SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

JANUARY 8, 2017

INTRODUCTION

·         In this  Sunday of 2017 we recall the Magi who went to Bethlehem to pay homage to the New Born King of the Jews. 

FIRST READING  – Is 60:1-6

«  This passage is taken from the book of the Third Isaiah. It is full of optimism, joy and light. 

«  The theme of light dominates the scene; the glory of God is the light that enlightens the city of Jerusalem.  

«  The earth is covered with darkness, but the glory of God shines upon the earth.  

«  This light is a lighthouse that leads the nations toward Jerusalem.  

«  Look with joy, with overwhelming happiness all the nations come to you, the foreigners but also your children, those who were once dispersed, now return.   

«  They will bring to you the wealth of the nations, caravans of camels bringing  gold, incense and myrrh, and proclaiming  the praises of God.    

RESPONSORIAL PSALM   Psalm 72    

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

      This psalm is a prayer for a king or for the crown heir. 

      The theme of justice is present in the petitions for the king, so he will be able to govern with equity. 

      Like in the first reading the psalm mentions the kings of foreign nations who will come to bring gifts to the king. 

      The justice of this King will be to take care of the poor and marginalized, being like God whose justice is manifested through his compassion and mercy.   

SECOND READING  – LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS

Ø  The letter to the Ephesians, together with the letters to the Colossians, to the Philippians, and to Philemon, belongs to the group of the Captivity Letters. 

Ø  For those authors who believe that the letter was written by Paul himself, the date of the letter has to be before his death, before 67.

Ø  But for those who think it was written by another person, probably a disciple of Paul, the date may be around the 80’s. 

Ø  This letter has many themes that we find also in the letter to the Colossians. 

Ø  It is a doctrinal and theological letter.  

Ø  The first part (ch.1-3) is dedicated to the Church, which has been prepared from eternity by God. There has been a progressive revelation whose culminating point is the Incarnation of the Word of God.  

Ø  In the second part what has been said in the first about the Church is applied to the behavior of the individual Christian.  

EPHESIANS 3:2-3a; 5-6

Ø  Paul says that the mystery hidden in God has been revealed to him, and he announces it to us through his preaching.   . 

Ø  This mystery has been revealed to the Apostles by the Spirit. 

Ø  The mystery hidden in God and revealed now is 

o   that through the Good News, the Gospel, the gentiles are coheirs, copartners   in Christ Jesus

o   and members of the same body.    

GOSPEL-  Matthew 2:1-12

ü  Chapters 1 and 2 of the Gospel of Matthew and of the Gospel of Luke are called the “The Infancy Narrative.” 

ü  They are, according to an author, the summary of Jesus’ life and of the evangelist’s theology. 

ü  The verses we will read on Sunday give us the synthesis of the theology of Matthew: there is a conflict between two kingships: Herod and Jesus, between evil and good.  

ü  Who was Herod? He came from Idumea (Edom. South of Judea and near the Dead Sea.) He was an ambitious and bloodthirsty man. 

ü  We find at least 5 different scenes or settings in this gospel. 

o   The Magi have followed the star and arrive to Jerusalem where they hope to find directions to find the New Born King of the Jews. 

o   Herod, the High priests and the scribes know about the prophecy and look in the Scriptures to find the exact place, which is Bethlehem. 

o   Herod speaks to the Magi and he inquires from them about the exact time they had seen the star. He tells them that, according to the Scriptures, he has to be born in Bethlehem. He wants them to come back and tell the exact place so he can go and adore him too. 

o   The Magi continue their journey and see again the star which they had lost when they arrived in Jerusalem. 

o   The Magi arrive to the place where the holy family lives, and find Jesus with his Mother. Full of joy they offer him gold, frankincense and myrrh. Afterwards they take another road to go back home as the angel had told them.  

ü  There are many contrasts in these scenes,   

o   The Magi do not know the prophecies of Israel, but they know how to read the stars and seek with an open heart without ambition or power. 

o   Herod and the priests know the prophecies thus they fear, because they believe that this new born King is going to take away their power, to change their life style filled with hate and lies.    

o   The Magi found God without knowing him. The leaders of the Jewish people do not find or recognize him, in spite of having the information.   

POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION AMORIS LAETITIA 

Love forgives

105. Once we allow ill will to take root in our hearts, it leads to deep resentment.  The phrase

ou logízetai to kakón means that love “takes no account of evil”; “it is not resentful”.  The opposite of resentment is forgiveness, which is rooted in a positive attitude that seeks to understand  other people’s weaknesses and to excuse them.  As Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34).  Yet we keep looking for more and more faults,  imagining greater evils, presuming all kinds of bad intentions, and so resentment grows and deepens.  Thus, every mistake or lapse on the part of a spouse can harm the bond of love and the stability of the family.  Something is wrong when we see every problem as equally serious; in this way, we risk being unduly harsh with the failings of others.  The just desire to see our rights respected turns into a thirst for vengeance rather than a reasoned defense of our dignity.

106. When we have been offended or let down, forgiveness is possible and desirable, but no one can say that it is easy.  The truth is that “family communion can only be preserved and perfected through a great spirit of sacrifice.  It requires, in fact, a ready and generous openness of each and all to understanding, to forbearance, to pardon, to reconciliation.  There is no family that does not know how selfishness, discord, tension and conflict violently attack and at times mortally wound its own communion: hence there arise the many and varied forms of division in family life”.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
POPE FRANCIS, POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION AMORIS LAETITIA

SCHÖKEL, Luis Alonso, La Biblia de nuestro Pueblo.

SAGRADA BIBLIA, Versión Oficial de la Conferencia Episcopal Española.

THE CATHOLIC STUDY BIBLE, Donald Senior and John J. Collins, Editors. Second edition