Posted on 01/06/2018 7:27:52 PM PST by Salvation
Epiphany
January 7, 2018
“The Magi were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary, his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
Matthew 2:1-12
The story of the Magi which we hear at Epiphany each year is not just a history lesson. Many wonder where the Magi came from, how many or who they really were. But the Magi are not the only seekers of Christ. We are all called to be seekers of Christ, to be in fact Magi! We Christians are on a journey to Bethlehem; we are all called to seek the Lord. Indeed, ultimately he is to be found at the end of every person’s journey. Let’s look for clues in the scripture of the day.
He was found at a cave, in a manger, in Bethlehem. When we seek the Lord, we will not find him in a palace or dressed in fine robes. Instead, we must come to Bethlehem, which when translated, literally means House of Bread. We will find Jesus among the humble of this world, the needy, the poor. This is where his face will be most visible. And we will especially find him in the Eucharist. This is our House of Bread. It is amid the poor and humble circumstances of our adoration chapel, that we may go on pilgrimage to Bethlehem, meet the king and find him much as the Magi did.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage. We kneel in adoration before the king whom we have discovered hidden from the proud, but available to all who have the humility to come to him and bow before him in silence. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Gold. We come before the king in prayer and offer him that which is most precious to us: our time, our obedience, our offerings of treasure or service to the poor, the treasure of our time with him, the treasure of our will which we strive to conform to his. As a great king, Jesus wants the best that we have to offer.
Frankincense. Incense is a symbol of our prayers that we lift up to God. We offer him this gift whenever we pray, whether we feel anything or not. The more of a sacrifice our prayer is, the greater will be the cloud of incense before the Lord. Our service to others is also incense before the Lord.
Myrrh. Myrrh symbolizes great sacrifice, dying to self, conversion. When I make a journey to the great King as the Magi did, I will be changed by the encounter. Myrrh represents every suffering, sacrifice or act of repentance we have made before the Lord!
Father Gary
Readings:
Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-2,7-8, 10-13
Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6
Matthew 2:1-12
Today the child born on Christmas is revealed to be the long-awaited king of the Jews.
As the priests and scribes interpret the prophecies in today’s Gospel, he is the ruler expected from the line of King David, whose greatness is to reach to the ends of the earth (see Micah 5:1-3; 2 Samuel 5:2).
Jesus is found with His mother, as David’s son, Solomon, was enthroned alongside his Queen Mother (see 1 Kings 2:19). And the magi come to pay Him tribute, as once kings and queens came to Solomon (see 1 Kings 10:2,25).
His coming evokes promises that extend back to Israel’s beginnings.
Centuries before, an evil king seeking to destroy Moses and the Israelites had summoned Balaam, who came from the East with two servants. But Balaam refused to curse Israel, and instead prophesied that a star and royal staff would arise out of Israel and be exalted above all the nations (see Numbers 22:21; 23:7; 24:7,17).
This is the star the three magi follow. And like Balaam, they too, refuse to be tangled in an evil king’s scheme. Their pilgrimage is a sign – that the prophesies in today’s First Reading and Psalm are being fulfilled. They come from afar, guided by God’s light, bearing the wealth of nations, to praise Israel’s God.
We celebrate today our own entrance into the family of God, and the fulfillment of God’s plan that all nations be united with Israel as co-heirs to His Fatherly blessings, as Paul reveals in today’s Epistle.
We too, must be guided by the root of David, the bright morning star (see Revelation 22:16), and the light of the world (see Isaiah 42:6; John 8:12).
As the magi adored Him in the manger, let us renew our vow to serve Him, placing our gifts – our intentions and talents – on the altar in this Eucharist. We must offer to Him our very lives in thanksgiving. No lesser gift will suffice for this newborn King.
Matthew 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'” Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
Introductory Prayer: Lord, thank you for your perfect gift of yourself: coming as a humble child born of Mary. The thought of you as a helpless little babe lying in a manger fills my heart with confidence. I know that you could never be capable of deceiving me, since you have divested yourself of all greatness so that I can gaze upon you. You deserve all my hope and all my love, which I humbly offer you now.
Petition: Lord, I ask you for a heart truly receptive to your message.
1. We Saw His Star: Those who are sincere of heart find God in their life. In the case of the Magi, their sincerity is shown by what they are willing to sacrifice to attain their goal. The journey required abandoning the comforts of their homeland, the needs of their family members, and the pursuit of wealth. The intention was pure, not muddled with self-centered wants, for it was nothing less than the desire to encounter Gods living presence. Their openness of heart permitted God to speak through many things in their worldfrom astrology to Herod, from the star to the child in the crib. What will it take for me to find God today? I must put aside all but him and let his hand lead me to that definitive encounter with his divine presence.
2. Warned Not to Return to Herod: No star is offered to Herod or to the worldly, only darkness. The worldly may like the idea of God, and even be curious about him, but they disregard his call. They rarely leave their palace, sacrifice their time, or place themselves at the service of the divine. The prideful lovers of comfort leave their palaces and then oddly claim God is nowhere to be found in the world. They fear the loss of a comfortable world. I pray that my heart be open to all that the living Gospel requires in my life. May Christ find no obstacle in me; rather, may he find in me the will to leave my palace so that I might find and follow him.
3. Then They Opened Their Treasures: In order to give love, I must have been impacted by love. How can I hold to the demands that others place upon me? How can I keep true to my vocation and mission when little affirmation and support come my way? Every morning I need to seek out the God who gives unconditionally so that his giving may impact me. Be it at Mass, in prayer, or in the workings of divine providence, every day a necessary epiphany awaits me. It empowers me to open my coffer and bring forth the gift of self. If I do not experience this love, my life remains closedno interior strength is found to give myself totally. John tells us: In this is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Brothers, if God so loved us, we too ought to love each other . We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:8, 20).
Conversation with Christ: Christ, your love for me compels me to give myself and hold nothing back. I have touched a moment in human history that overwhelms my comprehension and conquers my heart for you. May I give myself as you give yourself to me: at Mass, in prayer, and in souls you call me to serve.
Resolution: I will work to improve my charity with the members of my family today, loving them as Christ does.
Up until now, all has been quite humble. A donkey-ride to a dusty town south of Jerusalem. Hotel rooms all booked up. Giving birth in a stable and laying the baby in an animals feed trough instead of a cozy cradle.
Into this scene of obscure poverty suddenly bursts an exotic entourage from a far-off land. Dignitaries in dress uniform lavish the newborn with expensive gifts that seem out of place in the humble surroundings.
This event is so significant that it is accorded its own feast in the Roman liturgy, celebrated traditionally on Jan 6, immediately after the twelve days of Christmas. This solemn feast is called Epiphany, a word that means manifestation or appearance.
For a fleeting moment, what seems to be no more than another crying baby of an indigent family appears for who He really isthe King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The gifts he is given, prophesied in Isaiah 60:6, tell the story: gold fit for a king, incense for the worship of God, and myrrh, bitter yet precious, for the hero who will lay down his life for his people.
There are several important things to note about these prestigious visitors. They are Gentiles, not Jews. From the very beginning of his human existence, then, Jesus is clearly not just the Jewish messiah who has come to deliver the people of Israel from foreign oppression. No, he is the universal king, the ruler of all, who has come to tear down the hostile wall dividing Jew from Gentile, nation from nation.
If youve ever wondered what the word Catholic means, here we have it. Derived from Greek words meaning according to the whole, it means that Christ did not come to establish some local religious sect for a select few, one cult among many. No, the Church he founded is catholic or universal, spread over the whole world, welcoming the whole human race into one nation, one family, under one King.
Something else is to be noted about these illustrious visitors. As Gentiles, they are pagans. In fact the term Magi is clearly linked to the word magic. It was not in the Bible that they normally looked for wisdom (otherwise they would have known to go straight to Bethlehem). But in reward for their ardent though perhaps misguided search for truth, God led them to Christ anyhow, in His great mercy.
Ever since the days of Balaam, God has shown us that pagans can be mysteriously drawn to him and used by him, at times even through their own imperfect traditions of wisdom. If you go to the Sistine Chapel and study Michelangelos work, you can see evidence of this. Lining the top of one wall of the chapel are famous paintings of many of the Old Testament prophets. Opposite them are not New Testament apostles as one may expect. But rather, a row of the Sybils, the prophetesses of the ancient world, in whose oracles there were discovered shadowy allusions to a future savior-king. One of Michelangelos Sibyls has her mouth agape with astonishment, her eyes fixed on the fresco of the risen Christ at the back of the chapel. Indeed, the deepest desires of all peoples, the elements of truth found in all their religions and philosophies, are fulfilled in Christ.
Does this mean that all religions are equal and that we should not impose our ideas upon others? Not at all. St. Justin said that there are seeds of the Word scattered throughout the world. But seeds are meant to sprout, grow, and bear fruit. Hearing the full gospel and partaking in all the means of grace are ordinarily needed to make that happen. All peoples of the world have a right to this Catholic fullness. And it is our obligation to share it. Paul VI said it well: others may be able to be saved without hearing the gospel, but can we be saved if we neglect to preach it?
This column is offered as a reflection on the scripture readings for the Feast of the Epiphany, cycles ABC (Is. 60:1-6; Ps. 72; Eph. 3:2-3; 5-6; Mt. 2:1-12), and appears here by permission of the author.
In todays 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.
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 Nebuchadnezzars 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 of 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 Gods 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 Jacobs twelve sons, the one who would rule with a scepter would be Judah: The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the rulers 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 kings 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?
The prophet, Isaiah, had to preach Gods 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. Israels vocation had always been to serve as a kingdom of priests (read Ex 19:6). God 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 stars great brightness over it, entered and presented their gifts to their infant King. Gods 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.
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 Gods 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.
St. Paul speaks of what, in his day, was truly a mystery to his people, the Jews. In Israels 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 Israels vocation had always been to mediate as priests between God and all other peoples, by St. Pauls 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.
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