Solemnity of the Epiphany of our Lord
Isa 60:1-6; Ps 71:1-2.7-8 10-13; Eph 3:2-3.5-6; Mt 2:1-12
Holy Child Parish, Meadow Heights
January 7-8, 2006
Once there was a priest who celebrated his 25th anniversary and was receiving gifts from the parishioners. A florist’s daughter gave him a box. The priest shook it and said to the girl, “Are they flowers?” The girl was surprised, “How did you know, Father?” The priest knew the profession of the girl’s parents, so he could guess easily.
Then another boy came with a box, the priest shook it and said, “Is it a pair of shoes?” The boy asked, “How did you know!” The priest knew because the boy’s parent had a shoe store.
Then little Johnny, the son a bottle shop owner, came forward and the priest saw the box. It was leaking.
“Ah I know what it is,” the priest said to himself. He put his finger on the wet part and tested the liquid. “Is it wine?” he said.
Johnny shook his head, “No.” Then the priest scraped the leaking box again with his finger, tasted it, saying, “Brandy?” Johnny replied “No, Father!”
“Is it perhaps Mass wine?”
“No, Father. It’s a puppy!”*
Today is the feast of the Epiphany of our Lord. You may ask what the word “epiphany” means. Epiphany means a manifestation or revelation of something that is hidden. In other words, epiphany means an exposition of something mysterious or concealed, like a Christmas gift. Some of you probably got a new pair of shoes, shirts, play-station games, kitchen wares, etc. at Christmas. We can compare the feast of Epiphany to the moment we opened the gifts we received on Christmas, that’s when we got to know what was inside the wrappings.
Today, the second Sunday of year 2006, we celebrate “the unwrapping” of the gift we received from God on the first Christmas. The gift we received on the first Christmas day was far more than anything else in this world because it’s no other than the birth of our Lord Jesus.
The image of the child Jesus is the epiphany or the revelation of God’s love to us all. God has given us the gift of His Son who will be our light and hope in the world we live today. The manifestation of God’s love links with the first reading: “The nations come to your light and kings to your dawning brightness.”
The celebration of Epiphany in some countries is also known as “Three Kings Sunday.” The manifestation of God began when the Three Kings or Wise Men traveled from the East (Mesopotamia) to Bethlehem in order to pay respect and homage to the newly-born King of the Jews. The Three Kings are also called the Magi; they were astrologers or astronomers who were studying the movement of the stars as a guide to major events. We heard in the Gospel they were attesting to King Herod that the bright star which they were following would guide them to the place where the infant King was to be born.
According to most scholars the three Magi were pagans who did not know the true God of the Jews. Inasmuch as they were intellectual people, they were also very superstitious. For example they believed that the fate of each human being depend on stars. Of course this not so, but God made use of their superstition to show them where to find the baby Jesus. God has chosen and revealed to them that the King he had promised to Jews had now come. What the Gospel of Matthew is trying to point out here is that the three Magi represent the Gentile world or non-believers to be also members of God’s children. Being the first ones to receive the news of the birth of Christ, they signify that the coming of the child Jesus in the world is not only for a particular group of people but for the whole human race. As the second reading tells us, “the pagans now share the same inheritance” of God’s salvation. The birth of Christ is God’s gift of salvation for Gentiles or Jews, and for all people.
According to the tradition the names of the three Wise Men are Melchor, Caspar and Balthasar. The importance of the three Wise Men in our faith as Christians is not only their perseverance to pursue relentlessly the star that led them to the Child Jesus. But more than this, it is their act of homage and respect to the child Jesus that we need to follow. The three Magi expressed their act of worship to the baby Jesus by bringing him special gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Today, the relics of the three Magi, according to tradition are believed to be kept in the Cathedral in Cologne, Germany, where the young people had the chance to visit during the World Youth Day last year. Like the Magi, the young people from different parts to the world together with the Pope, travelled to Germany to pay homage to the Lord. We can make the Magi our models, to follow their example and offer the Child Jesus all that we have and are.
We must always keep in our hearts that Epiphany is a celebration of God’s gift of Himself to us in the Child Jesus. When we find ourselves in difficult circumstances, when we feel tired about our problems, when we struggle in the darkness of weakness and sin, let us look at Jesus. Like the bright star that gave hope and courage to the Magi may Jesus be our guide and strength.
Let us invite Jesus, to shine in our lives and the lives of our loved ones, and make us special gifts to one another. And as we gaze upon his image lying quietly in a manger, let us express our confidence and trust in God, knowing that He loves us and is always with us. Amen.
Isa 60:1-6; Ps 71:1-2.7-8 10-13; Eph 3:2-3.5-6; Mt 2:1-12
Holy Child Parish, Meadow Heights
January 7-8, 2006
Once there was a priest who celebrated his 25th anniversary and was receiving gifts from the parishioners. A florist’s daughter gave him a box. The priest shook it and said to the girl, “Are they flowers?” The girl was surprised, “How did you know, Father?” The priest knew the profession of the girl’s parents, so he could guess easily.
Then another boy came with a box, the priest shook it and said, “Is it a pair of shoes?” The boy asked, “How did you know!” The priest knew because the boy’s parent had a shoe store.
Then little Johnny, the son a bottle shop owner, came forward and the priest saw the box. It was leaking.
“Ah I know what it is,” the priest said to himself. He put his finger on the wet part and tested the liquid. “Is it wine?” he said.
Johnny shook his head, “No.” Then the priest scraped the leaking box again with his finger, tasted it, saying, “Brandy?” Johnny replied “No, Father!”
“Is it perhaps Mass wine?”
“No, Father. It’s a puppy!”*
Today is the feast of the Epiphany of our Lord. You may ask what the word “epiphany” means. Epiphany means a manifestation or revelation of something that is hidden. In other words, epiphany means an exposition of something mysterious or concealed, like a Christmas gift. Some of you probably got a new pair of shoes, shirts, play-station games, kitchen wares, etc. at Christmas. We can compare the feast of Epiphany to the moment we opened the gifts we received on Christmas, that’s when we got to know what was inside the wrappings.
Today, the second Sunday of year 2006, we celebrate “the unwrapping” of the gift we received from God on the first Christmas. The gift we received on the first Christmas day was far more than anything else in this world because it’s no other than the birth of our Lord Jesus.
The image of the child Jesus is the epiphany or the revelation of God’s love to us all. God has given us the gift of His Son who will be our light and hope in the world we live today. The manifestation of God’s love links with the first reading: “The nations come to your light and kings to your dawning brightness.”
The celebration of Epiphany in some countries is also known as “Three Kings Sunday.” The manifestation of God began when the Three Kings or Wise Men traveled from the East (Mesopotamia) to Bethlehem in order to pay respect and homage to the newly-born King of the Jews. The Three Kings are also called the Magi; they were astrologers or astronomers who were studying the movement of the stars as a guide to major events. We heard in the Gospel they were attesting to King Herod that the bright star which they were following would guide them to the place where the infant King was to be born.
According to most scholars the three Magi were pagans who did not know the true God of the Jews. Inasmuch as they were intellectual people, they were also very superstitious. For example they believed that the fate of each human being depend on stars. Of course this not so, but God made use of their superstition to show them where to find the baby Jesus. God has chosen and revealed to them that the King he had promised to Jews had now come. What the Gospel of Matthew is trying to point out here is that the three Magi represent the Gentile world or non-believers to be also members of God’s children. Being the first ones to receive the news of the birth of Christ, they signify that the coming of the child Jesus in the world is not only for a particular group of people but for the whole human race. As the second reading tells us, “the pagans now share the same inheritance” of God’s salvation. The birth of Christ is God’s gift of salvation for Gentiles or Jews, and for all people.
According to the tradition the names of the three Wise Men are Melchor, Caspar and Balthasar. The importance of the three Wise Men in our faith as Christians is not only their perseverance to pursue relentlessly the star that led them to the Child Jesus. But more than this, it is their act of homage and respect to the child Jesus that we need to follow. The three Magi expressed their act of worship to the baby Jesus by bringing him special gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Today, the relics of the three Magi, according to tradition are believed to be kept in the Cathedral in Cologne, Germany, where the young people had the chance to visit during the World Youth Day last year. Like the Magi, the young people from different parts to the world together with the Pope, travelled to Germany to pay homage to the Lord. We can make the Magi our models, to follow their example and offer the Child Jesus all that we have and are.
We must always keep in our hearts that Epiphany is a celebration of God’s gift of Himself to us in the Child Jesus. When we find ourselves in difficult circumstances, when we feel tired about our problems, when we struggle in the darkness of weakness and sin, let us look at Jesus. Like the bright star that gave hope and courage to the Magi may Jesus be our guide and strength.
Let us invite Jesus, to shine in our lives and the lives of our loved ones, and make us special gifts to one another. And as we gaze upon his image lying quietly in a manger, let us express our confidence and trust in God, knowing that He loves us and is always with us. Amen.
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* thanks to Fr. Bel San Luis SVD
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