|
I Reading:
Is 60:1-6
II Reading: Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6
Gospel: Mt 2:1-12
fr. Oscar Nazareth, OP
The Epiphany is a feast
older than Christmas. It was celebrated in Egypt and
Arabia during the long dark nights of the winter
solstice peoples looked for the warmth of day light. By
way of parallel, it is a fitting time to celebrate the
coming of Christ the Light into a world filled with
darkness.
A strange nocturnal
phenomenon of a “star rising in the East” leads the wise
men, seekers of truth, to the light as the reading from
Isaiah says, “Your light has come… though night still
covers the earth and darkness the peoples.” This
revealing light will have radical consequences as the
clouds cover the earth. For this reason, “Arise,
Shine…, cries Isaiah, the glory of the Lord is rising on
you”. (Is. 60:1)
For a people returning
after the darkness of the defeat and a 70 years of
exile, faced with the challenge of putting their life
together and rebuilding the temple and the city, these
were words of consolation and a time of rejoicing. For,
as the responsorial Psalm prays, “He will save the poor
when they cry and the needy who are helpless”. This will
also be a reason for some to fear the light.
The greatest news is that
God is returning to dwell among his people, and all
peoples will stream out of darkness to the light of
God’s Presence. Jerusalem is to become the meeting point
for all. Not only the scattered children of Israel but
peoples from all nations. There is an universal call to
salvation, an universal singing of God’s praises in
worship and homage. So, in keeping with Isaiah’s
prophesy, after the Jewish shepherds, we have the pagan
strangers from the East, “The nations will come to
your light and kings to your dawning brightness.”
(Is. 60: 9)
The gentiles have a
special place in the Christian dispensation as we see in
the second reading (Ephesians Ch. 3). A call to share
the same promise the same inheritance. The feast of the
Epiphany unfolds to us the mysterious plan of God, now
fully revealed in Christ, that all peoples from every
corner of the world would be gathered together under
Christ, to become one body, fellow citizens, one
household, one family, heirs to the kingdom.
Many of us fail to see the
star and follow the One who calls us in so many
different ways. While the Messiah King is worshiped by
Gentiles who accepted him, some of his own people
remained indifferent. Some of his own are even hostile
like Herod.
The presence of God’s
glory and his reign touches the spiritual hunger and
thirst in the hearts of all peoples. However, we are
afraid to leave the comfort and seeming security of
doing things as we had always done before. Persons,
places, activities, things, attitudes, behaviour
patterns hold us back. We are afraid to surrender all we
have in order to possess him and share his glory.
The pagan wise men were
alert to the signs of the times. And if they have come
from afar to Jerusalem and Bethlehem, something
extraordinary must have happened. This event, very
attractive to the wise men was very disturbing to
others. The “light that shines in the darkness”
challenges them to extent they seek the destruction of
the One who comes. There are others too who are
lethargic. Like the other side of Herod. They hear of
extraordinary events, remember promises and
expectations, but do not put in any effort to look for
themselves, they lack zeal or enthusiasm.
Fortunately, like the
Magi, there are lots of people today looking for and
hungering after glimpse of God, an experience of him, in
spite of the seeming godlessness in the world around us.
There is a resurgence of
religiosity with people like the Magi eager to come into
God’s special presence. They rejoice to see the star of
God’s glory, his presence and salvation close at hand.
They take up the challenge, brave all odds, make
sacrifices, investigate thoroughly, travel distances,
persevere in efforts and see through cunning schemes.
They look with eagerness and listen with the attention
of the heart. They recognize the reflection of the glory
of god manifest in the infant of Bethlehem.
May we today come into the
presence of the Saviour revealed to us to praise and to
worship. To offer him the riches of our life we have
brought him in exchange for the gift of Himself – the
Light that dispels all darkness.
|
