Being a shining star for the new Magi today

Listening to the Spirit

O God, you have willed that your
Church be the sacrament of salvation for all nations,
so that Christ’s saving work
may continue to the ends of the ages;
stir up, we pray, the hearts of your faithful
and grant that they may feel a more urgent call
to work for the salvation of every creature,
so that from all the peoples on earth one family
and one people of your own
may arise and increase.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever.

(Collect of the Mass for the Evangelization of Peoples B)

Listening to the Word

Matthew 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:

And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.”

Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

Reflection

This coming Sunday, we celebrate the Epiphany, the revelation of the Lord to the world. For the Orthodox Church, Epiphany replaces their celebration of Jesus' birth. For them, Christmas is celebrated when the Lord manifests himself as the Savior to the world.

The manifestation of the Lord produces two kinds of reaction. Herod, who ruled over Judea, hated this apparently powerless baby. He was afraid, and probably with good reason, that the baby would threaten his earthly power. The Magi, on the other hand, were men from the East. They were not Jewish, yet they came to pay homage to the Lord. Although they were not members of the chosen people, they were seeking for the Truth and wanted to know who the King of the Jews indicated by the star was. Then, after visiting the baby Jesus, they went home without returning to Herod, knowing that he wanted to kill the child. They were truly good, wise, and seeking for the Light.

These wise men came from the East, symbolizing the pagan peoples with no faith in Yahweh. This means that God wanted to reveal himself not only to the chosen people, but to all mankind, just as the Angel announced the salvation of the world to the shepherds in Bethlehem, who were at the margins of society and far from the purity of the Jewish religious life. In the Epiphany, therefore, God reveals himself as Father of all in the manifestation of the offering of his Holy Child as the Savior for all.

Even today, there are Magi, that is, people who do not know Jesus, but who silently seek for Him in their hearts. They are our colleagues, friends, and members of our families who may not be Christians and yet are people of goodwill. Some are atheists, while others have left the Church to seek a spiritual experience elsewhere. Some do not want to go to church because they have forgotten the Lord or because they are ashamed of their many sins. Others have left the Church because of disappointing behavior witnessed within the Church or because of the mistakes of some priests. If they are sincerely looking for God, they are like the Magi today. They may not know who Jesus Christ really is, but they long for a Savior in their hearts. They may not be ready to suddenly become Christians or return to the Church, but they will surely value our sincere love, and they may be open to listening to our good words and hearing about our experience of faith. Hopefully, one day they will come to know Jesus as their Savior and sense his infinite love for them, too. All these people need a guiding star. They need missionaries who show them the path to the manger of the Holy Baby.

Epiphany, therefore, is a feast of Mission ad gentes, or mission to non-Christian people. Just as the star gave guidance to the Magi, we are all called to be missionaries to indicate to all people the baby Jesus, who is the ultimate sign of God’s Love for everyone. We are all called to do our part in manifesting the love of God in Jesus Christ may be manifested to all mankind. We are the star for the new Magi today.