SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD - 2023

 

INTRODUCTION

 

·         The readings show us the light and the darkness clashing, not in the sky we see with our eyes, but in our human heart.   

·         Darkness which prevent us to see and to adore God made a child, light that invites us to adore Him. 

·         In the Gospel we will read the word adore or worship is repeated at least three times: the Magi followed the star to adore the newborn baby king; Herod asked the Magi to inform where the baby king is, to go and worship him; the Magi came into the house and adore the boy Jesus king

·           in every human being.   

·         This celebration is a good opportunity to look into our heart and discover in it our darkness and also our light, the light of God made a child.   

 

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.

«  If we knew the hidden richness that the men and women who come to our borders might bring to us e would not close our doors for them.  

«  We are invited to listen to these words; Rise up, rise up from your comfort zone, from your inertia, your apathy, your  being comfortable.

«  Look the light is all around you in spite of the darkness

«  All that is human in you, your ability to love and to give yourself for love of others will come back to you, if you know how to discover in your life the light of God, his calling, his invitation to allow his silent presence to inundate you. His presence can save you from all that is negative in you in which you find yourself so comfortable.

 

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. 

 

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.

 

SECOND READING – Eph 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. 

o    

 

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 they 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. 

 

CLARETIAN CORNER

On this day I was quietly in my cell because I felt sick due to my constant sufferings and for four days I had not left from my cell,  suddenly I felt an inner force that pushed me to go to visit the Most Holy Sacrament; I went and after a little while I sat down because I could neither be standing nor kneeling;   with so much headache that I could not even thing, and with sorrow I was telling Our Lord very much confused: Did I not tell you my Lord, that I would not be able  to do anything good in your Divine Majesty presence?  But, how much is the kindness of Our Lord Jesus Christ!  This poor creature was before her Creator as a little ant not being able to praise him and His Divine Majesty deigned to communicate so many favors to her that, if His Divine Majesty would not comfort her she could not resist such an abundance of gentleness.  O, my Lord how generous you are in rewarding a little that for you we suffer!  Here, I felt Our Lord very close to me, and he told me: My daughter (this word said with so much love as it was in this occasion, gave life back to me in such a way that immediately when His Divine Majesty pronounced them  I had the strength to kneel listening attentively to my Lord who, with the sweetest words “my daughter “I understood he was asking  it from me. (Maria Antonia Diario 82).

 

            My parents and teacher not only instructed me in the truths I had to believe but also in the virtues I needed to practice. With regard to my neighbor, they told me never to take or covet what belongs to others and that, if I ever found something, I should return it to its owner. It just so happened that one day after school, as I was walking along the street toward home, I saw a quarter  lying on the ground. I picked it up and wondered to whom I should return it. Since I couldn't see anyone on the street, I decided that it must have fallen from the window of the nearest house. So I went up to the house, asked for the head of the house, and gave him the quarter.  (Father Claret. Autobiography 28).

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