The Epiphany of the Lord
Lectionary: 20
Lectionary: 20
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11,
12-13.
R. (cf. 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Reading 11EPH 3:2-3A, 5-6
Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
AlleluiaMT 2:2
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 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.
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.
Meditation: "They fell down and worshiped Jesus"
If Jesus truly is who he claims to be, the eternal Son
of God and Savior of the world, then why is he not recognized by everyone who
hears his word and sees his works? John the Evangelist states that when Jesus
came into the world the world knew him not and his own people received
him not (John 1:10-11). Jesus was born in obscurity. Only the lowly
shepherds recognized him at his birth. Some wise men also found their way to
Bethlehem to pay homage to the newborn King of Israel. These men were not
Israelites, but foreigners. They likely had read and discussed the Messianic
prophecies and were anxious to see when this Messianic King would appear. God
led them by means of an extraordinary star across the desert to the little town
of Bethlehem where Jesus was born.
John Chrysostom (347-407 AD), in his homily on this
passage from Matthew 2, explains the significance of the star of Bethlehem:
"Note how fitting was the order of
events: the wise men saw the star, were received by the Jews and their king;
they heard prophecy to explain what had appeared; the angel instructed them;
and then they journeyed from Jerusalem to Bethlehem by the guidance of the
star. From all this we learn that this was not an ordinary star, for no other
star has this capacity to guide, not merely to move but to beckon, to “go
before them,” drawing and guiding them along their way. The star remained after
bringing them to the place, in order that the child might also be seen. For
there is nothing conspicuous about the place. The inn was ordinary. The mother
was not celebrated or notable. The star was needed to manifest and illumine the
lowly place, until they had reached their destination at the manger." [The
Gospel of Matthew, Homily 7:3]
In their thirst for
knowledge of God, the wise men from the East willingly left everything, their
home and country, in pursuit of that quest. In their diligent search they were
led to the source of true knowledge - to Jesus Christ, the Light and Wisdom of
God. When they found the newborn King they humbly worshiped him and gave him
gifts fitting for a king.
The Lord of the universe who revealed the star of
Bethlehem to the Gentiles of the East so they could come and worship Jesus, the
Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and King of Kings (Revelations 19:16), gives each
one of us the same light of revelation to recognize and accept Jesus as our
Lord and Savior. Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to us. It is
through the help of the Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and opens the eyes of
the mind, that we are able to understand, accept, and believe the truth which
God has revealed to us through his Son, Jesus Christ. In faith, the human will
and intellect cooperate with grace. "Believing is an act of the
intellect assenting to the divine truth by command of the will moved by God
through grace" (Thomas Aquinas).
To know and to encounter Jesus Christ is to know God
personally. In the encounter of the wise men with Jesus we see the plan of God
to give his only Son as King and Savior, not just for the Jewish people but for
all the nations as well. The Lord Jesus came that both Jew and Gentile might
find true and lasting peace with God. Let us pray today that Jew and
Gentile alike will find the Lord and Savior on their journey of life. Do you
bring the light of Jesus Christ to those you meet through the witness of your
life and testimony?
"Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you for bringing
salvation to all the nations. May the gospel of salvation be proclaimed to
every nation today and to every person on the face of the earth. Help me
to be a good witness of the joy of the gospel to all I meet."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: The glory of Christ's divinity is revealed,
by Chromatius (died 406 AD)
"Let us now observe how glorious was the dignity
that attended the King after his birth, after the magi in their journey
remained obedient to the star. For immediately the magi fell to their knees and
adored the one born as Lord. There in his very cradle they venerated him with
offerings of gifts, though Jesus was merely a whimpering infant. They perceived
one thing with the eyes of their bodies but another with the eyes of the mind.
The lowliness of the body he assumed was discerned, but the glory of his
divinity is now made manifest. A boy he is, but it is God who is adored. How
inexpressible is the mystery of his divine honor! The invisible and eternal
nature did not hesitate to take on the weaknesses of the flesh on our behalf.
The Son of God, who is God of the universe, is born a human being in the flesh.
He permits himself to be placed in a manger, and the heavens are within the
manger. He is kept in a cradle, a cradle that the world cannot hold. He is
heard in the voice of a crying infant. This is the same one for whose voice the
whole world would tremble in the hour of his passion. Thus he is the One, the
God of glory and the Lord of majesty, whom as a tiny infant the magi recognize.
It is he who while a child was truly God and King eternal. To him Isaiah
pointed, saying, 'For a boy has been born to you; a son has been given to you,
a son whose empire has been forged on his shoulders (Isaiah 9:6).'" (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 5:1)
SOLEMNITY OF
THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, MATTHEW 2:1-12
(Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 7, MATTHEW 2:1-12
(Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6)
KEY VERSE: "We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage" (v 2).
TO KNOW: Matthew wrote his gospel to a Jewish audience to show that Jesus was the fulfillment of their longings for a Messiah (see genealogy, Mt 1:1-17). He also wanted to show that God's salvation would reach "to the end of the earth" (Is 49:6). Matthew communicated this intention by having gentiles (Greek, ethnos) coming to visit the Holy Family in Bethlehem. These "wise men" (Greek: magi, astrologers) believed that a new star signaled the birth of a new ruler, and they had "observed his star at its rising" (Nm 24:17). The magi came from the East, where the sun rises, and the star guided them to Jesus, the true light that was to come into the world. When they arrived in Jerusalem, they asked King Herod the Great where they could find the newborn king of the Jews. Herod's advisers told him that the prophet Micah foretold the birth of a Messiah in Bethlehem, the birthplace of David where he was also anointed king (Mi 5:2). Fearing that this child would be a threat to his throne, Herod sent the magi to search for the newborn king on the pretense of offering him homage. The star illuminated the way to the Christ child and Mary his mother. The magi offered the child Jesus gifts that signified his kingship (gold), priesthood (frankincense) and his saving death (myrrh, used in anointing the dead). The magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so they returned "by another way" (v 12). We are all invited to discover the Lord through the different journeys of faith we undertake; however, after encountering Christ we cannot return to our old ways. We must travel in a different direction--the path that leads to Jesus.
TO LOVE: What are the gifts that I can offer the Lord?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to seek you in all I do.
NOTE: The word "epiphany" means a manifestation or an appearance of a supernatural being. Because the magi brought three gifts, legend made them "three kings," and they were given the names of Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar.
Sunday 7 January
2018
Epiphany.
Isaiah
60:1-6. Psalm 71(72):1-2, 7-8, 10-13. Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6. Matthew 2:1-12.
Lord,
every nation on earth will adore you—Psalm 71(72):1-2, 7-8, 10-13.
‘We saw
his star …’
We all have to make the journey of
the magi, to bring our worldly wisdom to the foot of the simple, innocent
child. The wise men of the East brought gifts to the child: little did they
realise what they were to be given! In our own lives, whenever we show kindness,
thankfulness, courtesy, love, hope, we find that we have so much more given to
us in the experience of giving.
It is wisdom to see the world and
all it contains—people, animals, plants, stars, moon, sun, times, persons,
places—with the vision of God, the creator of all that is. Lord, help me that I
may touch the wonder of your presence in all that lives and moves and has its
being.
ST. RAYMOND OF PENAFORT
Saint Raymond of Penafort, a Dominican priest who worked to aid
Christian captives during the era of the Crusades and also helped organize the
Church’s legal code, will be celebrated liturgically on Jan. 7.
A
contemporary of Saint Thomas Aquinas, he inspired the theologian to write the
“Summa Contra Gentiles” for the conversion of non-Catholics. At least 10,000
Muslims reportedly converted as a result of St. Raymond’s evangelistic labors.
Descended
from a noble family with ties to the royal house of Aragon, Raymond of Penafort
was born during 1175 in the Catalonian region of modern-day Spain.
He
advanced quickly in his studies, showing such a gift for philosophy that he was
appointed to teach the subject in Barcelona by age 20. As a teacher, the young
man worked to harmonize reason with the profession and practice of Catholic
faith and morals. This included a notable concern for the poor and suffering.
Around
age 30 the Spanish scholar went to study secular and Church law at Bologna in
Italy. He earned his doctorate and taught there until 1219, when the Bishop of
Barcelona gave him an official position in the diocese. During 1222, the
47-year-old Raymond joined the Dominican order, in which he would spend the
next 53 years of his remarkably long life.
As
a penance for the intellectual pride he had once demonstrated, the former
professor was asked to write a manual of moral theology for use by confessors.
The resulting “Summa Casuum” was the first of his pioneering contributions to
the Church. Meanwhile, in keeping with his order’s dedication to preaching, the
Dominican priest strove to spread the faith and bring back lapsed and lost
members of the Church.
During
his time in Barcelona, Raymond helped Saint Peter Nolasco and King James of
Aragon to establish the Order of Our Lady of Mercy, whose members sought to
ransom those taken captive in Muslim territory. During this same period Raymond
promoted the Crusades through preaching, encouraging the faithful to defend
their civilization from foreign threats.
Pope
Gregory IX called the Dominican priest to Rome in 1230, asking him to compile
the Church’s various decisions and decrees into one systematic and uniform
collection. The resulting five books served for centuries as a basis of the
Church’s internal legal system. Raymond was the Pope’s personal confessor and
close adviser during this time, and nearly became the Archbishop of Tarragona
in 1235. But the Dominican did not want to lead the archdiocese, and is said to
have turned down the appointment.
Later
in the decade, Raymond was chosen to lead the Dominicans, though he did so for
only two years due to his advancing age. Ironically, however, he would live on
for more than three decades after resigning from this post. During this time he
was able to focus on the fundamentals of his vocation: praising God in prayer,
making him known through preaching, and making his blessings manifest in the
world. Raymond’s later achievements included the establishment of language
schools to aid in the evangelization of non-Christians.
St.
Raymond of Penafort’s long pilgrimage of faith ended on Jan. 6, 1275,
approximately 100 years after his birth. Pope Clement VIII canonized him in
1601. His patronage extends toward lawyers in general, and canon lawyers in
particular.
LECTIO DIVINA: EPIPHANY OF THE
LORD
Lectio Divina:
Sunday, January 7, 2018
The Magi’s journey of faith
The adoration of the child Jesus as King and Lord
The adoration of the child Jesus as King and Lord
Matthew 2: 1-12
1. Opening prayer
Merciful Father, you have called me to meet you in this word of the Gospel, because you wish that I may have life, you wish to give me yourself. Send, I pray you, your Holy Spirit upon me so that I may let myself be led along the holy way of this passage of Scripture. May I, today, get out of my prison to set out on a journey to seek you. May I recognise the star that you have lit as a sign of your love on my journey to follow it tirelessly, intensely, committing my whole life. May I, finally, enter your house and there see the Lord; may I bend low humbly before you to adore you and offer my life to you, all that I am and all that I have. Lord, by your grace, may I return by a new route, without ever passing through the old paths of sin.
Merciful Father, you have called me to meet you in this word of the Gospel, because you wish that I may have life, you wish to give me yourself. Send, I pray you, your Holy Spirit upon me so that I may let myself be led along the holy way of this passage of Scripture. May I, today, get out of my prison to set out on a journey to seek you. May I recognise the star that you have lit as a sign of your love on my journey to follow it tirelessly, intensely, committing my whole life. May I, finally, enter your house and there see the Lord; may I bend low humbly before you to adore you and offer my life to you, all that I am and all that I have. Lord, by your grace, may I return by a new route, without ever passing through the old paths of sin.
2. Reading
a) Placing the passage in its context:
This passage belongs to the first two
chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, which constitute a kind of prologue to the whole
work. Here we are presented with the historical origin of the Messiah as son of
David, as well as his divine origin as Jesus Christ, God-with-us. Matthew
immediately leads us into a very deep and engaging meditation, placing before
us a precise choice through the persons he introduces in his story: we either
recognise and welcome the Lord who is just born, or we remain indifferent even
to wanting to eliminate him, kill him. This passage offers us the beautiful
story of the journey of the Magi, who come from afar because they want to seek
and welcome, love and adore the Lord Jesus. But their long journey and tireless
search, the conversion of their heart are facts that speak of us, facts already
written on the scroll of our own sacred story.
b) An aid to the reading of the passage:
The passage may be divided into two main
parts, determined by the locality where the scenes take place: the first part
(2: 1-9a) takes place in Jerusalem, whereas the second part is focussed around
Bethlehem (2: 9b-12).
Mt 2: 1-2: The passage begins with precise indications as to the place and time of the birth of Jesus: in Bethlehem of Judea, at the time of king Herod. Within this quite specific description, the Magi suddenly appear, who, coming from afar, arrive in Jerusalem under the guidance of a star. It is they who announce the birth of the Lord king. They ask where they might find him because they wish to adore him.
Mt 2: 3-6: On hearing the words of the Magi, king Herod, and with him all of Jerusalem is disturbed and afraid. Rather than welcoming the Lord and opting for him, they seek to eliminate him. Herod calls the authorities of the Jewish people and the experts in Scripture. It is they, by the help of ancient prophecies, who speak and reveal Bethlehem as the place to find the Messiah.
Mt 2: 7-8: Herod calls the Magi in secret because he wants to use them for his own evil ends. His detailed interest is entirely directed towards the elimination of Christ.
Mt 2: 9a: The Magi, urged by strength of faith and led by the star, leave again and go towards Bethlehem.
Mt 2: 9b-11: The star reappears, moves with the Magi and leads them to the exact spot where the Lord Jesus is. Full of joy, they enter the house and prostrate themselves; they offer precious gifts because they recognise that he is king and Lord.
Mt 2: 12: When they have contemplated and adored the Lord, the Magi receive a revelation from God; it is He who speaks to them. They are new men; they have in them a new heaven and a new earth. They are free of the deceits of Herod and, therefore, they go back to their lives by an entirely new way
Mt 2: 1-2: The passage begins with precise indications as to the place and time of the birth of Jesus: in Bethlehem of Judea, at the time of king Herod. Within this quite specific description, the Magi suddenly appear, who, coming from afar, arrive in Jerusalem under the guidance of a star. It is they who announce the birth of the Lord king. They ask where they might find him because they wish to adore him.
Mt 2: 3-6: On hearing the words of the Magi, king Herod, and with him all of Jerusalem is disturbed and afraid. Rather than welcoming the Lord and opting for him, they seek to eliminate him. Herod calls the authorities of the Jewish people and the experts in Scripture. It is they, by the help of ancient prophecies, who speak and reveal Bethlehem as the place to find the Messiah.
Mt 2: 7-8: Herod calls the Magi in secret because he wants to use them for his own evil ends. His detailed interest is entirely directed towards the elimination of Christ.
Mt 2: 9a: The Magi, urged by strength of faith and led by the star, leave again and go towards Bethlehem.
Mt 2: 9b-11: The star reappears, moves with the Magi and leads them to the exact spot where the Lord Jesus is. Full of joy, they enter the house and prostrate themselves; they offer precious gifts because they recognise that he is king and Lord.
Mt 2: 12: When they have contemplated and adored the Lord, the Magi receive a revelation from God; it is He who speaks to them. They are new men; they have in them a new heaven and a new earth. They are free of the deceits of Herod and, therefore, they go back to their lives by an entirely new way
c) The text:
1 After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem
in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, suddenly some wise men came to
Jerusalem from the east 2 asking, 'Where is the infant king of the Jews? We saw
his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.'
3 When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. 4 He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, 'At Bethlehem in Judaea, for this is what the prophet wrote: 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.'
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared 8 and sent them on to Bethlehem with the words, 'Go and find out all about the child, and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.' 9 Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And suddenly the star they had seen rising went forward and halted over the place where the child was. 10 The sight of the star filled them with delight, 11 and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12 But they were given a warning in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.
3 When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. 4 He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, 'At Bethlehem in Judaea, for this is what the prophet wrote: 6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.'
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared 8 and sent them on to Bethlehem with the words, 'Go and find out all about the child, and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.' 9 Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And suddenly the star they had seen rising went forward and halted over the place where the child was. 10 The sight of the star filled them with delight, 11 and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12 But they were given a warning in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.
3. A moment of prayerful silence
I listen deeply to the silent voice of
the Lord and let the breath of the Spirit come to me and infuse me. In this
silence I seek the Lord and repeat in my heart: “Where are you, my God?”
4. A few questions
a) I take the first words that come from
the mouths of the Magi and make them my own: “Where is the infant king of
the Jews?” Do I really feel attracted to the place where the Lord is
because I desire to be with him? Am I ready to leave the dark and old places of
my habits, of my comfort, to undertake a journey of faith in search of
Jesus?
b) “We have come to adore him”. Here the Word of the Lord tests me, puts me through a crucible: do I really live in a relationship of love with God? Am I able to open my life in his presence and allow him to enter into my very heart-beats?
c) “From you will come a leader who will shepherd my people”. Am I capable of placing and giving my whole existence to the guidance of the Lord, to trust in him, in his love, in his so real presence even though he remains invisible?
d) “Going into the house they saw the child”. It is precisely because they accept to go into the house, to enter into communion, to give themselves fully and truly that their eyes can see, contemplate and recognise. Why is it that I am not aware of the fact that the more I stay outside, the more I am distant from the life of my brothers and sisters and the more I become sad and empty?
b) “We have come to adore him”. Here the Word of the Lord tests me, puts me through a crucible: do I really live in a relationship of love with God? Am I able to open my life in his presence and allow him to enter into my very heart-beats?
c) “From you will come a leader who will shepherd my people”. Am I capable of placing and giving my whole existence to the guidance of the Lord, to trust in him, in his love, in his so real presence even though he remains invisible?
d) “Going into the house they saw the child”. It is precisely because they accept to go into the house, to enter into communion, to give themselves fully and truly that their eyes can see, contemplate and recognise. Why is it that I am not aware of the fact that the more I stay outside, the more I am distant from the life of my brothers and sisters and the more I become sad and empty?
5. A key to the reading
I look for some key words, some basic
themes, that may guide and help me better penetrate the meaning of this passage
of the Gospel, so that my life may be enlightened and changed by this Word of
the Lord.
* The journey: This passage seems to be shot through with the grand
theme of a journey, an exodus, a going out. The Magi, these mysterious
characters, get moving, go far away from their land and go seeking the king,
the Lord. Matthew presents this fact by means of some verbs that proceed along
development of the event: came, we have come, sent them, go,
set out, went before them, going into, not to go
back, returned. The physical journey of the Magi hides a much more
important and meaningful journey, the journey of faith. This is the movement of
the soul born from a desire to meet and know the Lord. At the same time it is
God’s invitation, who calls and attracts us with his own power; it is he who
gets us to stand up and sets us in motion, who offers us signs and does not
cease to walk with us. Scripture gives us many important examples and these
help us enter into this path of grace and blessings. To Abraham God
said: “Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I
will show you” (Gen 12: 1). Jacob too was a pilgrim of faith
and conversion; in fact, of him is written: “Jacob left Beersheba and set out
for Haran” (Gen 28: 10) and: “Moving on, Jacob went to the land of the sons of
the East” (Gen 29: 1). Many years later, the Lord spoke to him and said: “Go
back to the land of your forefathers and to your kindred; and I will be with
you” (Gen 31: 3). Moses too was a man on a journey; God himself showed him the
way, the exodus, in his heart, in his depths, and made of his whole life a long
march of salvation for him and for his brothers and sisters: “So come, I send
you to Pharaoh to bring the sons of Israel, my people, out of Egypt!” (Ex 3:
10). Also the new people of God, we the children of the promise and of the new
covenant, are called to go out all the time and to set out on a journey in the
footsteps of the Lord Jesus. The exodus never ceased; the liberation that comes
from faith is still always active. Let us look at Jesus, at his apostles, at
Paul: not one of them stands still, not one of them hides. All these witnesses
speak to us today by their deeds and they repeat: “Blessed is he who finds in
you his strength and one who decides in his heart to go on the holy journey”
(Ps 83: 6).
* The star: This is a
very important and central element in this passage because the star has the
role of guiding the Magi to their destination, of enlightening their nights
along the journey, of indicating precisely the place of the presence of the
Lord, of giving great joy to their hearts. Throughout the Bible, stars appear
as signs of blessing and glory, almost a personification of God, who does not
abandon his people, and, at the same time, a personification of the people that
does not forget its God and praises and blesses him (cfr. Ps 148: 3; Bar 3:
34). The word star appears for the first time in Scripture in
Genesis 1: 16, when, on the fourth day, the story of creation tells us of the
appearance in the heavens of the sun, the moon and stars, as signs and as
light, to set order and give light. The Jewish term for “star” kokhab is
very beautiful and full of meaning. In fact, the letters that make up the word
reveal the immensity of the presence that these celestial elements bring with
them. We find two letters caf, which signify “hand” and
which enclose the letter waw, which means man, understood in his
vital structure, in his backbone, which keeps him erect, which makes him rise
towards heaven, towards contact with his God and Creator. Thus, within the
stars there are two hands, caf and caf, that lovingly hold within
them waw, man: these are the hands of God that never cease to
hold us, if only we entrust ourselves to them. Then appears the letter bet,
which means house. Thus the stars speak to us of our journey towards our house,
of our constant migrating from and returning there, whence we have come, from
the day of our creation and even from all eternity. Often God compares the
descendants of Abraham to the stars in the heavens, almost as if each person is
a star, born to give light in the night: “Look up to heaven and count the stars
if you can” and then he adds: “Such will be your descendants” (Gen 15: 5).
Jesus also is a star, the star that takes its rise from Jacob (Num 24: 17),
that rises from on high, that is the radiant morning star, as the Apocalypse
says (22: 16). In fact, in him has taken flesh the infinite love of God, which
bends itself down towards us, his children, and opens the palms of his hands to
gather and welcome us. Only such love can give our infinite weakness the
capacity and courage, the perseverance and joy of accepting to leave, to go on
the long and arduous journey of faith, which takes us to Bethlehem, to the
place where God appears to us.
* The adoration: The act of adoration is as old as humankind itself,
because since the beginning, the relationship with the divinity has been
accompanied by this demand of love, of humility, of self-offering. Before the
greatness of God, we, little people, feel and discover that we are nothing, a
speck of dust, a drop from a bucket. In the Old Testament, the act of adoration
appears as an act of deep love towards the Lord, an act that demands the
involvement of the whole person: the mind, the will to choose, love full of
desire and a body that bows and prostrates itself even to the ground. It is
said in several places that the act of adoration is accompanied by a
prostration with the face touching the ground; the face of man, his gaze, his
breath returns to the dust whence he has his origin and there he recognises
himself as creature of God, as a breath of God’s nostrils. “Come in, let us
bow, prostrate ourselves, and kneel in front of Yahweh our maker” (Ps 94: 6):
this is the invitation of Scripture to us every day, showing us the way to walk
so that we may again and again come to the truth and so live fully.
The New Testament goes even deeper in its spiritual reflection on this fact and seems to want to accompany us on a pedagogical journey of conversion and of maturity in our interior life. In the Gospels we see the disciples, men and women, adoring the Lord Jesus after his resurrection (Mt 28: 9; Lk 24: 52), because they recognise him as God. Jesus’ words in his dialogue with the Samaritan woman give us a deep insight into the truth of this act, which, after all, involves the whole of life and is an attitude of the heart: adoration is for God the Father and does not happen here or there but in Spirit and in truth, that is, in the Spirit and the Son, Jesus. We must not deceive ourselves; it is not by moving from one place to another, nor by seeking this or that spiritual person that we can adore our God. The movement, the journey is an interior one and takes place in our deepest being and is a complete surrender of ourselves, our life, our whole being, to the wings of the Holy Spirit and into the arms of Jesus, wide open on the cross and ever ready to attract all things to himself. St. Peter says clearly: “Simply reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts” (1 Pt 3: 15). The act of bowing to the ground, of prostrating ourselves before the Lord comes from the heart. If we let ourselves be touched and reach into our hearts, if we allow the Lord to enter our hearts, that sacred space, then He will change us completely, transform the whole of our person and make of us new men and women.
The New Testament goes even deeper in its spiritual reflection on this fact and seems to want to accompany us on a pedagogical journey of conversion and of maturity in our interior life. In the Gospels we see the disciples, men and women, adoring the Lord Jesus after his resurrection (Mt 28: 9; Lk 24: 52), because they recognise him as God. Jesus’ words in his dialogue with the Samaritan woman give us a deep insight into the truth of this act, which, after all, involves the whole of life and is an attitude of the heart: adoration is for God the Father and does not happen here or there but in Spirit and in truth, that is, in the Spirit and the Son, Jesus. We must not deceive ourselves; it is not by moving from one place to another, nor by seeking this or that spiritual person that we can adore our God. The movement, the journey is an interior one and takes place in our deepest being and is a complete surrender of ourselves, our life, our whole being, to the wings of the Holy Spirit and into the arms of Jesus, wide open on the cross and ever ready to attract all things to himself. St. Peter says clearly: “Simply reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts” (1 Pt 3: 15). The act of bowing to the ground, of prostrating ourselves before the Lord comes from the heart. If we let ourselves be touched and reach into our hearts, if we allow the Lord to enter our hearts, that sacred space, then He will change us completely, transform the whole of our person and make of us new men and women.
6. A moment of prayer: Psalm 84
A hymn concerning the trust of man
on his journey to the house of God
on his journey to the house of God
Res. I have seen your star, Lord,
and I have come to adore you!
and I have come to adore you!
How lovely are your dwelling-places,
Yahweh Sabaoth.
My whole being yearns and pines for Yahweh's courts,
My heart and my body cry out for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
the swallow a nest to place its young: your altars,
Yahweh Sabaoth, my King and my God.
How blessed are those who live in your house;
they shall praise you continually.
Blessed those who find their strength in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of the Balsam,
they make there a water-hole,
and -- a further blessing -- early rain fills it.
They make their way from height to height,
God shows himself to them in Zion.
Yahweh, God Sabaoth, hear my prayer,
listen, God of Jacob.
God, our shield, look,
and see the face of your anointed.
Better one day in your courts than a thousand at my own devices,
to stand on the threshold of God's house
than to live in the tents of the wicked.
For Yahweh God is a rampart and shield,
he gives grace and glory;
Yahweh refuses nothing good to those whose life is blameless.
Yahweh Sabaoth,
blessed is he who trusts in you.
My whole being yearns and pines for Yahweh's courts,
My heart and my body cry out for joy to the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
the swallow a nest to place its young: your altars,
Yahweh Sabaoth, my King and my God.
How blessed are those who live in your house;
they shall praise you continually.
Blessed those who find their strength in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.
As they pass through the Valley of the Balsam,
they make there a water-hole,
and -- a further blessing -- early rain fills it.
They make their way from height to height,
God shows himself to them in Zion.
Yahweh, God Sabaoth, hear my prayer,
listen, God of Jacob.
God, our shield, look,
and see the face of your anointed.
Better one day in your courts than a thousand at my own devices,
to stand on the threshold of God's house
than to live in the tents of the wicked.
For Yahweh God is a rampart and shield,
he gives grace and glory;
Yahweh refuses nothing good to those whose life is blameless.
Yahweh Sabaoth,
blessed is he who trusts in you.
7. Closing prayer
Lord, my Father, I have really seen your
star, I have opened my eyes to your presence of love and salvation and I have
received the light of life. I have contemplated the night changed into light,
pain into joy and solitude into communion; yes, all this happened before you,
in your Word. You have led me through the desert; you have led me to your house
and opened the door for me to enter. There I saw you, your Son Jesus, Saviour
of my life; there I prayed and adored, I cried and found your smile, I kept
silence and learnt to speak. In your house, merciful Father, I have found life
once more!
And now I am going back, I have resumed my journey, but the way is not the one I took before and my life is not what it was before. Your Word has left me with a new heart, capable of opening itself to love, to listen, to welcome and become home to so many brothers and sisters whom you have placed in my way. I was not aware, Lord, but you have made me into a child again, you have given birth to me with Jesus. Thank you, Father, my Father!
And now I am going back, I have resumed my journey, but the way is not the one I took before and my life is not what it was before. Your Word has left me with a new heart, capable of opening itself to love, to listen, to welcome and become home to so many brothers and sisters whom you have placed in my way. I was not aware, Lord, but you have made me into a child again, you have given birth to me with Jesus. Thank you, Father, my Father!
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét