Gospel Mt 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
Homily
Very often in our lives persons whom we met long ago return to play important roles in our lives. So often we have to remark; “little did I know that such and such a person would return to be my spouse, my doctor or lawyer!” I thought of that truth as I read the Gospel passage for this feast of the Epiphany. Epiphany according to the Oxford dictionary finds its meaning in a Greek word meaning “to reveal.” Today we celebrate the self-revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ, not simply to the Jews who as St. John says did not receive him, but to the entire world, represented by the Magi.
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The story we know very well. As related by St. Matthew, these wise men from the East coming bringing gifts to the new born King of the Jews. These wise men from the East did not have the benefit of the Jewish scriptures yet they read the signs of the time and recognized in the baby whom they saw, a ruler who would bring a message and a promise of peace, a message meant not only for the Jews but for all people. But did these wise men did not only bring gifts, they also protected the child from the murderous king Herod by returning to their countries by another way. These foreigners thus ensured that God’s gift to the world, in the person of the infant of Bethlehem would indeed live to be as the shepherds were told, “the saviour” not only of the Jews, as many would have thought, but of the world. This story teaches us a great and important truth. God is an inclusive God. All peoples are meant to share in the salvation which God offers to the world. The problem is that many persons take this message in a purely spiritual manner. Salvation, we often think, is the life of heaven and while that is the ultimate goal, there are other intermediate goals. God came not only to save souls but to save the whole person including the body. Every single human being is thus meant to have the wherewithal to live truly human lives, spiritually, intellectually, morally and materially. You and I, disciples of the Lord Jesus are ministers of that salvation. It is for that reason that at the end of his life Jesus sends his disciples out to bring the message of salvation to all nations. This salvation as mentioned before is the integral salvation of all human beings. Jesus then begins his life on earth being inclusive and ends it in the same way. The Gospel of St. John reiterates this message of inclusivity when in the prologue it tells us that Christ is the Word who illumines every human being who comes into the world.
As disciples of Jesus you and I are called to make the inclusivity of God our own. This is in fact what all the saints do. Blessed Mother Teresa lived the inclusivity of God through her work and love for those dying on the streets in the capitals of the world. The founders of teaching orders in the Church lived the inclusivity by educating those who otherwise would not be educated. The founders of religious institutes dedicated to health care lived this inclusivity by looking after the sick and dying so that they too could know that they were all within the ambit of God’s love. Through the disciples of Jesus and their spiritual and corporal works of mercy all peoples must come to know that they are included among those whom God loves. To live and celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, God’s self-revelation to the whole world is to commit ourselves to bringing the experience of God who is love to every single human being that we meet. It commits us to being inclusive.
Prayer
All powerful and ever loving God, today you manifested to the pagans the one who was to bring salvation to the world and pagans had the wisdom to seek out the one sent by the true God. Help us to understand that we do not have the monopoly on salvation, that You are the light enlightening the whole world, Jews and pagans alike. Help us to understand that today we are ministers of that salvation, salvation which is not only spiritual but which encompasses the whole human person and which is meant for all peoples. We ask this through Jesus the Christ and Mary his Mother. Amen
