Epiphany 2012

The Epiphany of the Lord

January 8, 2012

Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72; Ephesians 3:2-6; Matthew 2:1-12

          The dramatic story of the Magi is found only in Matthew's Gospel. It allows the extended Christmas story to come into its full purpose - to bring the news of salvation to all people. The magi's appearance signifies the Lord's inclusion of the Gentile people into the covenantal promise, and it sets up the high drama of the conflict with Herod over kingship. Herod presents himself as one who is keenly interested in meeting the newborn king of the Jews, but he remains greatly troubled by the impending loss of his authority. Herod deals with conserving earthly power while failing to see that something larger is swirling around him. Therefore, Herod's keen use of consolidating his power cannot stand against the silent divine forces that are at work.

          No one knows much about the identity of the magi. They are considered wise men and they may have been practitioners of Eastern mystical traditions or Babylonian astrologers who were interested in the bright star that appeared over Bethlehem. They may have been delegates from Eastern kings or simply wealthy adventure seekers. Scripture tells us they followed the star and entered the house where Mary was with her child. During that momentous encounter, they prostrated themselves and paid him homage by offering them the treasures of gold and frankincense that are worthy gifts for a king. They also gave him myrrh, a costly bitter oil made into perfumes. Egyptians used it for embalming mummies and ancient Jews used it as incense at the Tabernacle services at the First and Second Temples.

          Something happened to those men when they gazed upon the infant and his mother. The star was the initial curiosity, but that personal encounter with the child made them realize he was to become the king of Israel. Everyone who looks upon an infant finds a profound connection with the hope he represents. Every call to discipleship has a personal, intimate encounter with the one who offers us truth about our lives. Fortunately for us, their response to faith led them away from Herod so the boy could grow up without lethal harm. They felt no obligation to return to a man whose designs they did not trust. They chose to let a fragile life have a chance to live.

          Through these magi, God communicated truth to the Gentiles and included them into the plan of salvation. If the magi were situated in today's world, I wonder who they would be: New agers? spiritual, but not religious seekers? yoga practitioners or Zen students? skeptics or scientists? The probabilities are endless. We have to consider which group of people today need to hear that the good news of God's salvation is offered to them and ask how we can bring them to an experience of faith that makes them feel included.

          In today's rhetorical games of power, a strategy to earn favor is to split people into categories. One must uphold a particular group of people while demeaning another. Seldom would you find a strategist building up all groups of people. The idea is to endear oneself to a particular value while demonizing an opposing value. We identify with a particular value or group and cast dispersions on others. We include people from one group while placing another on the outside. We do this in the church as well.

          As the feast of Epiphany is about including into the faith the Gentiles, a group that was long despised because of their pagan ways, we are to look at the judgments we make about groups we oppose. We can quickly think of categories of people with whom we will not associate. Perhaps there is a chance God does not oppose the people we place on the outside of our boundaries. There is a chance God finds in our adversaries something very lovable and desirable. Maybe we can leave the judgment-making to God. After all, God can redeem anyone God chooses. This feast is about God choosing to redeem everyone - not just us. With this in mind, we need to try to be more tolerant, loving, and compassionate towards those who hold differing opinions, especially if they are brothers and sisters in the faith.

          Instead, we will do well to be like that star that burned brightly over Bethlehem. Our lives are to radiate God's goodness in our being so it points the way back to God. Thomas Merton once wrote, "There is no way of telling people they are all walking around shining like the sun." I suggest we will do better if we let our lives testify to our faith so that it brings others to curiously question what we believe. If we, like that star, brightly shine our inner light onto Christ, their encounter with the infant Jesus is enough to change hearts. We cannot do it. God changes hearts. Like the magi, a gaze at the face of Jesus will bring many to encounter the truth and to let one's heart be forever turned towards him.

Themes for this Week’s Masses

First Reading:  The baptism of the Lord is celebrated on Monday and the various options for the first reading point to the necessity of baptism as a condition for being incorporated into the Lord’s family. Ordinary time returns on Tuesday with the 1^st Book of Samuel telling us about plight of Hannah, the childless second wife of Ramathaim, who was tormented by Peninnah, the first wife with many children. Ramathaim loved Hannah and showed her favor. Hannah rose after dinner one night, presented herself to the Lord through Eli the priest who thought she was drunk. Hannah returned home after making an oath, had relations with her husband, and conceived and bore a son named Samuel.

Years later, as Samuel was offered to the Lord, he was receiving instruction from Eli. In the middle of the night, the Lord called to Samuel three times who replied, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” After a disastrous battle in which Israel was defeated, Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, baldly brought the ark of the Lord into the Philistine camp. The Philistines rose up and slaughtered 30,000 Israelites foot soldiers and captured the ark of God. More years passed and the elders of Israel came to Samuel to ask for a king to rule over them. Samuel was displeased and the people refused to take “no” for an answer. The Lord relented and granted their request. Samuel found Saul, a handsome man, who was destined to govern the people. Samuel anointed Saul as king.

Gospel: In the Baptism of Jesus, John makes it clear that Jesus is mightier than he is. This is to help early disciples rightly recognize that they are to leave the Baptist camp and come over to Jesus as a disciples. In Ordinary time, Jesus begins proclaiming "the kingdom of God is upon you" as soon as John is arrested. He then calls Simon and Andrew as the first disciples. Immediately, he begins to heal people and show that his word has authority over unclean spirits. He then cures Simon's mother-in-law. Many sick people are brought to him. He heals them, but moves onto the next town to proclaim the message of salvation to all the cities of Israel. A leper approaches Jesus and says to Jesus, "If you wish, make me clean." Jesus wills it and cleanses the leper, but this action makes him ritually unclean to openly enter any Jewish town. It complicates his mission. Jesus returns to Capernaum. At his home, four men carry a paralytic to him and lower him through the roof. Jesus forgives his sins, which compels his critics to charge him with blasphemy. He heals the man and sends him on his way.

Saints of the Week

Monday: The Baptism of the Lord is recounted in Mark’s Gospel where the baptism of water is to be replaced by a baptism of fire. God confirms the person of Jesus when he rises from the water and a dove alights on his head. God is well pleased.

Friday: Hilary, bishop and doctor (315-367), was born in Gaul and received the faith as an adult. He was made bishop of Poitiers and defended the church against the Arian heresy. He was exiled to the Eastern church where his orthodox rigidity made him too much to handle so the emperor accepted him back.

This Week in Jesuit History

·         Jan. 8, 1601: Balthasar Gracian was born. A Spanish Jesuit, he wrote on courtly matters. He is the author of "The Compleat Gentleman" and "The Art of Worldly Wisdom."

·         Jan. 9, 1574: Fr. Jasper Haywood died at Naples. He was superior of the English mission. As a boy he was one of the pages of honor to the Princess Elizabeth. After a brilliant career at Oxford, he renounced his fellowship and entered the Society in Rome in 1570. An able Hebrew scholar and theologians, he was for two years professor in the Roman College.

·         Jan. 10, 1581: Queen Elizabeth signed the fifth Penal Statute in England inflicting heavy fines and imprisonment on all who harbored Jesuits and Seminary priests.

·         Jan 10, 1567. Two Jesuits arrived in Havana, Cuba, as a base for evangelization.

·         Jan 11, 1573. At Milan, St Charles Borromeo founded a college (the Brera) and placed it under the care of the Society.

·         Jan 12, 1544. Xavier wrote a long letter on his apostolic labors, saying he wished to visit all the universities of Europe in search of laborers for our Lord's vineyard. The letter was widely circulated and very influential.

·         Jan 13, 1547. At the Council of Trent, Fr. James Laynez, as a papal theologian, defended the Catholic doctrine on the sacraments in a learned three-hour discourse.

·         Jan 14, 1989. The death of John Ford SJ, moral theologian and teacher at Weston College and Boston College. He served on the papal commission on birth control.