COLLECT: “O GOD, WHO ON THIS DAY REVEALED YOUR ONLY BEGOTTEN SON TO THE NATIONS BY THE GUIDANCE OF A STAR, GRANT IN YOUR MERCY THAT WE, WHO KNOW YOU ALREADY BY FAITH, MAY BE BROUGHT TO BEHOLD THE BEAUTY OF YOUR SUBLINE GLORY. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Is 60:1-6; Ps 71:1-2,7-8,10-13; Eph 3:2-3,5-6; Mt 2:1-12
“LET ME COME OUT FROM MY LITTLE COMFORTABLE WORLD AND BE BLESSED BY THE LORD”.
Today, we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord.
THE MEANING OF THE SOLEMNITY: It means “The manifestation of God’s glory in Christ to the world.” It is a feast of LIGHT – Light of Jesus Christ in the darkened world. This feast cannot be properly understood unless we remember that the Chosen People of the Old Testament were of Jewish descent, who believed that Salvation was for only the Chosen People – the Jews (Israelites).
The Nativity and/or Incarnation of Jesus changed this belief. Jesus, the Messiah and Saviour manifested and showed himself to the whole world that salvation is for all, both the Gentiles and the Jews. The Gentiles/non-Jews are represented by the three Wise Men, the Magi, who came from the East to honour the infant King Jesus. In line with the above, the mention of Jerusalem in our first reading is pictured as a gathering place not only for the scattered Jews but for all the nations in the world: “Nations shall walk by your light and kings by your shining radiance…the wealth of nations shall be brought to you” (60:3ff). This means that all people would come to Jerusalem because God would be living there and people would be attracted to the light of Jerusalem.
The prophetic words in the first reading, seeing Jerusalem as a gathering place for all the nations, have been realised in Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. Jesus Christ being the Light of people in the world (the Gentiles inclusive), is made clearer in the gospel by the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus in Bethlehem of Judea. St. Matthew in today’s gospel presents to us that the Messiah has indeed come, but has been rejected by the Jews, while the Gentiles accepted him.
The Magi’s journey from the far East to Bethlehem of Judea symbolises the faith journey of each one of us. Their journey from the East to visit the Infant Jesus was not without difficulties and hardships which brought them (unbelievers) to believe in Jesus. Their trip was a long and very hard one. It is also with great difficulty that many of us struggle on our faith journey toward God. Whatever life you embrace here on earth as a vocation, consider it a journey of faith toward God. Some people’s struggles along the way are harder than others’. We need to sympathise with such people, help, and encourage them not to give up.
The Magi wandered about, wondering which road to take, and some people, like Herod the Great, thought the Magi were ridiculous for embarking upon such a journey. In our faith and heavenward journey, sometimes we hear and will continue to hear many voices inviting us to take other ways/roads. Some people will ridicule us for choosing to follow the path of Jesus or they may find our faith journey ridiculous and foolish.
Indeed, to the ordinary person, who is only for this world, there is no sense in observing and following the ideals and values of Christianity. For instance, is it not foolishness, according to human standards, to love and forgive an offender? The wise way is to retaliate. Is it not nonsense to worship a God I cannot physically see and touch? There is no sense in sharing what I struggle and toil to get with a seemingly idle. Is it not ridiculous to observe the Beatitudes? Is it not foolishness to suffer because of one’s belief? Etc. Etc.
However, this is not surprising but that scriptures must be fulfilled for “the message of the cross (salvation) is folly for those who are on the way to ruin, but for those of us who are on the road to salvation it is the power of God” (1 Cor 1:18). Therefore, those who watch the star and are ready to travel or journey with it beyond their comfortable zones will always find the Messiah and be saved. Let us not be caught up in our own little worlds or corners for the bright star of the Saviour to pass by us unnoticed. Seize this chance to identify the Saviour’s star, journey with it and be blessed.
Avoid the vices of Herod who hated, feared and was afraid. He felt threatened by the news of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Therefore, he plotted, together with his people to destroy the work and plan of God among people. We have such “Herods” among us in the world. Worse are those people who are indifferent in society and will not dance to any tune played for them. Do not be one.
Today’s celebration teaches us, and it is a great revelation that God’s love, mercy and grace were meant not for the Jews alone, but for all people – man and woman, Jew and Gentile, slave and free, young and old, etc. Therefore, there should be no (high) walls between/among people. Today, unfortunately, there still exist many invisible walls and barriers around us – barriers between men and women (even in the Church), clans and tribes, languages, races and what have you.
Finally, the Magi had a vision and they followed that. People without a vision are doomed, no progress for them. Every person, therefore, needs a vision, and if you are not focused on your vision, you will fail in whatever you are doing. In Christianity, which is a journey, if we are not focused and if we do not have a vision, we will be misled and taken astray, and our aim will not be achieved. Avoid being a visionless and a “focusless” person. Stay blessed by the Good Lord and happy Epiphany.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, SUNDAY, ON THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES: ‘THE RESURRECTION, THE ASCENSION, THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE ASSUMPTION, AND THE CORONATION’. (WE PRAY FAITH, HOPE, LOVE OF GOD, GRACE OF A HAPPY DEATH AND TRUST IN MARY’S INTERCESSION) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
PRAYER: “GO BEFORE US WITH HEAVENLY LIGHT, O LORD, ALWAYS AND EVERYWHERE, THAT WE MAY PERCEIVE WITH CLEAR SIGHT AND REVERE WITH TRUE AFFECTION THE MYSTERY IN WHICH YOU HAVE WILLED US TO PARTICIPATE. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20@yahoo.
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