Sunday, January 7, 2024

EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

(Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3.5-6; Matthew 2:1-12)

It is nothing new that the three magi are not kings. Nor should they be considered magicians in the sense that they practice magic. Rather, Saint Matthew's intention is to present them as seekers of truth. They diligently search the heavens to determine exactly what the future holds. In a way they are like meteorologists looking for signs in the atmosphere to predict the weather tomorrow, next week, or in a year.

The gospel does not specify where the wise men come from. But because of their placement in the east and their interest in science, bible commentators believe they are Persians. Anyway, they have heard of the “king of the Jews” who was to be born. Perhaps they have heard of the prophecy that a descendant of King David is going to sit on his throne forever. He is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah who will reestablish David's kingdom and attract the world’s monarchs to hear his wisdom. The magi follow the newborn's star to pay him tribute.

The star provides the magi with only part of the truth. It can indicate approximately where the King is, but not precisely. For this, divine revelation is needed. This is why the Jews refer to the Scriptures when the magi ask, “Where is the king of the Jews…?” The prophet Micah wrote that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem.

The reference to the Scriptures provides us with a very urgent lesson for contemporary times. Every field of human study -- even the hard sciences like physics, chemistry, and biology -- cannot reveal the truth in its fullness. To know the complete truth we need God’s revelation. This is particularly the case in reference to morality. Without recourse to Scripture, people will allow manipulation of the body and soul to achieve their ends. For this reason in some parts there are persistent calls for the Church to bless gay marriages and for the state to allow the extermination of people with severe disabilities.

The magi finally encounter Jesus, the king who embodies the complete truth. His teachings will form a just people. His actions will show followers that eternal happiness does not consist of endless pleasure but of measureless love. The gifts presented by the magi are fitting for such a king. He is worth more than gold. As the Son of God he deserves praises that like fragrant incense ascend to heaven. And because as a human he will suffer death for a time, myrrh for his burial is included.

Despite the benefits that the King-Messiah brings, some do not want him to reign. They would eliminate him as if he were the plague and not the remedy for every ailment. Herod does not want to share power with anyone, even one who will bring peace to his reign. Others do not want to listen to Jesus because of the pride, greed, and lust that drive his hearts. These are not necessarily people foreign to us. It has been said that the line separating good and evil does not run through families, nations, or faith communities but through each human heart. Therefore, we must strive to increase daily our likeness to the King.

Jesus should be the focus of our lives. If we meditate every day on how to put the gospel into practice, we will have the truth at our disposal. When we live it, we will experience eternal happiness.

Sunday, January 2, 2022

THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

(Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3.5-6; Matthew 2:1-12)

There are traditional Christmas carols and new Christmas carols. In recent times many people have taken to "The Little Drummer Boy". We all know the story. A poor boy has nothing to give homage to the Christ child. Then it occurs to him that he can play his drum for the newborn king. When he does, the child smiles appreciatively. The drummer boy joins the shepherds and magicians of the Gospels in worship of the Son of God.

The shepherds are found only in the Gospel according to St. Luke. When they learn that the Messiah has been born in Bethlehem, they waste no time going to honor him. We see the Magi only in today's passage from the Gospel according to St. Matthew. After an encounter with Herod and the Jews, they proceed to Bethlehem. As they enter Joseph's house, they see Maria with her baby. They immediately prostrate themselves to show their submission to the “King of the Jews.”

The evangelists tell these stories to explain the mission of the Son of God. The shepherds represent the common people. They are not educated and work for the minimum wage. The Messiah will defeat the corrupt rulers who oppress them.  He will bring them a closeness to God that makes their hard life tolerable, even good.

The Magi form a contrast to the shepherds. But they are not kings. (This idea comes from the first reading. Isaiah tells of kings bringing gifts to Jerusalem. The tradition of magicians riding camels also has its origin in the first reading.) Magi are cultured people who search the heavens for truth. They find in the child Jesus the source of wisdom that will bring peace to the world.

Just as Jesus embodies grace in both stories, Herod personifies sin. He becomes jealous when he hears of a child who is to become the Messiah of Israel. He asks the Magi to inform him of the child’s whereabouts in order to kill Jesus. The high priests and scribes unite with Herod to form a conspiracy against Jesus. In time these religious leaders will oppose Jesus for interpreting the law in a fresh way. They are satisfied with things as they are because they can take advantage of them. They do not want to leave their authority to another, even if he is the Messiah.

But Jesus does not come to seize the political power of Herod. Nor does he intend to change the law. His mission is to show the world the ways of God. He wants everyone to have "the good life" that leads to justice. Often "the good life" is depicted as a series of luxury cruises to different of the world. But this is not the case in Christian history. "The good life" means to recognize yourself as a child of God. It is experiencing the call of Jesus to be his disciple. It is putting yourself in the company of other honorable people.

You can live "the good life" in a number of ways. One way that is worth mentioning is the Christian movement called "People of Praise." This group is dedicated to renewing the world with the power of the Holy Spirit. The members belong to different Christian churches. They dedicate themselves to living their baptismal promises to the full. They meet on Sunday afternoon after services in their respective churches. They study the Bible together and plan their social projects. An impressive project has been to inhabit decaying neighborhoods to revive the spirit of the poor people. Members of "People of Praise" show the world the true "good life."

We have launched 2022. Everyone hopes that it will be much better than last year. May it be God’s will! However, it is more important that we live the true "good life" in the new year.  Whether we are as poor as the shepherds of Bethlehem or as educated as the Magi from the East, let us live our baptismal promises. This would be an appropriate gift for the Christ child next Christmas. 

Sunday, January 3, 2021

 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD, January 3, 2021

(Isaiah 60: 1-6; Ephesians 3: 2-3.5-6; Matthew 2:1-12)

Who are the magi? They are not kings even though they carry exquisite gifts. Nor are they magicians. They are researchers. They study the heavens and the earth in search of truth. We can consider them wisemen since they are looking for more than knowledge of physical reality.  They also want to know the meaning behind the reality.

The magicians focus on the star. It represents nature in all its complexity and the extent of existence. Through nature we can know something about God. At least it can be concluded that God exists as the creator of the universe. We can also deduce from nature that God expects justice from humans. Everyone has a conscience to distinguish between good and bad. We know that it is bad to murder one’s neighbor and good to give alms to the poor.

However, we cannot know God through nature. We could not say that God is loving and merciful without His help. For this reason the magicians have to consult the Jews for the whereabouts of the "king of the Jews." The Jews have the self-revelation of God Himself. They know where the “ruler, who to shepherd… Israel,” will be born.

Curiously, the Jews do not want to accompany the magi in their search for truth. In fact, when hearing of the newborn "king of the Jews," Herod, their leader, becomes jealous. In time he will devise a plot to kill him. Certainly not everyone seeks truth. Some have other goals in life. Instead of seeking truth, they want pleasure, money, or power.

These people could not appreciate the glory of God in Jesus Christ if they found him. They think of sacrifice as insanity, simplicity as lack of success, and humility as personal flaw. In contrast, the magi rejoice when they find Jesus. He who is going to sacrifice himself to redeem the world is met as the infant son of a carpenter. He does not live in a palace but an ordinary house. Like Simeon in the Gospel according to Saint Luke, the Magi see the light to all nations in the face of the child Jesus.

Many young people today consider themselves seekers. They do not want to declare themselves as practicing any religion. They dismiss Catholicism as petrified with ancient rules and customs. They want beliefs in accordance with the truth of the self, the environment, and the equality of all people. We believe that if they investigate reality at its roots like the magi, they will find this truth in Jesus Christ. He no longer lives in a house in Bethlehem but in the church that he founded. It is up to us, members of that church, to show young people that rules and customs are not impediments but links. They connect us with the magi of the first century and the saints throughout history. More to the point, they put us in touch with Jesus Christ, King of the Jews and Redeemer of the world.