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?
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