Word to the Wise
Sunday, January 6, 2008 - THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
[Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3A, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12]Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.
Here at St. Catharine Motherhouse, four figurines (three Magi and a Camel) have been making their way from the rear of the chapel toward the front where the stable with the infant Jesus, Mary and Joseph and all the other traditional cast of assorted animals and shepherds are waiting! Since the Commonwealth of Kentucky is noted for its horse races, I made an allusion at Mass one day to the progress of the statues, putting my bet on the camel! The hidden force that moves those statues will have the last say, I'm sure! But the charm and mystery of the story of the Magi remains. We are treated to a great natural phenomenon (the "star"), mysterious figures from afar (the "Magi"), a paranoid ruler (Herod), symbolic gifts (gold, frankincense, myrrh), etc. While Matthew may have relied on a tradition about the birth of Jesus, he has shaped the story to convey a message that is more than simply a visit by important figures to a makeshift maternity ward! As is consistent with all the rest of the Gospel of Matthew, the story of the Magi is seen as the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Furthermore, the attraction of Gentiles to Jesus is shown in the Magi who were well-known figures of pagan antiquity in a number of Middle Eastern cultures. The early Jewish Christian community (the principal immediate audience for whom the Gospel of Matthew was intended) would also have known the prophecies of Micah and Isaiah and Psalm 72 (today's responsorial psalm). It is a rich mix of ingredients. Perhaps the Thomistic Dominican in me wants to take hold of the fact that the Magi represent all people who can come to a knowledge of God by reflecting on natural creation - namely the "star" which they follow. But the pastoral side of me reflects on the "epiphanies" I experience when I travel to the home of friends who have just given birth to their first child. Each member of the family and each friend brings a gift of some kind to the child in its future days! Those are but two of the many rich thoughts that this feast provides! Bring your own gifts and ponder it all! AMEN
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