Homily – Epiphany of the Lord ’11 Father Joseph
->I had the privilege of attending the seminary with many seminarians from Nigeria(and my heart goes out to them now with all the strife there). One of them, Fr. Vitalis was ordained 2 years before me…he told this story: On a cold morning three fruit farmers were warming themselves by the fireside. Soon two of them were engaged in a heated debate comparing their religions to decide which one was the true religion. Okoro, the oldest among them, sat quietly listening to the debate. Suddenly the two turned to him and asked, “Decide for us, Okoro. Which religion is the right one?” Okoro rubbed his white beard and said thoughtfully, “Well, you know there are three ways to get from here to the fruit market. You can go right over the hill. That is shorter but it is a steep climb. You can go around the hill on the right side. That is not too far, but the road is rough and full of potholes. Or you can go around the hill on the left side. That is the longest way, but it is also the easiest.” He paused and then added, “But you know, when you get there, the owner of the market doesn’t ask you how you came. All he asks is, ‘Man, how good is your fruit?’” Journeys…
->In the stories of Jesus’ birth, two specific groups of people came to visit the Infant Jesus, the shepherds and the magi. The church has no special feast to commemorate the visit of the shepherds(although I argue that they share a feastday with Jesus) but we have this special feast of the Epiphany today to celebrate the visit of the magi. Why is that? It is because the visit of the magi is out-of-the-ordinary. The shepherds learned of the birth of Jesus through a direct revelation from angels appearing in the night sky. This is a direct and supernatural revelation. Many of us have no problem with that. The magi, on the other hand, learned of the birth of Jesus by observing a star. The star did not say anything to them. They had to interpret the natural sign of the star to know what it meant and where it led. If we remember that the magi were nature worshippers/astrologers, people who divined God’s will by reading the movements of the stars and other heavenly bodies, then we can see how the visit of the magi challenges some of our popular beliefs. Journeys…
->It wasn’t until the chief priests and scribes dug back into the Scriptures, the prophecies, that they realized ancient prophecy was being fulfilled…and thru pagans! Did those “esteemed” spiritual leaders follow the magi to Bethlehem? Obviously not! There is a contrast between the spiritual sincerity/honesty of the magi and the apathy of the people of Jerusalem. We find the same type of thing today. What is it that casts a “spell of spiritual sleep” over people…that diverts them from seeking the Lord…from being open to the signs of His presence? Honestly, it isn’t any one person(talk about blame-game). No, it’s a culture, a way of life that places value on comfort, competition, material possession and the “cult of self.” This is what neglects care of the spirit that starves the soul. Thousands of people looked up at the sky that year. Most only saw twinkling stars, shrugged their shoulder and went to bed. The magi saw the beauty of creation and a sign from the one, true God. As our Responsorial Psalm proclaims: Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. Journeys…
->The Great Epiphany is not just about a visit by the magi, these exotic travelers centuries ago. It is a revelation of deep truths that belong to all people of all times:
-For unbelievers – Epiphany reveals that God gives every person a sign
of his presence…in some way…
-For people of faith – Epiphany reveals that Christ’s embrace is for everyone;
shepherd and king, rich and poor, young and old, male and female, Jew and
Gentile. It calls us to widen our embrace, as well.(Universal Call to Holiness)
-For believers who are drifting – Epiphany reveals that there is a sign,
a very personal sign in their lives that will guide them back to Christ and
his holy Church. Journeys…
->The message of Epiphany is, that whatever our darkness, however deep the night God’s light is there to guide us. It reminds us that God is waiting for us and the gifts of love we bring to Him…no matter which route we take. The magi remind us that Jesus is not a complete stranger to anybody’s life.
