January 3, 2010 SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY
3 JANUARY 2010; 5:15, 8:00, 10:30
READINGS: Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12
SAINT MARY PARISH, VIROQUA
Introduction: On Christmas we celebrate that the birth of Jesus brings many blessings: On Epiphany we celebrate the blessing of salvation offered by God to all nations of the world.
1. One of the reasons we treasure this story so much is because of the colorful individuals who people the story. They range from the Christ child, his mother and Joseph, the adventurous magi who came from far away countries; the priests who were too locked into their studies and their books to look in Bethlehem for themselves, and evil, wicked Herod who killed his own sons to maintain his power.
2. Let’s focus for now on just the magi. As their journey began, these pilgrims left behind them the warmth of their own fires and the love of their families. They left the security of their own country with its familiar language and culture. They went searching for God. The record shows they nearly lost their lives. Yet, for them the search for the God was worth all risks and dangers. They found their God! They found their God! He lived not in a palace surrounded with elegance and ministers. Rather, He was in a manger surrounded with the foul odors of farm animals. Matthew does not record any disappointment on their part. Rather, they humbly fell to their knees and placed their finest gifts at His disposal. Then, and only then, they returned to their homes, wives, and children. At last their quest was done.
They were energized. They were new people. They had become the first Gentiles to worship the Christ. They had become the first Christians. They also had walked into history. Wherever the Christmas story is told, they will be remembered. We know their lives were endangered by Herod. They returned, Matthew tells us, by a different road. Fulton Sheen once said, “Of course they went back by a different road; no one comes to Christ and ever goes back the same way he came!”
3. Let me speak for a moment of caves. In Afghanistan there is a dark cave where hides Osama bin Laden. He hides because there is a $25m bounty on his head. The cave is full of arms and weapons. In New York City there is an alley where drug deals go down every night. In Los Angeles there is a house of prostitution and porn. There are also the caves of sin in our own lives, whatever nature they may have. They may be caves of selfishness, caves of greed or anger. Then, there is the cave of Bethlehem which is full of light and love. How do we travel from our caves to the cave of Bethlehem? We travel, like the magi, with companions. We call them Christians. Like them we share the gifts we carry with others. We travel with words of prayer in our hearts. As we travel we are nurtured by the Sacraments. In some ways we each find our own way; but one thing is necessary. We have to be willing to change, to meet Christ and to return by a different way. “No one comes to Christ and ever goes back the same way he came!”
Conclusion: Then, we shall be among those who have found God. Then, like the magi, we shall be happy because we found God and serve him well.