December 31, 2009 // Uncategorized

Epiphany calls us to God

Todays Catholic

Epiphany of the Lord
Mt 2:1-12
This weekend, the church celebrates the ancient feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, reflecting upon the visit of Magi “from the East” to the crib side of the newborn Savior.

The first reading is from the third and last section of Isaiah. After four generations of exile in Babylon, survivors or descendants of survivors, of the long past Babylonian conquest of the Holy Land finally were able to return to their homeland.

It was because Persia, in turn, had overtaken Babylonia. Persia’s King Cyrus allowed the exiles to leave Babylon and to return to the Holy Land. However, homecoming was bittersweet. The land to which they returned after so many years was desolate and unyielding.

The prophets insisted that, in spite of this desolation, times would change for the better, because God would not forget the Chosen People.
This reading rejoices in God’s salvation. God will vindicate the people, delivering them from all their woes. So, the prophecy predicts a great new day!
In the second reading, from the Epistle to the Ephesians, is the frank and direct statement that God intends salvation not only for the Chosen People but also for the gentiles. No one is beyond the range of divine love and mercy.

St. Matthew’s Gospel furnishes the last reading. Among the four Gospels, only Matthew and Luke refer to the conception, birth and very early life of Jesus. Mark and John are silent on these subjects.

Between Matthew and Luke, only Matthew has the story of the Magi. This story is one of the most profound and expressive revelations in the New Testament. Better to understand it requires recognizing the symbols and images contained in the passage.

First, the Gospel speaks of visitors “from the East.” “From the East” was a phrase referring to much more than a direction of the compass. It meant a distant and unknown place. What was the origin of these visitors? All that is known is that they were “from the East.”

Who, and what, were they? Scholars have not agreed on a translation. Some think that they were astrologers, in a time when astrology was heavily associated with theology and philosophy. Others think they were nobles, or kings. Another term is Magi, its meaning unclear.

How many were in their number? We do not know, because Matthew does not tell us. Art and legend have seen them over the centuries as three in number.

Regardless, they were gifted, learned and very sincere, earnestly seeking God.

Herod tried to remove any competition this newborn king might create. He discovers that according to the Scriptures, the Savior indeed will be born in Bethlehem.

Central to the story is that in searching for the Lord, the Magi followed a star in the sky. God was guiding them.

Reflection:
A modern Christmas song has an especially relevant message for Epiphany. The song is “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem,” words by Adger M. Pace, music by R. Fisher Boyce and arrangement by Tom Fettke.

In effect, it prays that by following the beautiful star of Bethlehem in our own lives, we will reach the “land of perfect day.”

The Epiphany is much more than a commemoration. It is a call to follow God’s beckoning to live in a place of endless light and warmth, the kingdom where Jesus reigns supreme.

Too often we allow ourselves to slip into the role of Herod. We ignore, or outright reject, life in God by choosing to live as our instincts or limited human understanding suggest to us.

We live in darkness and in coldness, for many of us literally speaking. The wonder is that there is a land of perfect day, and Christ, the light of the world, guides us to it.