magi

May the light of Jesus rise in our hearts.

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” (Mt 2:1-2).

At some point as they approached Jerusalem, the magi lost track of the star, did it become cloudy, did they close in on the city during the day, or did they believe it was the proper protocol that in entering this foreign region that they ought to check in with Herod first before proceeding? We do not know. Somehow, these magi were led by a star with the belief that they were to pay homage to the king of the Jews in a distant land. Early teachings in the Church ascribe to the interpretation of this account as the book of God’s creation, in the presence of this light could only take them so far. The illumination that brings them to Jesus is the Book of God’s word, the Jewish Scriptures that would tell them that the messiah they sought is to be born in Bethlehem.

Pondering another thought: What drew them from their home miles away? What inspired them to leave the comfort of their everyday routine? This was no easy journey, and it was a risky adventure. Yet something or someone inspired them, invited them to come and more inspiring is that they said, “yes.” And though they were misdirected for a time, or if their capacity of reason had reached its limits, and they were then guided by the inspired word of God, when they left the audience of King Herod and resumed their pilgrimage, they again saw the star and were “overjoyed” (Mt 2:10).

That joy must have multiplied when they came before the infant that they sought because their physical response was one of  prostrating themselves before the baby king, the one for whom they risked all and sought for. They had now found. This action though of prostration was reserved only for divinity. In reality, their journey had only begun. Their lives would be forever changed and they would go back a different way than they came. The magi would not return to Herod, nor would they return to their home quite the same. They would not return from this journey and just go back to business as usual. The magi carried within them their encounter with the Christ; the light that drew them, they now carried inside of them.

They would proclaim him in the East. The magi did what they were called to do. They came to encounter the Christ and bring his light to the world. They and those who followed the same invitation are why we are still able to hear this same message today.

Today is the feast of Epiphany, and it is on this day that we celebrate that the King of the Jews, Jesus the Christ, has made his salvation known to the whole world. The manifestation of God’s glory came to the Jews first as the chosen people of God and then to all the Nations. The Son of God has become one of us and one with us so that all people are given the offer to be saved.

We too are invited. We like the magi are called to put the light of Christ first in our life. Let us seek each day to encounter him and his plan. Distractions, diversions, and temptations, anxieties and anticipations as well as many appealing and apparent goods will attempt to lead us astray, yet to put Jesus first will help all other priorities to fall into their proper order and place. Let us follow the gift of our God given intellectual talents and capacity to reason, but also realize that this will only take us so far. Time in the living words of the Bible will help us to stay focused on our journey and to deepen our relationship with the One who has invited us to know him.

Bishop Robert Barron in his book, To Light a Fire on Earth, writes about becoming part of God’s “Theodrama”, using the Swiss theologian, Hans Urs von Balthasar’s term. God is directing all of creation, all of the cosmos, and each of us to play our part. “The key”, Bishop Barron writes, “is to find the role that God has designed for us, even if it looks like a bit part… When, through faith, we see every moment and every creature as an ingredient in the divine plan, when we know that there is a gracious providence at work in the universe, we live in joyful surrender and with a great sense of wonder.”

This is what the Epiphany is about. Jesus manifesting his light to us and in us so that we can see what keeps us from living our lives fully committed to God and what and who is helping us to grow in our relationship with God. With clearer sight, it is easier to decide how to proceed. The light of Christ helps us to also see that we are not the center of the universe. God is. “When we decenter the ego, and live in exciting and unpredictable relationship to God, we realize very clearly that our lives are not about us. And that’s a liberating discovery” (Barron 2017, 164-165).

May we follow the lead of the magi, who followed the light of Christ, and prostrate ourselves before our Lord and Savior. Let us surrender to him our ego and self-centered way of life. Let us acknowledge and let go of those things that prevent us from deepening our relationship with God and one another. When ready, let us rise again as did the magi, forever changed, and live our lives each day for God and following his will. Jesus is the true light to lead us through any darkness.

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Photo: Epiphany light over Holy Cross Catholic Church tonight. May we like the moon that reflects the light of the sun, reflect the Light of the Son of God.

Barron, Robert and John L. Allen Jr. To Light a Fire on the Earth. New York: Image, 2017.

Link for today’s Sunday Mass readings for the Epiphany, January 5, 2024

Are we willing to see his star?

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” (Mt 2:1-2).

This account from Matthew has much for us to ponder as we draw closer to the end of the Christmas season and begin another year together.

The magi – the wisemen, astrologers, three kings as the magi are represented in different accounts and song were watching, for they saw “his star at its rising.” As soon as the star rose, they looked upon it and knew it was a sign of “the new born king of the Jews.” And then they followed the star. They left the place of birth, their homes, their comfort to do this baby homage. This baby who was not a king of their people but another people in another land.

They faced no danger that we know of on the way, although this was no easy journey. The only danger that comes is when they approach King Herod and they no longer can see the star. Herod is “greatly troubled” by this announcement of the promise of the king of the Jews in his territory for unlike John the Baptist, Herod is not willing to become less so that Jesus can become more.

That the Christ is to be born in Bethlehem is revealed by the chief priests and the scribes, but that the new king has been born is unknown to Herod or to them. Herod, nor the priests, or scribes are aware of this new birth until the magi had told them, even though they had the scriptures. Their hearts and minds were closed to the truth because they were unwilling to do what the magi did, do him homage and surrender their lives to this newborn king.

Upon the magi’s leaving King Herod, they saw the star again, and the magi followed it with great joy. They followed it and came upon the house in which Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were staying. “The house”, no longer a cave or a stable. When Joseph and Mary first came to Bethlehem, they were refused entrance into any home or inn. At some point someone was willing to allow them shelter and a place to stay.

The magi came to Jesus and did him homage and gave them their gifts. Then were warned in a dream to not return to Herod. They honored the newborn king and not King Herod, and they left for their country by another way.

On this day as we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany with this account from Matthew, we can just endure this story or pass it off as a nice tale we hear each year. Or, like the Magi, we can allow our hearts and minds to come alive with the wonder and gift we have been given. We can assess where we find ourselves right now. Are we more like Herod or the magi? Are we closed to moments of wonder and the divine light leading us or are we watching and praying to see the invitation that Jesus offers us in our lives at the beginning of and throughout each, and every day? It is easy to slip into a life of business, of just doing one thing after another, and we miss the star rising in our hearts that is leading us to experience a deeper relationship, a deeper experience of the king of our lives.

We are invited this morning to open our hearts and minds to the newborn king. We are invited to slow down and enter an ongoing and growing relationship with him. We have an opportunity to invite this newborn king to have access to all of us, that we may, like the magi, prostrate ourselves before him and surrender our whole lives to him.

Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen his star, and it is rising from the depths of our souls and into our hearts. Are we willing to see this Light, are we willing to follow and be transformed by this Light, and are we willing to radiate this Light to others?

Jesus is the Light that invites us to be loved, to receive his love, and allow it to touch our pain, our wounds, our fears, and our insecurities, that we may rest and abide in his love. As we do so, we can learn how to breathe again, our shoulders can come out of our ears, we can be still and if need be, let the tears flow, so we can be healed, so we can be made whole again, so we can live our lives as a people who hope, dream, and wonder in this new year.

Photo:  A beautiful day enjoying the radiance of the light back in October.

Link for the Mass readings for Sunday, January 7, 2023