Thursday After Epiphany

“Christ Preaching”
by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1652

 
Readings for Thursday after Epiphany [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: 1 John 4:19–5:4
 
Beloved, we love God because
he first loved us.
If anyone says, “I love God,”
but hates his brother, he is a liar;
for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen
cannot love God whom he has not seen.
This is the commandment we have from him:
Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,
and everyone who loves the Father
loves also the one begotten by him.
In this way we know that we love the children of God
when we love God and obey his commandments.
For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.
And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 4:19–5:4
 
This passage from St. John’s first letter drives home the original purpose for the letter. “The fullness of Christian life as fellowship with the Father must be based on true belief and result in charitable living; knowledge of God and love for one another are inseparable, and error in one area inevitably affects the other.” [4]
 
The link forged by the Great Commandment of loving God and loving neighbor is strengthened by St. John who places Christ as an integral part. If a person loves God, then, perforce, they must also love one another. If they do not love one another they do not love God.
 
CCC: 1 Jn 4:19 604, 1828; 1 Jn 4:20 2840; 1 Jn 5:1 2780, 2790
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72:1-2, 14 and 15bc, 17
 
R. (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
From fraud and violence he shall redeem them,
and precious shall their blood be in his sight.
May they be prayed for continually;
day by day shall they bless him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
May his name be blessed forever;
as long as the sun his name shall remain.
In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;
all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
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Commentary on Ps 72:1-2, 14 and 15bc, 17
 
The royal psalm, Psalm 72, a song of adoration, continues as the promise of justice is extended from only the poor and marginalized to the promise to deal with those who prey upon the upright. The passage concludes with a blessing of God’s kindness and mercy proclaiming the universal peace that will flow to all mankind. Once again, while originally this psalm was sung for the king, we see in it God’s promise and the eternal rule of peace and justice brought by the Messiah.
 
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Gospel: Luke 4:14-22
 
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.
 
He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
 
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”
And all spoke highly of him
and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.  
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Commentary on Luke 4:14-22
 
This selection from St. Luke’s Gospel takes place immediately following the Lord’s baptism by St. John and trial in the desert. Jesus' return to Galilee is also documented in St. Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 4:12-17). Here the Lord begins his public ministry with a straightforward statement of his identity and mission: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” This announcement of Isaiah’s prophecy (Isaiah 61:1-2) being fulfilled tells the audience he is the Messiah who came bringing them salvation.
 
"These phrases, according to Luke (verses 18-19), are His first messianic declaration. They are followed by the actions and words known through the Gospel. By these actions and words Christ makes the Father present among men." (St. John Paul II, "Dives In Misericordia" 3)
 
CCC: Lk 4:16-22 1286; Lk 4:16-21 436; Lk 4:18-19 695, 714; Lk 4:18 544, 2443; Lk 4:19 1168
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Reflection:
 
The great Feast of the Epiphany continues to shine its light on the Nativity of the Lord.  The magi from the East continue their praise and homage of the Savior who has entered the world.  Even as we join them, imagining the Holy Family in the humble manger in Bethlehem, the revelation of Christ in Scripture requires us to think in more pragmatic terms about the faith we profess and the event at which we rejoice.
 
As much as we would like to linger with the Christ Child, St. Luke calls us to take up his mission.  The Gospel reminds us that the baby born in Bethlehem came to fulfill God’s promise.  In Luke we hear the now adult Christ taking up the prophet’s mantle.  He quotes the prophet Isaiah saying: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free.” It is time for us to spread that word and St. John the Evangelist notes in his letter how that should be done.
 
He reminds us that if we have faith in Christ then our love of others will be clearly seen.  It is a bold statement, punctuated with human action that supplements our prayer and sacramental grace.  If we love Christ we must love others; the two are inseparable.  It is like the sacrament of marriage.  If that sacrament exists it cannot be broken.  The bond between those so joined is unbreakable.  If we love Christ, we must express that love as he did, loving all with whom we have contact.
 
The chain of theological logic stretches out its hand to us today and shows us that even as we recall the magi and the Christ Child, we must express our love for that moment by loving even those who hate us.  Our prayer today is that God gives us the strength to do just that.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “Christ Preaching” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1652.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] From “Introduction to the Epistles of John” New American Bible (NAB).

Wednesday After Epiphany

Optional Memorial for Saint Raymond Penyafort, Priest
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Raymond Penyafort
 
Biographical information for St. Raymond Penyafort

“Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee”
by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1633

Readings for Wednesday after Epiphany [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: 1 John 4:11-18
 
Beloved, if God so loved us,
we also must love one another.
No one has ever seen God.
Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.
 
This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us,
that he has given us of his Spirit.
Moreover, we have seen and testify
that the Father sent his Son as savior of the world.
Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God remains in him and he in God.
We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.
 
God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him.
In this is love brought to perfection among us,
that we have confidence on the day of judgment
because as he is, so are we in this world.
There is no fear in love,
but perfect love drives out fear
because fear has to do with punishment,
and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 4:11-18
 
St. John’s first letter is continued following the profession of God’s love. “The testimony of the Spirit and that of faith join the testimony of love to confirm our knowledge of God. Our love is grounded in the confession of Jesus as the Son of God and the example of God's love for us. Christian life is founded on the knowledge of God as love and on his continuing presence that relieves us from fear of judgment.” [4]
 
“The apostle underlines here the theological basis of brotherly love: the love which God has shown us by the incarnation and redemptive death of his Son, places us in his debt: we have to respond in kind; so we 'ought' to love our neighbor with the kind of gratitude and disinterest that God showed by taking the initiative in loving us.” [5]
 
CCC: 1 Jn 4:11-12 735; 1 Jn 4:14 457
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72:1-2, 10, 12-13
 
R. (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
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Commentary on Ps 72:1-2, 10, 12-13
 
Psalm 72 is a royal psalm, to be sung for the king. While the song recounts the tribute brought by adjoining kingdoms (as tribute to his just rule), we see this as a reminder of the gifts brought by the magi to the young Savior. This is reinforced in the final strophe as the song stresses care for the poor and afflicted.
 
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Gospel: Mark 6:45-52
 
After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied,
Jesus made his disciples get into the boat
and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida,
while he dismissed the crowd.
And when he had taken leave of them,
he went off to the mountain to pray.
When it was evening,
the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore.
Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing,
for the wind was against them.
About the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them walking on the sea.
He meant to pass by them.
But when they saw him walking on the sea,
they thought it was a ghost and cried out.
They had all seen him and were terrified.
But at once he spoke with them,
“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”
He got into the boat with them and the wind died down.
They were completely astounded.
They had not understood the incident of the loaves.
On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.
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Commentary on Mk 6:45-52
 
The Gospel of St. Mark provides us with a second proof of the identity of Jesus. Following the feeding of the five thousand, he goes off to pray in solitude.  Mark’s Gospel tells us he did this three times, each time at a defining point in his ministry. (Mark 1:35; Mark 14:32-42)
 
Jesus next calms the sea and walks upon the waters as a demonstration of the authority of the Messiah.  “This action can be fully understood only in light of the Old Testament, where God’s power to tread the waves is a sign of his sovereignty over all creation: ‘I the Lord, your Holy One…who opens a way in the sea and a path in the mighty waters' (Isaiah 43:15-16; see Job 38:16; Psalm 77:20).” [6]  As it is used in this passage, it is a formulaic utterance attributed to God: “It is I, do not be afraid!” Translated literally the identity is “I am.” The disciples are not ready to accept the meaning of these signs. “Their hearts were hardened.” They resisted the leap of faith in spite of what their eyes had seen.
 
CCC: Mk 6:46 2602
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Reflection:
 
The Church continues its celebration of the Nativity of the Lord as St. John, in the first reading, once more reflects upon the Great Commandment.  We hear the truth of the Gospel, telling us to love God and love one another – the great mantra of our faith.  As we overlay the story from St. Mark’s Gospel, we hear how the disciples, in spite of the evidence of their senses, pulled back from the truth.  The words used to describe their state of belief have been used many times before in Scripture, “their hearts were hardened.”  They reflect the stubbornness of humankind when the rational mind pushes faith out of the way.
 
In some cases, the hearts of God’s adversaries were hardened so God’s might and authority could be demonstrated, as he did with pharaoh in Exodus as Moses tried to show him the Lord’s greatness time and again.  King Zedekiah’s heart was hardened against all who tried to bring God to him (2 Chronicles 36:11-13), and King Belshazzar also rejected the call issued through Daniel (Daniel 5:20ff).  Indeed, Isaiah predicted the people of Israel would reject the Savior through a hardening of their hearts, quoted by the Lord as he lamented the fact (John 12:37-41).
 
This hardening of the heart is something we must all deal with in an ongoing way.  It is not something that happens once and passes.  No, it is in many ways like heartburn, if you will forgive the poor analogy.  When you eat too much of the wrong things it will jump up and grab you.  Hardening of the heart in some people is actually like acid reflux, something of a chronic condition.  The worst part of hardening of the heart is that its symptoms are not easily detected.  There is no sudden burning.  One day you may just feel less zeal for God, less of an emotional affinity to him.  Situations in life can create another symptom – cynicism.
 
The good news is this hardening of the heart is treatable.  A good dose of prayer, regularly administered, will keep it at bay.  And the Eucharist, taken internally on a frequent basis, does wonders.  Oh, and reading the instructions for the treatment of “hardening of the heart” is also advised.  These instructions can be found in the pages of the Bible.  Once it is recognized we can open our hearts back up to Christ and let him come in and soften those sharp edges that prevent us from doing as St. John says: loving one another and loving God.
 
Today as we consider the Lord’s closest friends and how they were affected by hardening of the heart, we pray for ourselves, that our hearts may be open and full of the love of God in His Son whose nativity we continue to celebrate with joy.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, 1633.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] NAB footnote on 1 John 4:11ff.
[5] The Navarre Bible, Revelation and Hebrews and Catholic Letters (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2003), 411.
[6] Mary Healy, The Gospel of Mark  (Baker Academic, Grand Rapids MI, © 2008),131.

Tuesday Following Epiphany

Optional Memorial for Saint André Bessette, Religious [United States]

 
Selected readings for the Memorial of St. André Bessette
 
Alternate Readings for the memorial may be taken from the Common of Holy Men and Women
 
Additional Information about St. André Bessette

“The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes”
by Tintoretto 1579-81

Readings for Tuesday after Epiphany [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading I: 1 John 4:7-10
 
Beloved, let us love one another,
because love is of God;
everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love.
In this way the love of God was revealed to us:
God sent his only-begotten Son into the world
so that we might have life through him.
In this is love:
not that we have loved God, but that he loved us
and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 4:7-10
 
This wonderful selection from St. John’s first letter is a summary of the apostle’s major contribution to our understanding of God as revealed through his Only Begotten Son. The exhortation to love one another is repeated frequently throughout the author’s Gospel and his letters. The idea that ‘God is love’ is central to our understanding of God and Christ. In this short passage we see not only a glimpse of God’s intent in sending Jesus to the world as a proof of his love for us through “expiation of our sins,” but also our own imperative as Christians to love one another in imitation of him.
 
"John begins his appeal for love, as a demand which is laid upon every believer who seeks to live as a true child of God, by reminding his readers of the dominical command to “love one another” (see John 13:34–35; 15:12, 17). Characteristically, this ethical injunction is closely linked to a supporting theological statement about the origin of love itself and of the one who loves. Theology and ethics belong together throughout 1 John." [4]
 
CCC: 1 Jn 4:8 214, 221, 733, 1604; 1 Jn 4:9 458, 516; 1 Jn 4:10 457, 604, 614, 620, 1428
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8
 
R. (see 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
The mountains shall yield peace for the people,
and the hills justice.
He shall defend the afflicted among the people,
save the children of the poor.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
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Commentary on Ps 72:1-2, 3-4, 7-8
 
Psalm 72 is one of the Royal Psalms. In this selection we hear an echo of the justice and peace of the king’s rule that is central in Isaiah’s prophecy Isaiah 11:1-10 . It is sung for the king and prays to God for wisdom, that he might be seen as dealing justly with the people and compassionately with the poor. He concludes this selection asking for God’s blessing for himself and all the people he governs. We see this psalm as a song extolling the generous and compassionate rule of the Messiah.
 
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Gospel: Mark 6:34-44
 
When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
By now it was already late and his disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already very late.
Dismiss them so that they can go
to the surrounding farms and villages
and buy themselves something to eat.”
He said to them in reply,
“Give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Are we to buy two hundred days’ wages worth of food
and give it to them to eat?”
He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.”
And when they had found out they said,
“Five loaves and two fish.”
So he gave orders to have them sit down in groups on the green grass.
The people took their places in rows by hundreds and by fifties.
Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples
to set before the people;
he also divided the two fish among them all.
They all ate and were satisfied.
And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragments
and what was left of the fish.
Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.
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Commentary on Mk 6:34-44
 
The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle of Jesus that is presented in all four gospels. The reason for that may be that it was seen as anticipating the Eucharist and the final banquet in the kingdom (Matthew 8:11; 26:29). However, it looks not only forward but backward in history.  It is also an image of the feeding of Israel with manna in the desert at the time of the exodus (Exodus 16), a miracle that in some Jewish expectation would be repeated in the messianic age. It may also be meant to recall Elisha's feeding a hundred men with small provisions (2 Kings 4:42-44).
 
We note the numeric symbolism used in St. Mark’s account, the five loaves and two fish combined to give seven, the most complete number. The fragments collected at the conclusion of the meal fill twelve baskets, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. The Gospel author’s audience, which was predominately Jewish, would have seen the story as a fulfillment of the historical tradition from which they came.
 
CCC: Mk 6:38 472
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Reflection:
 
Consider for a moment the love of Christ.  As St. John says, it is not that we love him, but that he loves us.  By Jesus’ will he left behind the complete peace that is his, in union with the Heavenly Father, and became man.  He became man with all its difficulties and pain.  He assumed the human shell that is subject to all the elements of weather, environment, and disease.  He accepted the human condition that feels the mental hurt of rejection and the physical hurt of wounds inflicted by sadistic torturers (even those he loved).  All of this he assumed along with flesh so that we could come to understand that God loves us and cares for us.
 
We see, as an example of his love for us, the story of the feeding of the multitudes from the Gospel of St. Mark.  The reason Jesus fed all those who had followed him was not simply as some demonstration of his power.  He did not violate the laws of physics so everyone would know that he had power over the elements (and them).  St. Mark tells us at the very onset of the story: “When Jesus saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them.”  Was this pity because they came out without food and were hungry?  No, it was because “they were like sheep without a shepherd.”
 
They were searching for leadership, for someone to guide them, for someone who loved them.  What they were searching for cannot be clearer.  It was not another person to tell them what to do or how to behave.  They were a subjugated people, under the harsh rule of the Roman Empire.  In addition, they were under the rule of their religious leaders who had yet another set of rules for them to follow.  If they violated the Roman rule they would be imprisoned or even killed. If they violated the rules set down for them by the scribes and Pharisees, they would be shunned and punished by God whom they understood as a God of vengeance and justice.  No, the people were not looking for someone to lead them in that way.  They already had enough leaders in the civil sense.
 
So if the people were not looking for that type of leadership, what were they seeking?  The same thing many people seek today but cannot quite put it into words.  They were seeking hope, encouragement, and love.  That is what they find in Jesus; that is why he fed them in that deserted place.  That is why he feeds us in the secular world, where we are deserted, with hope and caring.  In this miraculous act he answers the unspoken question: where can we find hope, where can we find love?
 
Today, as we still marvel at the Lord’s incarnation, we also marvel at the incomprehensible love that his act of will demonstrated as he came to us to feed us and give us hope.
 
Pax
 

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[1] The picture is “The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes” by Tintoretto 1579-81.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] Stephen S. Smalley, 1, 2, 3 John, vol. 51, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1984), 236.

Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop

Monday Following Epiphany

 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. John Neuman  

Biographical Information about St. John Neumann

 

“St. John Neumann”
photographer and date are unknown

Readings for Monday following Epiphany [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: 1 John 3:22–4:6
 
Beloved:
We receive from him whatever we ask,
because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.
And his commandment is this:
we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another just as he commanded us.
Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them,
and the way we know that he remains in us
is from the Spirit whom he gave us.
 
Beloved, do not trust every spirit
but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God,
because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
This is how you can know the Spirit of God:
every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh
belongs to God,
and every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus
does not belong to God.
This is the spirit of the antichrist
who, as you heard, is to come,
but in fact is already in the world.
You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them,
for the one who is in you
is greater than the one who is in the world.
They belong to the world;
accordingly, their teaching belongs to the world,
and the world listens to them.
We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us,
while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us.
This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit.
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Commentary on 1 Jn 3:22–4:6
 
The ending of Chapter 3 from St. John’s first epistle speaks of Christians living a life of faith in Jesus, and how, in that faith, they are assured, through mutual love, that we are in the Lord and the Lord also resides in us. When we adhere to this most important of his commandments, the Lord becomes indwelling. As a consequence of our obedience, the love of Christ and love of each other naturally follows.
 
The beginning of Chapter 4 (“Beloved, do not trust every spirit”) returns to the central theme of St. John’s letter, “false teachers.” “Deception is possible in spiritual phenomena and may be tested by its relation to Christian doctrine (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:3): those who fail to acknowledge Jesus Christ in the flesh are false prophets and belong to the antichrist. Even though these false prophets are well received in the world, the Christian who belongs to God has a greater power in the truth.” [4]
 
CCC: 1 Jn 3:19-24 2845; 1 Jn 3:22 2631; 1 Jn 4 2822; 1 Jn 4:2-3 465; 1 Jn 4:2 423, 463; 1 Jn 4:3 672
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 2:7bc-8, 10-12a
 
R. (8ab) I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.
 
The Lord said to me, “You are my Son;
this day I have begotten you.
Ask of me and I will give you
the nations for an inheritance
and the ends of the earth for your possession.”
R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.
 
And now, O kings, give heed;
take warning, you rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice before him;
with trembling rejoice.
R. I will give you all the nations for an inheritance.
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Commentary on Ps 2:7bc-8, 10-12a
 
Psalm 2 is one of the Royal Psalms. In this passage we are reminded that God has adopted us as his sons and daughters. The language used is the formal adoption language of the time. The second strophe gives force to the service to God required by that adoption.
 
CCC:  Ps 2:7-8 2606; Ps 2:7 441, 653, 2836
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Gospel: Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25
 
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,
in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet
might be fulfilled:
 
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
the people who sit in darkness
have seen a great light,
on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death
light has arisen.
 
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
 
He went around all of Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness among the people.
His fame spread to all of Syria,
and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases
and racked with pain,
those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics,
and he cured them.
And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea,
and from beyond the Jordan followed him.
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Commentary on Mt 4:12-17, 23-25

The events in this Gospel passage take place just following Jesus’ trial in the desert. St. John the Baptist has accomplished his mission in baptizing Jesus and has been arrested. Jesus must now do the work he was sent to do.  He turns his back on his persecutors and makes his home in Capernaum. He then takes up his mission, proclaiming the kingdom of God. As happens so many times in God’s plan, when the enemy of truth strikes a blow, it often has unintended positive consequences.  In this case, striking at St. John, the enemy opens the door and “the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light.” The people of the north now receive the Good News as a result. [5]

The Gospel quotes Isaiah (Isaiah 8:22-9:1) to emphasize that the messianic mission and prophecy are being fulfilled. The key elements of the mission are laid out as he reveals God’s love. These elements are teaching, proclaiming the gospel (the Good News of the kingdom of God), and healing.
 
The summary provided serves as an introduction to the Sermon on the Mount which follows in the next section. Omitted from this part of the Gospel, in verses 18-22, is the call of the first disciples.
 
CCC: Mt 4:17 1720, 1989; Mt 4:24 1503
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Reflection:
 
We have, to be somewhat clichéd, “seen the light.”  The guiding star, that morning star that never sets, has led the magi to the manger. Light has burst upon the world as the Savior is worshiped by the contingent of Gentile leaders representing the entire non-Jewish world.
 
The Scripture provided today catapults us forward in time to the period immediately following the Lord’s trial in the desert, which in turn followed his baptism by the Baptist in the Jordan.  We are told that John the Baptist was arrested.  In all of the Gospels, this is like a starter’s pistol going off.  From that moment, the Lord begins his spectacular, but short, public ministry.  For those reading this story for the first time, the fate of John the Baptist would feel like a warning of things to come for Jesus, and they would be right.  Some of the same forces that snatched John away from his ministry of calling the people to repentance would later be marshaled against Jesus himself. 
 
Jesus recognizes the meaning of the arrest of John the Baptist by Herod Antipas.  The prophecy of Isaiah (Isaiah 8:22-23) and God’s plan come together. He understands his ministry must be fulfilled, and so, turns his back on his persecutors fleeing to the north and the result is the light comes to those regions. As we will see so many times, the enemy’s attempt to destroy the light only results in its spread.
 
What message do we take away from this flow of events?  We are still rejoicing in the warmth of Christmas and recharged in the Epiphany.  The season is not over yet.  The Baptism of the Lord which we will celebrate next Sunday actually launches us into Ordinary (extraordinary) Time.
 
Perhaps we would best look at St. John’s first letter for a more pragmatic instruction.  He makes it clear that our call is to be faithful to the first and greatest commandment of Jesus: Love God and love one another.  Anyone who tells us that this is not the most important imperative of our lives is leading us down dark paths.  And in this season of joy, St. John once more reminds us that the one who came from the virgin’s womb came so that the love of God might be revealed through him.  In that love, demonstrated so clearly in the mission summarized by Saint Matthew, we see not only our call but our hope. 
 
Today let us rededicate ourselves to the mission of Christ who came to show the love of God to the world.  Let us be instruments of that love and echo the Lord’s divine revelation to all we meet.
 
Pax

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[1] The picture is “St. John Neumann” photographer and date are unknown.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] NAB footnote on 1 John 4:1-6.
[5] Leiva-Merikakis, Erasmo, Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word Volume 1: Meditations on the Gospel According to St. Matthew (Ignatius Press. Kindle Edition), 185.

The Epiphany of the Lord

Catechism Links [1]
 
CCC 528, 724: the Epiphany
CCC 280, 529, 748, 1165, 2466, 2715: Christ the light of the nations
CCC 60, 442, 674, 755, 767, 774-776, 781, 831: the Church, sacrament of human unity

“Adoration of the Magi”
by Cristofano Llori, 1610-11

 
Readings for the Feast of the Epiphany [2]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [3]
 
Readings and Commentary: [4]
 
Reading I: Isaiah 60:1-6
 
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the Lord shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
 
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the Lord.
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Commentary on Is 60:1-6
 
The Church sees, in the images of Isaiah’s prophecy, symbols of her universality in this section of a hymn envisioning a completely restored and radiant Jerusalem. We hear echoes of Isaiah’s prophetic vision of the coming of Christ and what that means. (“See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the Lord shines, and over you appears his glory.”) Verses 5 and 6 give clear reference to the arrival of the magi as the prophet envisions the gifts of gold and frankincense being brought from the East in praise of the Lord.
 
"Today, the wise man finds lying in a manger the One he had searched for as a brilliant light shining among the stars. Today, the wise man sees wrapped in swaddling clothes the One he long sought to find, unveiled, in the heavens. Today, to his great surprise, the wise man discerns in what he studies: heaven on earth, earth in the heavens, man in God, and God in man; what the whole universe could not contain inhabits the body of a child. And seeing all this, he believes and doubts no more; and he announces it to all, using his mystical powers: incense for God, gold for the King, and myrrh for the One who will die. Today, the Gentile who was once last is first, because the faith of the wise man sanctifies the belief of all the peoples" (St Peter Chrysologus, "Sermones", 160).[5]
 
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
 
R (cf. 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king’s son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
 
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
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Commentary on Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
 
Psalm 72 is one of the Royal Psalms. The psalmist exhorts God to bless the king and his dynasty ("and with your justice, the king’s son"). References are made to messianic peace which will be a perpetual blessing for a land ruled by God's justice. In the third strophe, the singer describes kings bringing gifts, and finally in the fourth strophe we see another image of the messianic kingdom of peace and justice: care for the poor. Seen in the context of the incarnation of the Messiah, the song is prophetic, announcing the coming Savior and providing an early image of the magi.
 
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Reading II: Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
 
Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
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Commentary on Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6
 
Paul, in his Letter to the Ephesians, makes reference to the revelation by God of his Only Begotten Son through various means to all peoples. He mentions specifically that the apostles and prophets have been led to enlightenment by the Holy Spirit and now the Gentiles are also led (see Acts 9:15). The reference traces the predictive revelation from the prophets who foresaw the coming of the Messiah, to the apostles who walked with him, to Paul whose mission to the Gentiles fulfills the global mission of Jesus.
 
The Old Testament revealed that the nations would be blessed, but it remained unclear how this would take place (Genesis 22:16-18; Sirach 44:21; Isaiah 49:6; Zechariah 2:11). It was also not clear before the proclamation of the Gospel whether the Gentiles would be saved on an equal footing with Israel (Galatians 3:28; Colossians 3:11). [6]
 
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Gospel: 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.
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Commentary on Mt 2:1-12
 
Matthew's Gospel tells the story of the magi (whom tradition holds were named Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar) coming to pay homage to Jesus. The story holds significance not only as a principal event in the life of Jesus, but also as a symbol of the Lord’s universal revelation. Scripture and tradition teach that the magi were from Persia and were not Hebrew. Their participation in the revelation of the Messiah provides a global element to the coming of Christ.
 
Scriptural references would have held importance for the Jewish readers of St. Matthew’s Gospel. They would have recognized the reference to “his star at its rising” as being a reference to Numbers 24:17; his star rising from Jacob – a reference to the coming of the Davidic king – the Messiah. The Gospel supports this idea, citing Micah 5:1-3 which in turn is coupled with 2 Samuel 5:2, confirming the kingship of the coming Messiah.
 
While this story provides depth and meaning to the coming of Christ as a universal symbol of salvation, it also sets the stage for other events in the life of Jesus. Had Herod not been made aware of the prophecy, he would not later have dispatched his solders to Bethlehem to slaughter the Holy Innocents, and Joseph would not have been forced to flee to Egypt with a babe in arms.
 
CCC: Mt 2:1-12 486; Mt 2:1 528; Mt 2:2 439, 528; Mt 2:4-6 528; Mt 2:11 724
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Reflection:
 
The word “epiphany” has a number of definitions (one of which is the feast we are celebrating today).  In most cases, the word means a sudden revelation or miraculous personal insight – in short, an intuitive leap.  Today the whole history of Jesus gets validated by the visit from Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, the three wise men from the East.  When we translate the early Greek description of their trek, we find the simple statement: Εϊδομεν…χαί ήλθομεν “We saw … and we came.” [7]
 
These ancient wise men did what scientists today do not do.  They saw the star, a bright light in the heavens and understood what it was and wanted to know why it was so important.  They were searchers for the truth and in that small light, they discovered the light that transforms the world.
 
“In these pagans we encounter a perfect unity between patient science and moral justice that offers a permanent example to us Christians: the wise man seeks truth, and when he finds it, he does not hesitate to adore it, to subject himself to it.” [8]
 
They were not taken in by King Herod, whose frantic attempt to discover the Christ’s location caused them to distrust the man and his motives.  While he professed to believe in the kingship of Jesus, it was clear to them that he was afraid of a challenge to his petty authority.  Remember he was but a petty king, a puppet of the Roman Empire.
 
They continued their journey and found the light they sought.  We can only imagine, after this long and arduous journey, their joy in discovering Jesus in the arms of his mother, the king upon his first throne: he who was to proclaim the love of God the Father, in the arms of the mother of God. 
 
Their reaction tells us they knew what they saw.  “They prostrated themselves and did him homage.” Think of that! Three noble magi with their retinue come to a stable and, in supplication to an infant, they lie down on the floor, a floor covered with the detritus of a working barn.  What revelation was so strong that it not only brought them far from their homes, at great expense, without any clear picture of what they were to find and caused them to prostrate themselves in abject worship to an infant child in the arms of his mother.
 
In this example we find the true meaning of our modern Christmas.  The incarnation of Jesus: the Son of God chose to come to us in a weak and vulnerable form that we might understand the true face of God. He did not come as the Jews expected, in shining armor with a sword in his hand to cast out the Roman oppressors.  He came as an infant child, bathed in the love of his earthly parents.  Was it this intense image of incredible love that caused Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar to prostrate themselves in adoration?  For most of us who have faith in the Lord, we have all wished at some point that we could have been there with them.
 
Now comes the hard question for all of us, separated from that glorious event by over two thousand years.  Jesus came in humility and throughout his time as a human person, he expressed the love of God for all those around him.  He proclaimed that his mission was to announce the Kingdom of God.  This was the mission he left to his disciples, the apostles.  They in their turn passed the mission to the Church and the Church passes that mission to us – missionary disciples.
 
The “Epiphany” is the revelation through faith that the Christ, the Messiah, has offered all God’s children a place in the kingdom of God.  How do we accept that mission?
 
This is not a casual question.  First, we must form ourselves. That means putting some tools in our Christian tool kit. This means (and we can put this into our “New Year’s resolution" list) education and practice.  There is no way around this; it takes effort, not just a thought: “Gee, I really should do this.”  Compared with losing weight and other commitments we make at this time of year, this is more important. 
 
By educating ourselves about discipleship principles, we automatically become more prone to peace. Any doctor will tell you this is great for your blood pressure and will actually add years to your life.  There will also grow a sense of joy and serenity as we come to understand that we walk with the Lord and he is there to help and guide us. And when we practice what we have learned, our spiritual stamina will grow and build upon itself.
 
There is another story that, while fictional, exemplifies the principles of discipleship. The Story of the Other Wise Man is a short novel or long short story by Henry van Dyke published in 1895. In this story, without giving a lot of detail, there is a fourth “king” who comes late to the caravan of Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar.  He finds they have already departed, following the star and he must follow on his own with his own great gift for the Savior. After finding a number of people along the way who are in desperate need of help, he ends up selling off his precious gift to help them, arriving late and with no gift to give Jesus. His gift, like ours, was his journey.  It was a journey exemplifying our Lord’s Greatest Commandment – “Love one another.”
 
We have accepted the Epiphany of the Lord.  We have accepted in faith the mission handed on to us from Jesus to the apostles, to the Church and to us.  It is a new year; we owe it to ourselves and to our God to accept his mission as our own.
 
Pax
 

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[1] Catechism links are taken from the Homiletic Directory, Published by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 29 June 2014.
[2] The picture is “Adoration of the Magi” by Cristofano Llori, 1610-11.
[3] S.S. Commemoratio
[4] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[5] The Navarre Bible, Major Prophets (Scepter Publishers, Princeton, NJ, © 2002), 261.
[6] Ignatius Catholic Study Bible (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA. © 2010), 348.
[7] Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy Heart of the Word Volume I (Ignatius Press, San Francisco, CA, © 1996), 74.
[8] Ibid.