. The pilgrimage described here comes from all corners of the
earth, and yet it is a familial one. It is made up of people who were
scattered throughout the known world, and not just those exiled in
Babylon. Those from the west come by sea (v. 5), bearing the sort of
goods normally transported by sea, particularly by Greek and
Phoenician merchants. Those from the east, from the Arabian peninsula
(Kedar and Nebaioth) and further afield will travel in caravans
bringing precious commodities typical of the area--silver, gold etc.
(v. 6). The visit of the Magi, who came bearing presents to adore
Jesus, is in line with the sort of commerce that was current at the
time, and it is probably connected with this text of Isaiah.
Certainly, when this passage is read in the liturgy on the Solemnity
of the Epiphany, the implication is that those rich gifts brought to
the temple in honor of the Lord prefigure those that the Magi offered
to him who is truly the “Lord your God”, “the Holy One of Israel” (v.
9). “Today, the wise man finds lying in a manger the One he had
searched for as a brilliant light shining among the stars. Today, the
wise man sees wrapped in swaddling clothes the One he long sought to
find, unveiled, in the heavens. Today, to his great surprise, the wise
man discerns in what he studies: heaven on earth, earth in the
heavens, man in God, and God in man; what the whole universe could not
contain inhabits the body of a child. And seeing all this, he believes
and doubts no more; and he announces it to all, using his mystical
powers: incense for God, gold for the King, and myrrh for the One who
will die. Today, the Gentile who was once last is first, because the
faith of the wise man sanctifies the belief of all the peoples” (St
Peter Chrysologus, "Semones", 160). And Eusebius of Caesarea comments:
“The conversion of the Gentiles glorifies the Church of God in a
special way. The prophecy, "I will glorify my glorious house" [60:7],
is fulfilled. This promise was made to the old Jerusalem, the mother
of the new city, who, as has already been said, was the community of
all among the ancient people who lived righteous lives--the prophets
and patriarchs, all just men, those to whom the coming of Christ was
first proclaimed” ("Commentaria in Isaiam", 60, 6-7).

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Matthew 2:1-12

The Adoration of the Magi

[1] 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, [2]
"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." [3] When Herod the
kind heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; [4] and
assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired
of them where the Christ was to be born. [5] They told him, "In
Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: [6] `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.'"

[7] Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them
what time the star appeared; [8] 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." [9] 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. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced
exceedingly with great joy; [11] 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. [12] And being warned in a dream not to
return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

Commentary:

1. "King Herod": four different Herods are mentioned in the New
Testament. The first is Herod the Great, referred to in this passage
and in the next; the second, his son, Herod Antipas, who had St. John
the Baptist beheaded (Matthew 14:1-12) and who abused our Lord during
His passion (Luke 23:7-11); the third, Herod Agrippa I, a nephew of
Herod the Great, who executed the Apostle St. James the Greater (Acts
12:1-3), imprisoned St. Peter (Acts 12:4-7), and died suddenly and
mysteriously (Acts 12:20-23). The fourth, Herod Agrippa II, was Herod
Agrippa's son. It was before him that St. Paul answered Jewish
accusations when he was a prisoner in Caesarea (Acts 25:23).

Herod the Great, who appears here, was the son of non-Jewish parents.
He came to power with the aid and as a vassal of the Romans. He was a
consummate politician and among other things he rebuilt the temple in
Jerusalem on a lavish scale. Herod the Great had a persecution
complex; everywhere he saw rivals to his throne. He was notorious for
his cruelty: he killed over half of his ten wives, some of his children
and many people of standing. This information derives largely from the
Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who wrote towards the end of the
first century, and it confirms the cruel picture drawn in the Gospels.

"Wise men": these were learned men, probably from Persia, who devoted
themselves to the study of the stars. Since they were not Jews, they
can be considered to be the very first Gentiles to receive the call to
salvation in Christ. The adoration of the wise men forms part of the
very earliest documented tradition: the scene is already depicted at
the beginning of the second century in the paintings in the catacombs
of St. Priscilla in Rome.

2. The Jews had made known throughout the East their hope of a
Messiah. The wise men knew about this expected Messiah, king of the
Jews. According to ideas widely accepted at the time, this sort of
person, because of his significance in world history, would have a star
connected with his birth. God made use of these ideas to draw to
Christ these representatives of the Gentiles who would later be
converted.

"The star had been hidden from them so that, on finding themselves
without their guide, they would have no alternative but to consult the
Jews. In this way the birth of Jesus would be known to all" (St. John
Chrysostom, "Hom. on St. Matthew", 7).

St. John Chrysostom also points out that "God calls them by means of
the things they are most familiar with; and He shows them a large and
extraordinary star so that they would be impressed by its size and
beauty" ("Hom. on St. Matthew", 6). God called the wise men in the
midst of their ordinary occupations, and He still calls people in that
way. He called Moses when he was shepherding his flock (Exodus 3:1-3),
Elisha the prophet ploughing his land with oxen (1 Kings 19:19-20),
Amos looking after his herd (Amos 7:15).... "What amazes you seems
natural to me: that God has sought you out in the practice of your
profession! That is how He sought the first, Peter and Andrew, James
and John, beside their nets, and Matthew, sitting in the custom-house.
And--wonder of wonders!--Paul, in his eagerness to destroy the seed of
the Christians" ([St] J. Escriva, "The Way", 799).

"Like the Magi we have discovered a star--a light and a 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] J. Escriva, "Christ Is Passing By", 32).

4. In all Jewish circles at the time of Jesus, the hope was widespread
that the Messiah would come soon. The general idea was that he would
be a king, like a new and even greater David. Herod's worry is
therefore all the more understandable: he governed the Jews with the
aid of the Romans and cruelly and jealously guarded his crown. Due to
his political ambition and his lack of a religious sense, Herod saw a
potential King-Messiah as a dangerous rival to his own worldly power.

In the time of our Lord, both Herod's monarchy and the occupying Romans
(through their procurators) recognized the Sanhedrin as the
representative body of the Jewish people. The Sanhedrin was,
therefore, the nation's supreme council which ruled on day-to-day
affairs, both religious and civil. The handling of the more important
questions needed the approval of either the king (under Herod's
monarchy) or the Roman procurator (at the time of the direct Roman
occupation of Palestine). Following Exodus 24:1-9 and Numbers 11:16,
the Sanhedrin was composed of 71 members presided over by the high
priest. The members were elected from three groupings: 1) the chief
priests, that is, the leaders of the principal priestly families; it
was these families who appointed the high priest (the chief priests
also included anybody who had formerly held the high priesthood); 2)
the elders, or the leaders of the most important families; 3) the
scribes, who were teachers of the Law or experts on legal and religious
matters; the majority of these scribes belonged to the party or school
of the Pharisees.

In this passage of St. Matthew only the first and third of the above
groups are mentioned. This is understandable since the elders would
have no authority in the matter of the birth of the Messiah--a purely
religious question.

5-6. The prophecy referred to in this passage is Micah 5:1. It is
worth noting that Jewish tradition interpreted this prophecy as
predicting the Messiah's exact place of birth and as referring to a
particular person. The second text thus teaches us once more that the
prophecies of the Old Testament are fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

8. Herod tried to find out exactly where the Child was--not, of course,
to adore Him, as he said, but to dispose of Him. Such was Herod's
exclusively political view of things. Yet neither his shrewdness nor
his wickedness could prevent God's plans from being fulfilled. Despite
Herod's ambition and his scheming, God's wisdom and power were going to
bring salvation about.

9. "It might happen at certain moments of our interior life--and we are
nearly always to blame--that the star disappears, just as it did to the
wise kings on their journey.... What should we do if this happens?
Follow the example of those wise men and ask. Herod used knowledge to
act unjustly. The Magi used it to do good. But we Christians have no
need to go to Herod nor to the wise men of this world. Christ has
given His Church sureness of doctrine and a flow of grace in the
Sacraments. He has arranged things so that there will always be people
to guide and lead us, to remind us constantly of our way" ([St] J. Escriva,
"Christ Is Passing By", 34).

11. The gifts they offered--gold, frankincense and myrrh--were those
most valued in the East. People feel the need to give gifts to God to
show their respect and faith. Since they cannot give themselves as a
gift, which is what they would wish, they give instead what is most
valuable and dear to them.

The prophets and the psalmists foretold that the kings of the earth
would pay homage to God at the time of the Messiah (Isaiah 49:23).
They would offer Him their treasures (Isaiah 60:5) and adore Him (Psalm
72:10-15). Through this action of the wise men and the offering of
their gifts to Jesus, these prophecies begin to be fulfilled.

The Council of Trent expressly quotes this passage when it underlines
the veneration that ought to be given to Christ in the Eucharist: "The
faithful of Christ venerate this most holy Sacrament with the worship
of latria which is due to the true God.... For in this Sacrament we
believe that the same God is present whom the eternal Father brought
into the world, saying of Him, `Let all God's angel worship Him'
(Hebrews 1:6; cf. Psalm 97:7). It is the same God whom the Magi fell
down and worshipped (cf. Matthew 2:11) and, finally, the same God whom
the Apostles adored in Galilee as Scriptures says (Matthew 28:17)"
(Decree, "De SS. Eucharista", Chapter 5).

St. Gregory of Nazianzen has also commented on this verse, as follows:
"Let us remain in adoration; and to Him, who, in order to save us,
humbled Himself to such a degree of poverty as to receive our body, let
us offer not only incense, gold and myrrh (the first as God, the second
as king, and the third as one who sought death for our sake), but also
spiritual gifts, more sublime than those which can be seen with the
eyes" ("Oratio", 19).

12. The involvement of the wise men in the events at Bethlehem ends
with yet another act of respectful obedience and cooperation with God's
plans. Christians also should be receptive to the specific grace and
mission God has given them. They should persevere in this even if it
means having to change any personal plans they may have made.

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

From: Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6

St Paul's Mission

(I am) [2] Assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's
grace that was given to me for you, [3a] how the mystery was made known
to me by revelation, [5] which was not made known to the sons of men in
other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and
prophets by the Spirit; [6] that is, how the Gentiles are fellow heirs,
members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus
through the gospel.

Commentary:

1-21. Christ's saving work on behalf of the Gentiles, calling them to
be, with the Jews, living stones in the edifice of the Church, leads the
Apostle once again to overflow in prayer (vv. 14-21). But first he
considers his own position and what Christ has done in him by making
him a minister or servant of the Mystery of Christ (vv. 2-13). He
witnesses to the revelation he himself has received, which made this
Mystery known to him (vv. 2-5); and he goes on to give a summary of
the Mystery, emphasizing the call of the Gentiles to the Church
through the preaching of the Gospel (v. 6); he then explains that his
mission is precisely to preach the Mystery of Christ to the Gentiles
(vv. 7-13).

1-4. What led to St Paul's imprisonment was Jewish charges that he had
preached against the Law and had brought Gentiles into the temple (they
thought Trophimus, a citizen of Ephesus, was a Gentile: cf. Acts
21:28f). He did not mind so much the chains or the imprisonment or the
Romans being his judges and jailers: what he wanted to make clear was
that he was imprisoned for preaching to the Gentiles the salvation won
by Jesus Christ.

He is very conscious of being an instrument specially chosen by God: he
has been given the grace to reveal the "Mystery" (cf. Rom 1:15; 2 Cor
12:2f). He is clearly referring to the vision he had on the road to
Damascus (cf. Acts 9:2) and possibly to later revelations as well. His
encounter with the risen Christ, who identifies himself with his Church
(cf. Acts 9:5), is the origin and basis of his grasp of God's eternal
plan, the "Mystery", which is one of the central teachings in this
letter. The fact that Christ revealed himself to Paul and chose him to
be the preacher of the Gospel to the Gentiles is something which Paul
sees as part of the systematic implementation--the "oikonomia"--of
God's plan.

5. In the Old Testament the promise made to Abraham revealed that in
his offspring all the nations of the earth would be blessed (cf. Gen
12:3; Sir 44:21); but how this would happen was not revealed. The Jews
always thought that it would come about through their exaltation over
other nations. Through the revelation Jesus made to him, St Paul has
discovered that God has chosen another way--that of bringing the
Gentiles into the Church, the body of Christ, on equal terms with the
Jews. This is the "Mystery", the plan of God as revealed by the mission
Christ gave his apostles or envoys (cf. Mt 28:19), of whom St Paul is
one (cf. 3:8). Once again, as in 2:20, prophets are mentioned together
with apostles; this may mean either the Old Testament prophets who
announced the coming Messiah, or the New Testament prophets, that is,
the Apostles themselves and other Christians who had insight, through
revelation, into God's saving plans for the Gentiles and who proclaimed
them under the inspiration of the Spirit. The context and other
passages in Ephesians and elsewhere in the New Testament (cf. Eph 4:11;
1 Cor 12:28f; Acts 11:27; etc.) would suggest that he is referring to
New Testament prophets. The Holy Spirit has revealed the Mystery to
them "that they might preach the Gospel, stir up faith in Jesus the
Messiah and Lord, and bring together the Church" (Vatican II, "Dei
Verbum", 17). St Paul does not see himself as the only person to whom
it has been given to know the Mystery revealed in Jesus Christ. All
that he is saying is that, by the grace of God, it has been made known
to him and that its preaching has been entrusted to him in a special
way, just as it was given to St Peter to preach it to the Jews (cf. Gal
2:7).

St Paul attributes to the Holy Spirit the revelation of the Mystery,
recalling, no doubt, how he himself came to know it after his meeting
with Jesus on the road to Damascus (cf. Acts 9:17). It is the Spirit
also who acts in the apostles and prophets (cf. Acts 2:17), and it is
he who on an on-going basis vivifies the Church, enabling it to
proclaim the Gospel. "The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church. It is
he who explains to the faithful the deep meaning of the teaching of
Jesus and of his mystery. It is the Holy Spirit who, today just as at
the beginning of the Church, acts in every evangelizer who allows
himself to be possessed and led by him. The Holy Spirit places on his
lips the words which he could not find himself, and at the same time
the Holy Spirit predisposes the soul of the hearer to be open and
receptive to the Good News and to the Kingdom being proclaimed" (Paul
VI, "Evangelii Nuntiandi", 75).

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

We Can Come to Worship Him

by Fr. Jack Peterson

Other Articles by Fr. Jack Peterson

We Have Come to Worship Him

01/07/06

I was privileged to attend World Youth Day this past summer in Cologne, Germany, with Pope Benedict and nearly 1 million young Catholics from around the world. A major stop along the way was the Cathedral of Cologne which houses relics of the three Magi. The theme of the 20th WYD was "We have come to worship Him."


The visit of the Magi is a gem in the Gospel of Matthew which teaches us so much about our Christian faith. It proclaims boldly the divinity of Christ, reminds us that the Good News of Jesus Christ was intended for the whole world and teaches us about the true worship of God. It is the last point I want to focus on today. The Magi made it clear upon their arrival in Jerusalem that they were seeking the newborn King of the Jews and had "come to do Him homage." Their arduous journey had brought them to God and now they wanted to worship Him. Their single-hearted focus represents the Christian belief that every human being is called — by our very nature as God’s children and by God’s grace — to seek God’s face and to offer Him fitting worship. That the Magi traveled such a great distance proclaims the fact that sometimes the satisfaction of our duty to worship requires great sacrifice. Matthew highlights the three Magis' great joy at seeing the star that led them to Christ the King. It is so important that the worship we render to God be a joyful gift to the Lord. I find it exciting to be around people who really want to worship God. They have an energy, a focus and a joy that is contagious. Their reverence and prayerfulness invite others to join in the homage that is owed to God by human beings. Worship should be something we long to do as opposed to something we dread. The joyful worship of God by the young people throughout our pilgrimage to Cologne was one of the highlights of the trip for me and the other adults who attended. Watching young people pray fervently, drop to their knees in front of the Blessed Sacrament, sing joyfully at Mass and pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy with intensity at the concentration camp in Berchenau would ignite the flame of faith in most people of good will. Clearly, our worship must include moments in our day when we break from our usual routine to praise God. These moments include attending Mass, visits to the Blessed Sacrament, prayer meetings, personal prayer in the quiet of our rooms and grace before meals. God deserves this homage because He is our Creator and Redeemer. However, we must press beyond acts of worship and begin to live lives of worship. We worship God by choosing to follow Christ when the way is not easy, when we decide to forgive someone who has hurt us, when we faithfully fulfill the simple duties that make family life run smoothly, when we go an extra mile in the service of our neighbor. Proper worship of God means choosing each day to give glory to God with lives modeled after the life of His Son, Jesus. We have so much to learn from the three Magi from the East, who make a brief but powerful appearance in the Gospel of Matthew. May we imitate them by diligently seeking the face of God, falling prostrate and rendering Him homage, and joyfully offering Him the gift of a life lived in loving service of our neighbor. Fr. Peterson is Campus Minister at Marymount University in Arlington and interim director of the Youth Apostles Institute. (This article courtesy of the Arlington Catholic Herald.)

Sunday, January 8, 2006
The Epiphany of the Lord (Solemnity)

First Reading:
Psalm:
Second Reading:
Gospel:

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

We must show charity towards the sick, who are in greater need of help. Let us take them some small gift if they are poor, or, at least let us go and wait on them and comfort them.

-- St. Alphonsus Liguori

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	You Already Have It!
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Feast of the Epiphany

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

More than a century ago, a great sailing ship was stranded off the coast of South America. Week after week the ship lay there in the still waters with not a hint of a breeze. The captain was desperate; the crew was dying of thirst. And then, on the far horizon, a steamship appeared, headed directly toward them. As it drew near, the captain called out, "We need water! Give us water!"

The steamship replied, "Lower your buckets where you are."

The captain was furious at this cavalier response but called out again, "Please, give us water."

But the steamer gave the same reply, "Lower your buckets where you are!" And with that they sailed away! The captain was beside himself with anger and despair, and he went below. But a little later when no one was looking, a yeoman lowered a bucket into the sea and then tasted what he brought up: It was perfectly sweet, fresh water! For you see, the ship was just out of sight of the mouth of the Amazon. And for all those weeks they'd been sitting right on top of all the fresh water they needed!

There is in all of us a restlessness that keeps us searching, moving, changing, looking far and wide for something - we're not sure what - but something that can satisfy us and fill us full.

We search and search, for the latest look, the fastest new sports car, the perfect BEST FRIEND, the hottest new resort, the ultimate cabernet. We find them - more or less - and before you know it we're weary and listless again. A vague feeling of emptiness whispers, even as we find some new treasure, "Not enough, not enough."

Eventually we ask: Will it ever end? Will we ever find the satisfaction and peace we seek, or will we die listless and world-weary as so many have before us?

As the three kings could tell us, it all depends on where we look. What we're seeking isn't to be found out there. We can't buy it, lease it, invent it, or negotiate for it. We can't beg, borrow, or steal it. We can't move to a new place and find it. What we're really seeking is already inside us, waiting to be discovered, waiting to be embraced: The Holy Spirit of God who has lived within us from the first second of our life. The Holy Spirit who is saying to us at this very moment, "Lower your buckets where you are. Taste and see!"

Only the Holy Spirit of God is large enough to fill us full, to calm our restlessness and bring us the peace and contentment we crave. Nothing less will do. So there's nothing left to do but to whisper our prayer from deep in our heart: Come, Holy Spirit! Fill our hearts, and set us on fire! Amen.

Catholic Culture

Collect:
Father, you revealed your Son to the nations by the guidance of a star. Lead us to your glory in heaven by the light of faith. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Recipes:

Activities:

Prayers:

January 08, 2006

Solemnity of the Epiphany

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

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.

The Fifteenth 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 lentils 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 (#118 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

Some of you were talking about special recipes for the Epiphany and starting a new tradition at your house. See #12 for a fairly comprehensive list of these recipes.

The disunity of Western Christendom is glaring evident today in North America. Because the USCCB has given in to the "worship is only on Sunday" mentality of post-modern America the Feast of the Epiphany has been transferred to this Sunday, while in Rome the Holy Father celebrated the Baptism of Our Lord which shall not reach Catholic churches on these shores until next Sunday.

Meanwhile, Lutherans and Anglicans who continue to keep Epiphany on its proper day of January 6 (or who transfer it to the first Sunday in January)and who celebrated the Baptism of Our Lord this Sunday are actually in closer communion calendar-wise with the Bishop of Rome than with United States Roman Catholics.

But whether this Sunday is celebrated as Epiphany or as the Baptism of Our Lord, this hymn ties it all together:

"Songs of Thankfulness and Praise"
by Christopher Wordsworth, 1807-1885

1. Songs of thankfulness and praise,
Jesus, Lord, to Thee we raise,
Manifested by the star
To the sages from afar,
Branch of royal David's stem,
In Thy birth at Bethlehem.
Anthems be to Thee addressed
God in man made manifest.

2. Manifest at Jordan's stream,
Prophet, Priest, and King supreme,
And at Cana, Wedding-guest,
In Thy Godhead manifest;
Manifest in power divine,
Changing water into wine.
Anthems be to Thee addressed
God in man made manifest.

3. Manifest in making whole
Palsied limbs and fainting soul;
Manifest in valiant fight,
Quelling all the devil's might;
Manifest in gracious will,
Ever bringing good from ill.
Anthems be to Thee addressed,
God in man made manifest.

4. Sun and moon shall darkened be,
Stars shall fall, the heavens shall flee;
Christ will then like lightning shine,
All will see His glorious sign;
All will then the trumpet hear,
All will see the Judge appear;
Thou by all wilt be confessed,
God in man made manifest.

5. Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord,
Mirrored in Thy holy Word;
May we imitate Thee now
And be pure as pure art Thou
That we like to Thee may be
At Thy great Epiphany
And may praise Thee, ever blest,
God in man made manifest.

The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #134
Text: 1 Peter 1:20
Author: Christopher Wordsworth, 1862
Composer: George J. Elvey, 1858
Tune: "Salzbuerg"

Mt 2:1-12
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
1	When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem,	cum ergo natus esset Iesus in Bethleem Iudaeae in diebus Herodis regis ecce magi ab oriente venerunt Hierosolymam
2	Saying: Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and are come to adore him.	dicentes ubi est qui natus est rex Iudaeorum vidimus enim stellam eius in oriente et venimus adorare eum
3	And king Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.	audiens autem Herodes rex turbatus est et omnis Hierosolyma cum illo
4	And assembling together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born.	et congregans omnes principes sacerdotum et scribas populi sciscitabatur ab eis ubi Christus nasceretur
5	But they said to him: In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the prophet:	at illi dixerunt ei in Bethleem Iudaeae sic enim scriptum est per prophetam
6	And thou Bethlehem the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the captain that shall rule my people Israel.	et tu Bethleem terra Iuda nequaquam minima es in principibus Iuda ex te enim exiet dux qui reget populum meum Israhel
7	Then Herod, privately calling the wise men learned diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them;	tunc Herodes clam vocatis magis diligenter didicit ab eis tempus stellae quae apparuit eis
8	And sending them into Bethlehem, said: Go and diligently inquire after the child, and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I also may come and adore him.	et mittens illos in Bethleem dixit ite et interrogate diligenter de puero et cum inveneritis renuntiate mihi ut et ego veniens adorem eum
9	Who having heard the king, 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.	qui cum audissent regem abierunt et ecce stella quam viderant in oriente antecedebat eos usque dum veniens staret supra ubi erat puer
10	And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.	videntes autem stellam gavisi sunt gaudio magno valde
11	And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him: and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.	et intrantes domum invenerunt puerum cum Maria matre eius et procidentes adoraverunt eum et apertis thesauris suis obtulerunt ei munera aurum tus et murram
12	And having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country.	et responso accepto in somnis ne redirent ad Herodem per aliam viam reversi sunt in regionem suam

Adoration of the Magi

Gentile da Fabriano

1423
Tempera on wood, 300 x 282 cm
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

Thank you for the readings, links, and commentaries.

** while in Rome the Holy Father celebrated the Baptism of Our Lord which shall not reach Catholic churches on these shores until next Sunday.**

Because Christmas fell on a Sunday this year, yes, everything is skewed. Part of it is the doings of the USCCB. The Baptism of the Lord, for example, will be celebrated tomorrow on Monday.

Next Sunday, January 14, will be the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

A Voice in the Desert

Sunday January 8, 2006 Epiphany of the Lord

Reading I (Isaiah 60:1-6) Reading II (Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6)

Gospel (St. Matthew 2:1-12)

The feast we celebrate today of the Epiphany was one of the most important feast days in the ancient Church year. The reason for that is one that we tend to take for granted. It is made very clear in the second reading today, that is, the mystery has been revealed. And the mystery that was revealed was demonstrated in a very particular way through the feast we celebrate today, that is, the Gentiles are now coheirs with the Jews, members of the same body, they are heirs of eternal life, and they are brought into one with Jesus Christ. Saint Paul tells us this is something that was made known to him by a revelation.

For the Jewish people, of course, we understand that they were the chosen people of God, and they understood fully well that they were the means to salvation. But there were also a number of prophetic statements of the Old Testament talking about the fact that there would be a new covenant and that the Gentiles would become one with the Jews. More than likely, the average Jewish person reading this would have assumed that meant the Gentiles would become Jewish. But, in fact, we can look at it now in Christ and see that is not what it meant at all; there was something entirely new. This is precisely what Our Lord talks about when He says, for instance: No one takes a new piece of cloth and sews it on to an old coat, and, No one puts new wine into old wine skins. In fact, it is something that must be entirely different, something new. It builds upon what was there of old because God’s truth does not change, but it fulfills everything of old.

So what Saint Paul and the other apostles would not realize for many years to come was revealed in a very profound way in Our Lord’s birth, that here we have the pagan nations, the Gentiles (the word Gentile, by the way, means “nation,” so it is every nation that is not Israel; anyone who was not Jewish was considered a Gentile; it is all the people of the nations), the representatives of various nations coming to give homage to Christ. In fact, the word in the Gospel that is translated as homage is actually the word worship in Greek. They worshipped Him. We are told in the Gospel that they prostrated themselves and they worshipped Him.

Now contrast that with what we see in the Gospel reading about Jerusalem. We are told that King Herod and all Jerusalem with him were afraid. They trembled at the news that the Messiah was born. Why would that happen? What we celebrate today goes rather contrary to what we heard in the first reading. We heard: Darkness covers the earth and thick clouds the peoples; but upon you, Jerusalem, the Lord will dawn and in you His radiance will be revealed. The people of Jerusalem were the ones who were to be enlightened. They had the truth. They had the prophets. They had the Scriptures and everything that was contained within. But what happened in ancient Jerusalem is tragically similar to what is happening throughout the world right now, but we just have to look around our own backyard here, and we have to say that the darkness covers and the thick clouds have enveloped the people. Just ask yourself right now: If Jesus were to be born into our world, not coming in glory again, but what if He were to be born into our world today, to come in a very hidden form? How many people do you know in your neighborhood, in your office, even perhaps in your own home, who would rejoice that the Light has come into the darkness? The tragedy is people of our day have chosen the darkness. They like it because evil deeds are done in darkness, but those that are good are brought into the light. So in our world filled with corruption, selfishness, and all kinds of unfortunate things, people just like of old have chosen the darkness over the light. And I do not think it takes a genius to be able to recognize that it is getting darker. But that is okay because the darker something is, the brighter the light shines within it.

Now if people like it dark, they do not want the light to shine, which is why they are going to give you all kinds of trouble if you are doing what Christ told you to do, that is, to be the light of the world, to go out into the darkness and bring the light of Christ into the world. Because unlike what happened two thousand years ago, where Our Lord was born in human form and was revealed to the nations through a star, today He wants to be revealed through us. He wants us to be like that guiding star to bring people to Him, to point the way beyond ourselves to Christ Himself. That is the task that is given to each and every one of us.

We can understand, perhaps, a little bit of the reaction of the people of Jerusalem. For many of us, perhaps the thought of going out into the world and bringing Christ into the world, living our faith out in this world of darkness, being truly Catholic in this neopagan society in which we live, brings a little bit of trembling into our heart. The trembling is in people who claim that they know and love Jesus. What about people who did not know and love Him? They were awaiting His arrival, but they did not know Him yet; consequently, they were not able to love Him. They were not sure what was going to happen to their way of life and they were afraid.

We know what is supposed to happen to our way of life. We are supposed to overcome sin and we are to live as children of the light. We are to live holy lives. Still, we tremble at the thought of having to change our lives in order to live them for Christ. How many of us have chosen to live like the pagans around us, just so that we fit in? Isn’t it interesting that the people of the promise trembled in fear when they heard about the Messiah being born? But the pagans came and prostrated themselves and worshipped Him. What about us? Are we willing to bow down before Him, not just on Sunday morning, not just when we receive Holy Communion, but are we willing to live our lives that way? Are we truly willing to live our lives for Christ?

The word epiphany means a “manifestation.” Our Lord has made Himself manifest to the nations, and He has made Himself manifest to each and every one of us. There is not one single person who can say that Our Lord has not made Himself clear. I am not saying that He has somehow appeared in some extraordinary form, because in most of us, thanks be to God, that has not happened – and do not pray that it does. But we know Him. He is right here in the Blessed Sacrament, and He has made Himself manifest to us. We have the fullness of truth regarding Christ.

In the ancient world, there were actually three feasts that were celebrated today – the Epiphany, the Baptism of Our Lord, and the Wedding Feast at Cana – because these were three things that manifested the true divinity of Christ. The pagans recognized Who He was and bowed down and worshipped Him; the Holy Spirit descended upon Him and the voice of the Father was heard saying, You are My beloved Son, on you My favor rests; and in the wedding at Cana, the first of His miracles where His apostles began to believe in Him and He manifested Himself at the beginning of His public life.

Now we have the fullness of the Gospel; we have the fullness of truth given to us. The manifestation of Christ is truly present within the hearts and souls

of every single one of us. If that is the case, then we have to ask ourselves: Is Christ being manifest now through us? He has been made manifest to us, is He being made manifest through us to others? That is what He is looking for. When Our Lord was brought to the temple by His mother, Simeon took Him in his arms and proclaimed that He is the light to the nations and that through Him we have the revelation of God. What Simeon recognized in the humanity of Christ was His divinity shining through. Our Lord desires that we would do the same, that we will recognize Him hidden in the Blessed Sacrament, but also hidden within each one of us. If we are in the state of grace, remember that the Holy Trinity dwells within. All three persons of God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – dwell inside of each one of us as in a temple. And He desires that we would bring Him out into the world and make Him manifest, a light of revelation to the nations.

Again, if you think about it and you look at yourself and think, “Well, I’m really not shining too terribly brightly for the Lord,” then rejoice all the more that the darkness is becoming so much worse, because even the dimmest bulb shines rather brightly in great darkness. But we need to make sure we continue to try to increase the brightness that is there, that we develop the holiness and the prayer life, that we seek true union with Christ. The times in which we are living should certainly be clear to anyone of faith. They are extraordinary times, certainly times of extraordinary evil – never in the history of the world has there been such an evil day. If you think about that from past events, the Flood came at the time of Noah because of the evil that was present in the world. Back in the late 1950’s, Pope Pius XII said that we live in the most sinful society that history has ever known. That was in the 1950’s. And so if that is the case, things are far worse now. We need to make sure we are living our faith. We need to make sure we are not giving way to the darkness to become like everyone else. We need to make sure we are not compromising our commitment to Jesus Christ, because in the midst of such an evil time we know there are going to be extraordinary things that are going to be happening, and each and every one of us needs to be prepared for that. We know not the day nor the hour, and it does not matter when. All that matters is that we are found watching and ready.

We need to learn from these three truly Wise Men of old. They watched in the darkness for a bright star. In the darkness of this world, we need to keep our eyes on He Who is the Light of the world. And from His light, we need to be enlightened so that we can go out into the darkness and the light of faith will brighten the path upon which we are to walk. We are to recognize Christ in the midst of this darkness, and we are to prostrate ourselves before Him and we are to worship Him. There is no need for fear. There is no need for trembling. But rather, as is said of the ancient Jerusalem so it is said of the New Jerusalem: You will be radiant at what you see. That is what Jesus wants from us: to see His extreme and ultimate radiance, the light of God, the light of truth, the light of love shining forth from the Blessed Sacrament and shining forth from within us, that we too will be radiant, that we too will be filled with His grace so we will bring God, Who is truth and Who is love, out into the world of darkness, of hatred, and of lies; and that the mystery that was revealed and is celebrated today will continue to be revealed and celebrated; that even those who have chosen to live a pagan life in this world will be able to see the true light and they will come to Jesus Christ, and they too will prostrate themselves and worship Him.

But before that happens, it needs to happen in us. We rejoice when there are conversions. We rejoice when people see the light. But how often we are put to shame by the way these people live their lives. They have seen the truth and they have changed their lives to conform to the truth, whereas so many of us continue to try to compromise the truth, to be mediocre Catholics, and to find a way to let the darkness attempt to cover the light. We cannot do that any longer. The Wise Men were smart enough to look to the light in the darkness. We live in a day where darkness covers the earth and thick clouds cover the people, but there is a brilliant star that shines in the darkness. If we have any wisdom about us at all, we should be able to see that star – Who is Jesus Christ – shining in the darkness and to follow that star, to keep our eyes fixed upon it until we find Him, we unite ourselves with Him, and we bow down before Him and worship Him.

* This text was transcribed from the audio recording with minimal editing.

I feel sad that all the Christmas lights are coming down. Soon even the manger scenes will be gone from outside our churches. (Sigh) It's a letdown!