By Martin Jumbam
The Universal Church celebrates Sunday, January 05, 2014, as the Feast of the Epiphany, that is, the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Saviour of the world. The entrance antiphon of this Mass says: “The Lord and ruler is coming; kingship is his, and government and power. Amen.” The great feast of Epiphany celebrates the adoration of Jesus by the Wise Men (Magi), pagan astrologers from the East.
Today’s readings express the grandeur of this feast. In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah shouts: “Arise, Jerusalem, shine out, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord is rising on you.” The image of light shining out of Jerusalem reminds God’s people that God led them in their desert wandering with a pillar of fire. In the second reading, Saint Paul praises the majesty of God’s plan, which is that pagans too now share in the same inheritance as Jews. They are now called to have a part with the Jews in God’s new people, the body of Christ. In the Gospel, Matthew tells us the well-known story of the Magi, the three Wise men, who came from the East bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the new born king, Christ the Lord. Let us pray for a grace to have the courage to follow our own star that will lead us to Christ, our Saviour.
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 walk by your light, and kings in 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.
V/ The word of the Lord.
R/ Thanks be to God.
Comment
Chapter 60 of Isaiah is an exceptionally beautiful expression of the glory and splendour that Zion would enjoy after her restoration. God will once again reside with his people in the holy city of Jerusalem, which will be illuminated by the light of his glory. Jerusalem is the dwelling place of the glory of the Lord, and from it all the nations will hear about God’s salvation. Jerusalem acts as a magnet attracting foreigners as well as Jews from the dispersion, who are coming to it with expensive gifts to pay their homage; peace now reigns in the city and countryside, and Jerusalem has become the center to which all nations now congregate around Israel’s God, in a universal brotherhood.
In these opening verses, Jerusalem, the Lord’s spouse, is invited to leap with joy, for the glory of the Lord will light up the holy city, which will become a beacon for all nations. The light that is shining out of Jerusalem reminds the people of Israel that God led them in their desert wandering with a pillar of fire. Now that the new exodus is here, God attracts not only the chosen people with his brightness, but pierces the darkness of the earth, thus enabling nations and kings from every corner of the earth to come to Jerusalem and look to her for guidance. Their royal gifts are offered in recognition of her God and King.
What does this passage teach me? It teaches me that the city of light is the Church, shining with the light of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and all peoples are moving towards it, carrying with them the richness of their diverse cultures. We, the people of Africa, are also among those moving towards the light of God’s salvation as embodied by the Church of which Christ is the head. Through what the Holy Father, Blessed Pope John Paul II calls, in his Post Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia in Africa, inculturation, that is, “catechesis taking flesh in the various cultures,” we, of Africa too, bring our share into the universal culture of the church. Isaiah’s message calls on us for firm faith in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Let us say this prayer, which Blessed Pope John Paul II left to the Church that is in Africa. “May the outpouring of the Holy Spirit make of the cultures of Africa places of communion in diversity, fashioning the peoples of this great continent into generous sons and daughters of the Church, which is the family of the Father, the Brotherhood of the son, the Image of the Trinity, the seed and the beginning on earth of the eternal kingdom, which will come to its perfection in the City that has God as Builder: the City of justice, love and peace. We make our prayer through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.
Second Reading: Ephesians 3:2-3. 5-6.
Brethren, 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.
V/ The word of the Lord.
R/ Thanks be to God.
Comment
Someone has said that the Letter to the Ephesians is more a sermon than a letter since it is an exhortation to celebrate the life of the Church in Christ and to live that life in a manner worthy of Christ. This letter centers more on Christ in his church than on Christ as a person. It emphasises the sublime mission of the church, which is to bring salvation to the whole of creation, a task that is particularly pertinent to our times. The church is equipped for its mission because it is built on “the foundation of the apostles and the prophets”, and has Christ as head and source of its life and work.
In the passage for our meditation today, Paul praises the majesty of God plan for us. God’s purpose has remained his own secret until Christ reveals it to those who believe in him. In other words, it is God’s intention that through Christ, the Gentiles are called to have a part with the Jews in his new people, the body of Christ.
From Paul’s call on the road to Damascus, God’s plan was specially revealed to him that he was to be the nations’ apostle. Not even in Isaiah was it known of old that God intended to break down the dividing wall between Jew and non-Jew. Now all men and women have become co-heirs, co-members and co-sharers in a body, the Church, with Christ as its head.
Let us pray to God this day that he may reveal whatever plans he may have for us, whatever he may be calling us to do in his name. For this, we call on the Holy Spirit to enlighten us and strengthen our resolve, that we may become like Paul, determined to carry out our individual missions on earth, in total defiance of whatever obstacles there may be on our way. Amen.
Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12.
Now 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, O 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 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 behold, 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 of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
V/ The Gospel of the Lord.
R/ Praise to you Lord, Jesus Christ.
Comment
Today, the Church celebrates Jesus being made known to the whole world. Epiphany means ‘manifestation’, and the three Kings, the Magi, pagan astrologers from the East, who come looking for the Star of Bethlehem, are the representatives of all peoples of every language, culture and nation who set out, called by God, to adore Christ.
In the Magi, the Gospel sees the first fruits of the nations, who welcome the good news of salvation through the Incarnation. Judaism has rejected Jesus as the Christ as we see Herod and the Jewish leaders united in their rejection of the Messiah, while the Magi, pagan travelers from faraway lands, come to Jerusalem to pay homage to the child king of the Jews. The star leads them to Jerusalem where their inquiry causes confusion throughout the city. King Herod is particularly nervous and wants to know where this new king is. He and the ruling class of Jerusalem have no intention of welcoming this new king as the pagans do. They want to get rid of him.
As we see in the first reading from Isaiah, the Messiah, Jesus, is coming like the light of the world. The light of the sun shines on everyone alike, good or bad, rich or poor, black or white. Since Christ is the light of the world, it means he comes to show the way for everyone to God. Unfortunately, the Jews reject this light.
The passage from Ephesians in the second reading, just like the first reading, states that Jesus, who is the good news of God, did not come for one select group of people. He came for everyone – Jew and Gentile alike. In the story of the magi, Matthew shows us what Saint Paul declares in his letter, that is, that pagans now share the promise of Christ Jesus through the Gospel. Jesus, who was given first to the Jews as their king, is now given to all peoples; he is for all nations.
The faith of these gentile kings gives them a unique privilege: that of being the first among the gentiles to adore Christ, the Son of God, when the whole world still does not know him. They are able to contemplate the Messiah soon after he comes into the world.
The kings come from the East with precious gifts, offering only the best to the Lord. They offer him gold, a symbol of royalty. They offer him incense, the perfume that was burned each evening on the altar as a symbol of the hope placed in the Messiah. They offer him myrrh because God Incarnate will take upon himself our weaknesses and be burdened with our sorrows. Myrrh reminds us of the passion of our Lord. On the cross, he is offered wine mingled with myrrh (Mark 15:23). It is with myrrh that his body was anointed for burial (John 19:39).
In these outstanding travelers from the East, we see thousands of souls from all over the earth setting out to adore our Lord. Over twenty centuries have gone by since that first adoration, and this long procession of the gentile world continues to make its way to Christ.
Through this feast of the Epiphany, the Church proclaims the manifestation of Jesus to all mankind of all times, with no distinction of race or nation. As the Fathers of Vatican II Council so clearly indicate: “The Feast of the Epiphany moves all the faithful to share the concerns and labours of the Church, which prays and works at the same time so that the entire world may be incorporated into the People of God, the Body of The Lord and the Temple of the Holy Spirit.”
What am I taking home from this Gospel message? Each of us has a star to follow, an individual call in life, a path that he or she alone can walk. The Magi crossed mountains and deserts to follow their own star, their destiny. Even in the midst of our everyday activities, we still carry within us a star of a calling, an interior light that blooms and comes alive each time we speak with Jesus in prayer.
As Blessed Pope John Paul II said in a homily he pronounced on January 6, 1979, “The Church more aware each year of the vastness of her mission, participates in the feast of the Epiphany. How many people are there who still have to be brought to the faith! How many have to be brought back to the faith they have lost! This at times is more difficult than the first conversion to the faith. The Church, however, aware of the great gift of the Incarnation of God, cannot pause, can never stop. She has to seek continually the way to Bethlehem for all men and for all times. The Epiphany is the feast of God’s challenge.”
Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to strengthen our faith so that we can each day bring our own gold, our own incense and our own myrrh to Christ in the form of friends, relatives and colleagues, who might have fallen by the wayside in their faith, but whom we bring to Christ. Amen.
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