Sunday, January 4, 2015

Epiphany, Gifts of the Magi (2015-01-04)


2015 January 4 / Epiphany Sunday • Isaiah 60:1-6 • Psalm  72 • Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 • Matthew 2:1-12 •

 [__01__]   What we have read in the Gospel of  the Epiphany is the focus – ABOVE – the visual and  mental attention turned  upward toward the Star of David, the Star of Bethlehem by the Magi or Three Kings.

Thus, trouble is avoided.  The downward spiral of King’s Herod’s jealousy and  rage are avoided by the Three Kings.

They focus their attention above and not  only reach Bethlehem safely but also returned home securely by another route.

Sometimes, through a combination of peer pressure, of temptations, of the attitudes of others around us, we can also focus only what is below, only on what is expedient or convenient rather than what is right. We can grow closer to God by taking the high – or higher – road.

[__02__]  Isn’t it true that sometimes we bring  or offer GIFTS for very noble reasons?  That is, for a noble reason and with a virtuous purpose, we offer our gifts up to another person or to God.

On the other hand, we could offer a gift with an intention to gain favor or reward or connections. That is our gift is not motivated or animated by what is  above …but rather  on the treasure can lay up on earth rather than in heaven.

The 3 Kings, the Magi, manifest a spirit  of generosity and a focus on what is above.

This is not only because they focused on the GPS of a star and because they turned  their visual attention to the sky.

They also focused  on a higher, noble purpose in the presentation of their gifts.

They did not court the favor of King Herod … and they did not come before the Savior to receive special treatment but rather as a sign of respect, of respect for Jesus as King.

[__03__] Their packages, their 3 articles were presented to a newborn king, although he’s yet an unknown king and has a small place and a limited security detail, he is still a king.

And, as we know it would be expected that we would bring a gift, show respect, pay homage, if we were invited to the home of someone with connections, with power.

Would our generosity, however, focus on what is above or what is below?

We can apply the reading and lesson of the gifts of the Magi to our lives.

[__04__]    The myrrh. In the gift of the myrrh,  we see the symbol of  our Savior’s death and  resurrection, the sacrifice of his body. The myrrh was an oil and a fragrance used after death, and symbolized that a person had surrendered his life to God.

The gift reminds us that neither Jesus nor you nor I would wait  until death for the sacrifice of our lives.

Jesus invites each day to lay down our lives for each other.

[__05__]  The incense.  The incense symbolizes our prayer,  our prayers which – as we read in Psalm 141 – rise up to God. 

But, sometimes, we keep only this incense, this prayer,  this meditation as a resource to be used for my calculations, my purposes, my plans.

Are we not called  to offer up some of our prayer time, our petitions for  those around us?

It is for this reason that we come adore him communally at Sunday Mass.

St. Therese of Lisieux wrote that we come into relationship with God by our focus on what is above us, even what may be beyond us, or what may seem to be out of reach.

For example, if communication or reconciliation with a loved one were out of reach or were out of control, we could pray that  God would change our viewpoint to that of a higher altitude, meaning also a longer  and more patient view of the  situation, a more objective view of  who is hurting and why,  the  ability to separate the good from the evil which we can  do with a prayerful view from  above.

Prayer is not meant to bury us in silence but rather to help us rise above our sinfulness, our selfishness, and communicate by our words and actions.

[__06__] The gold. We might recall that the 3 kings were being invited to the home of a 4th king, and the newborn king, Jesus.

Would one king [or head of state] show up at the door of another king [or head of state] with gold? If so, for what purpose? 

To court favor? To pay off a debt?

It seems  unlikely … nevertheless, Jesus receives gold…and more importantly, there is a message in the gold.

For what is more important to a head of state, to a king, president, or prime minister…what is  that Solomon prayed for as a young prince and  heir to the throne (cf. 1 Kings 19:3). 

WISDOM.  The gold symbolizes the precious metal and material of our wisdom.   And, while the Lord also blesses us with wisdom, he is also asking us to share this with him, to share this for the achievement of his plan.

The gold symbolizes the gift, the surrender of our wisdom, our intelligence, our mental energy for  God’s work, God’s purposes.

Am I willing to share the  gold of my wisdom, above – offering it up – for God’s purposes, or do I keep it  buried below?

[__fin__]

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