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| Art work by Barbara Billey, ARCWP Candidate |
With God in the beginning Jesus bursts
forth into the universe, human and God with us now. This cataclysmic cosmic
event changes the world forever.
Today we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany.
“Epiphany,” a Greek noun meaning “manifestation,” describes an experience of
sudden, striking realization, an “ah ha” moment. The birth of Jesus is this
kind of moment. God’s infinite love and wisdom break into human history through
an innocent child.
The people of Israel have experienced
centuries of desolation and darkness. The long awaited Messiah will liberate
them from oppression and shepherd them as king. A descendant of King David, he
will be born in Bethlehem where David was born and anointed king. According to
the prophet Isaiah, “This One shall be called Wonderful Counselor, the Strength
of God, Eternal Protector and Champion of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Imagine hearts
spilling over with hope.
The coming of Jesus fulfills these
prophecies, but not in the way people expect. For the first time in history God
is revealed to nations beyond Israel. Everyone is included in God’s universal
embrace. What astonishing generosity!
Matthew tells of the magi who come to
Jerusalem seeking the Messiah. Portrayed as wise men from the East, possibly
astrologers or dream interpreters of the priestly cast, they represent
neighboring pagan religions and have seen “His star at its rising.”
Once in Bethlehem, the magi see the
star fixed over the location of the infant Jesus and are overwhelmed with joy. They
pay homage to him giving fine gifts suitable for a king. This is a birth of
brilliance, yet darkness hovers as the sky before a storm.
Earlier in the Gospel we hear King
Herod’s reaction to the birth of Jesus. He is deeply troubled. Herod wants none
of this Messiah who threatens his kingship and the seat of every throne after
him. The fear of losing power drives Herod to dangerous extremes.
Like many of us in a crisis, Herod relies
on his mind to organize the chaos, quickly seeking information from the high
priests and scholars, while crafting a false scheme to pay homage. Herod insists
the magi come back with details. He’s determined to find Jesus, but the magi don’t
deliver. They take a different route out of Bethlehem trusting information from
another source: wisdom given in a dream. In Hebrew scripture, God often speaks
to people through dreams.
We hear in Matthew’s next gospel that
Herod is furious about being outwitted by the magi and orders the merciless
murder of innocent babies in Bethlehem. Herod destroys life; the magi preserve
it. Jesus is safe because the magi followed wisdom given by God.
After leaving Bethlehem, the magi
announce the good news of the Messiah to all nations. God as Divine Presence
has evolved because of Jesus and the magi are intimately connected to this
evolution. Jesus as Wisdom unifies all
life – humans, creatures of the natural world, the entire cosmos – within the
one loving heart of God. He is God’s generous gift infusing the universe with
love.
How will the Christ of Christmas live
in us this New Year? To what or to whom will we pay homage? One in seven
children in Canada live in poverty, abuses of power and indifference are rampant,
and the earth is in peril due to our choices. Some of us are prone to worry,
dissatisfaction, despair, and worse yet, hatred and violence. Electronic
devices link us to one another, but many have never felt more alone.
Love is the gift we bring to the crib
of the world. We are utterly dependent on one another to survive and to thrive.
Wisdom Jesus goes before us as light in our darkness. As modern magi and Christ
bearers, our gifts of inclusive care for all living beings and our natural
world continues the evolution of God. We are star and signpost of God with us
now.
Herod will always be in our midst. However,
we can temper the tyrant within by being mindful of our fears and associated
thoughts that swallow up light, especially when life isn’t turning out as imagined.
The indwelling Jesus helps us refrain from words or actions that do harm to self
and others. Private prayer and communal Eucharist align us with God’s wisdom,
rather than with our minds and wills. One with the Cosmic Christ, even in the
midst of hardship we discover joy as did the magi upon first seeing His star.
The prophet Isaiah says, “For the
people that walk in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2). We are the
light of Christ casting out darkness through our gifts of love, acceptance and
compassion. We are the embodiment of God’s astonishing generosity. Now is our
moment. We are the people. How will God’s love evolve through us?
Homily by Barbara Billey, January 6, 2014
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