SUNDAY READINGS - Feast of the Epiphany
FIRST READING: Isaiah 60:1-6. Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 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. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. 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.
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. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
EXPLANATION: The prophet (second-Isaiah probably) is trying to cheer the exiles by foretelling the glorious future of the new Jerusalem which is not yet rebuilt. The special radiance of God will illuminate it. Gentiles (who once despised, it) will bring their riches to it. From Fast and West peoples will flock to it.
glory of the Lord: The gloom of sadness and despair which enveloped the derelict Jerusalem during the exile will give way to a heavenly brightness, for God will dwell within it once more.
darkness...covers the earth: This divine brightness is first and foremost for the Chosen People.
nations shall come to your light: The Gentiles will partake of this divine blessing---their kings will come to share in the light of Zion.
all gather...come to you: The glory of Jerusalem will be such that all nations will come to it, and the scattered children of Israel will return home also (see 49: 22).
abundance...sea: The nations of the West (the sea the Mediterranean) will bring their riches in ships.
Midian, Ephah and Sheba: The eastern nations will come in camel caravans, the usual way of travel through the desert, bearing their gifts.
gold and frankincense: Two of the most valuable means of barter-trading of the time.
proclaim the praise of the Lord: They will come with their gifts to honor the God of Israel, forsaking their pagan idols for the true God.
APPLICATION: The feast of the Epiphany is the feast which commemorates the manifestation of God to the Gentiles. This manifestation began when the Wise Men from the East came to Bethlehem to pay their respects and offer their gifts to the newly-born king of the Jews (see Mt. 2 in today's gospel). Though the words of second-Isaiah were not understood by his hearers as referring to this event, it was only in the coming of the Magi, to welcome Christ, that they were really fulfilled. Jerusalem was in no sense an attraction for the nations in the intervening centuries. But the Magi at Bethlehem were the first-fruits of the thousands and millions of Gentiles who have since then seen the glory of God in the Babe of Bethlehem and who have figuratively come to Jerusalem from the West and from the East to form the new Chosen People, the new Kingdom of God.
Let us thank God today for having called us, Gentiles, to his kingdom, his Church, and for giving us the means to reach heaven. Let us never imitate the Chosen People of the Old Testament who so often forgot how good God was to them, and who often so provoked him, that he allowed them to be taken into exile as slaves of a pagan nation. We too could bring exile on ourselves, an exile much more fatal than the Babylonian one. Whatever else may be my lot, whatever hardship I may have to suffer during the few years I am on earth, God forbid that I should ever, through my unfaithfulness, cause myself to be excluded from my true home, heaven, where "the glory of the Lord will shine" forever.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SECOND READING: Ephesians 3: 2-3; 5-6. I assume that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, 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; that is, how the Gentiles are fellow-heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
EXPLANATION:
stewardship...grace: Paul, writing from a prison in Rome to the Ephesians, whom he had converted to Christianity about 53-56, reminds them of the fact that he was "the Apostle of the Gentiles."
to me for you: This mission to bring the knowledge of Christ to the Gentiles Paul counted as a special grace from God, which it was, both for him and for his converts (see also Rom. 1: 5; 15: 15; Gal. 2: 9).
by revelation: His mission was revealed to him when Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus (see Acts 9: 15; 22: 21).
in...generations: The expected Messiah of the Old Testament was understood to be for the Jews only---this was the common opinion of the Jewish people. Even the prophets, many of whom referred to the Gentiles in relation to the Messiah, had no clear understanding of him.
revealed...Apostles and prophets: That Christ the Messiah had come for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews was revealed to the Apostles and prophets---those Christians who in the early Church had special revelations from God for the community. To the Apostles Christ gave the command after his resurrection: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Mt. 28: 19; see Mk. 16: 15; 24: 47).
members of the same body: The Gentiles are equal members with the Jewish converts in the mystical body of Christ, the Church.
promise...through the gospel: The eternal reward promised by Christ to his followers, in the gospel, and through living up to its teaching.
APPLICATION: St. Paul's thoughts in his prison in Rome are not for himself nor for the fate that awaits him. He is thinking instead of the mission Christ gave him, to evangelize the Gentile nations. He has done much already, and even in prison he does all he can to continue the good work. He writes to his Gentile converts from Rome, to remind them of their great privilege in being called to the Christian faith. They are now God's new Chosen People, they are now members of Christ's mystical body, they are now guaranteed heaven if they appreciate and live up to their vocation.
Today, on the feast of the Epiphany, we are celebrating the coming of the first Gentiles to the feet of Christ. They were the first of the long stream of Gentile peoples and nations that flowed steadily toward Christ's mystical body, the Church, down through the years. We have the privilege of being part of that stream, and St. Paul, who today in heaven is as interested in us as he was in his Ephesian converts, is exhorting us, through these words of his, to appreciate the privilege which is ours. Through the grace of God and not through any merits of our own, we are Christians and are on the road to heaven. "Rejoice and persevere" is St. Paul's advice to us today. If we truly rejoice it means we truly appreciate what the gift of the true faith means. We know where we came from, we know where we are going, and we are certain there is a place, a wonderful, eternal place, to go to. We know too how to get there. This is no mean knowledge in the world of today, where so many seem content to make this world their heaven, and let the future look after itself---if there be a future (and logically to ease their consciences they must hope there isn't one).
Thank God, our faith and our ordinary intelligence tell us there has to be a future life---God would be a cruel joker if he gave us the nature we possess with its spiritual gifts and desires only to have them end in a grave after a few short years. We can rejoice then because we appreciate the great privilege given us, and if we appreciate it we shall hold on to it and follow the path it indicates. We may have to climb some hills and they may look as steep as Calvary, but after Calvary comes the Mount of Olives, the mount of the Ascension.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GOSPEL: Matthew 2:1-12. 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, 0 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 worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
EXPLANATION:
Wise men: The term was usually reserved for men learned in the sciences, and among the Persians these were especially the priestly caste.
from the East: From Mesopotamia, of which Persia was the only country of any importance then.
to Jerusalem: Evidently God had revealed to them that a new King of the Jews had been born, and they understood from God that he was a special King; they did not come when Herod or Herod's son was born.
we have seen his star: Astrology was one of the sciences studied by Magi. There was a firm conviction that each human being had his own star and that his fate in life was governed by that star. This was not and is not so, but God made use of their superstition to teach them truth. Some unusual light in the sky aroused their interest; God did the rest.
Herod...troubled: He knew the Magi had not come to honor his son---all his sons were grown up at the time, so he immediately thought of an opponent who would oust him from the throne.
all Jerusalem with him: Not because Herod might lose his throne, but for fear of what excess Herod would go to if any opposition arose.
Christ was to be born: Herod, who was a pagan, may have had some idea of the messianic promises which were the kernel of the Old Testament. But when the question of a special king of the Jews arose, some of his household must have told him that this must be the expected Messiah (a Hebrew word meaning the Anointed, or the Christ).
the priests and scribes: They knew their bible, they remembered the prophecy of Micah (see Cycle C (3) 4th Sunday of Advent), and so informed Herod that Bethlehem was to be the birthplace of the Christ.
time the star appeared: Herod had already formed his plans---he would destroy that infant. The Magi had probably spent months on their journey. The star may have appeared some months before they left. The Baby could possibly be a year old. But Herod took no chances: when ordering the murder of all the male children of Bethlehem (3:16), he said: "from two years and under."
I may...come and worship: He may have deceived the Magi but could not deceive God.
star...over the place: This heavenly light directed them to the place (not the stable, as it says, they "entered the house") where they found the Child.
with Mary his mother: The omission of Joseph may be due to the simple fact that he was absent because he had found employment in Bethlehem as a carpenter. It is, however, more likely that Matthew who has already (1 : 18-25) told of the virginal conception of Christ, is emphasizing here the fact that Joseph was only the foster-father of Christ.
worshiped him: That is, they paid him reverence by prostrating themselves before him. It does not prove they recognized him as God but they did recognize him as a special King.
gold...myrrh: Precious gifts to show their respect and esteem.
departed...another way: Herod had told them to return to him but God had other plans---the Magi were instructed to return not via Jerusalem but by another route. This gave time to Joseph to remove the Child before Herod could lay hands on him.
APPLICATION: The Magi are the central personages in today's feast of Epiphany. They were pagans who did not know the true God of the Jews. Yet that true God revealed to them that the King he had promised to the Jews had come. The expected Prince was born. They came to Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, expecting, of course, to find the city and the whole country rejoicing. Instead they found suspicion and hatred in the reigning king---a hatred which in a few days turned to murder. Among the religious leaders they found knowledge of their past history, but utter indifference as regards the present and the future. These leaders knew the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem; they must have realized that the Magi were very sure of the truth revealed to them---they would not have come such a long journey on a "fool's errand." In spite of that, the thought of going to Bethlehem with the Magi never entered their minds. These were the leaders who some years later refused to listen to Christ and in spite of his miracles refused to admit his claim that he was not only the promised Messiah, but the true Son of God. These were the men who rejected him because he had mercy on sinners, and spoke of a future life. What they wanted from their Messiah was political power and earthly freedom and prosperity. Like Herod they ended with murder---the crucifixion of the "King of the Jews." The pagan king was not much worse than the indifferent leaders of God's Chosen People.
We too know the true facts concerning Christ, his mission, and his present and future kingdom. Like the leaders of the Jews of his day, we also could become absorbed in the affairs of this life and the quest for wealth, pleasure and power. We could become so totally absorbed in such things as to have neither the interest nor the time to pay our respects to Christ or to welcome him into our homes and our hearts, as our true Lord. God forbid it should ever be thus with us. Rather let us resolve this morning to make the Magi our models, to follow them to Bethlehem and offer him all that we have and are. He will accept our offering and we will return by another way, wiser and better men.-b067
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please enter comments in a calm, clear, cogent manner