The Epiphany
Intro: Christmas saw the revelation of the Messiah to His own people. Today's feast reveals Him not only as the newborn King of the Jews, but a divine Saviour for all nations and peoples, Who has come into our world to bring us together as the one family of God.
Readings: Isaiah encourages the newly-returned exiles with the promise that one day all nations will see God's glory revealed.
Writing to the Ephesians, Paul declares that the pagan nations have now received the same inheritance as the Chosen People, because all now share the one promise and are invited to become members of the one body of Christ through baptism.
Isaiah 60: 1 - 6;
Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6;
Matthew 2: 1 - 12;
Remember that 2000 years ago, there were no EasyJet, Virgin Travel or cars to help the Wise Men on their way; only camels and a long, hard slog with no guidance except that of a star, and hope in their hearts. But the Wise Men were wise enough to look outside the box, beyond the obvious, and seek the presence of God in the most unlikely surroundings.
They were not the obvious people to find the Messiah. But God's Chosen People, the ones best placed to respond to this gift of God, were too obsessed with their own privileged status to see Jesus as anything but a dangerous rival. The Wise Men of Matthew's Gospel were the scientists of their day - astrologers - who believed that each person had his or her specific star.
Because of the particular lining up of Jupiter and Venus that year, followed later by a similar conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, they were convinced that something very special was about to take place, and so they set off, expecting to find a special person, a king, at their journey's end.
And because diplomatic protocol demanded that visiting dignitaries exchange gifts with their host - a bit more formal than buying a Christmas or birthday present - and that needs a lot of consideration: the gift has be worthy, without being too ostentatious; appropriate to the office of the person receiving it, and show in some way the esteem in which that person is held; hence gold, frankinsense and myrrh.
(If that story had only been fiction, then the Wise Men would simply have presented their gifts to King Herod and disappeared off into the sunset, and everyone would have lived happily ever after. The bad news was that Herod was no Wonder-Counsellor, but a cruel despot whose slaughter of all children of two and under in Bethlehem showed his paranoid need to hang on to his petty kingdom and power at any cost. He was half-Jewish and had ingratiated himself with the Roman authorities and staked out his own little kingdom, of which he was so jealous, so delusional and paranoid that he was prepared to kill anyone to protect it and prevent any conspiring, whether real or imaginary, against him. He had already got rid of his own eldest son, his favourite wife and her two boys for that very reason.)
So today's feast reminds us that God's love is there for us, if we open our hearts to it. But it also challenges us: to be wise enough to seek and find God in the most unlikely places as well, and to come to realise that others of different races and creeds are just as precious to God as we are, however different they may seem, or however far outside our circle. And that must be a challenge worth taking seriously!
This week why don't you list the gifts you think you have, then ask those who know you best what they think your talents are. Next to each gift on the list, write down how often you use that gift, and then think how you can use it better - or more frequently!
Intercessions
God's presence in our world has finally been revealed in a love which fills our lives. Trusting in that love now, we place all our needs before Him:-
1. For all who live in the darkness of sadness, loneliness or depression. May they come to know the warmth of Your light and love - Lord, hear us.
2. For all political leaders. May they truly serve those whom they govern, in a spirit of wisdom - Lord, hear us.
3. For peace between peoples of different nations, races and cultures; particularly between Ukraine and Russia - Lord, hear us.
4. The Magi's gifts foreshadowed Your own Son's suffering and death. Let us pray for those who begin this year in sadness because of sickness, poverty, addiction or bereavement - Lord, hear us.
5. Your light dawned upon the nations when Your Son was born in Bethlehem; may Pope Benedict, May Sawers, Jackue Fury, James Gray and Benny Lappinm, who have died recently, together with James Keating, Jim MdDougall, Roberta Gilligan, Bridget & William Frizzell, Edward & Cassie Capbell, whose anniversaries we celebrate, see Your face and live in glory forever - Lord, hear us.
God our Father, You revealed Your total love for us in the gift of Your own Son. Hear these our prayers, and help us reflect Your love in all that we do and say.