Homily for the Week of January 6, 2013

EPIPHANY OF THE LORD:2013 AS WE HAVE LISTENED TO THE READINGS FOR THIS EPIPHANY, WE MIGHT WELL ASK OURSELVES THE QUESTION: WHO WERE THE MAGI?. WHAT WAS THE STAR? HOW DID A STAR LEAD THE MAGI TO BETHLEHEM SINCE STARS DON’T MOVE? OF ALL THE STORIES IN THE FOUR GOSPELS NONE IS STRANGER THAN TODAY'S STORY OF THREE MAGI FROM THE EAST WHO SET OUT TO FOLLOW A STAR. These three who came from the East were men of science and astronomers, They had studied the movement of the stars and planets. In the year 7 B.C. there was a coming together of the planets Jupiter and Venus, and later of Jupiter and Saturn. This would not occur again for 800 years. This occurrence was significant enough to make these astronomers believe that an important ruler was to appear in Palestine. They set out on their journey expecting to find the king whose star they were following. But there was already a king in Palestine, by the name of Herod who was suspicious of anyone who would try to take over. In fact, he had done away with his wife, her two sons, and his own son because he was afraid they would take over from him. Yet it would be natural for foreign visitors such as the Magi to go to the King to ask him if he knew of anything unusual that had taken place. So he ask that if they find Jesus they come back to tell him so that he might go to worship him -- which was a lie. Nevertheless, Herod ordered the killing of all young children so that he might include Jesus. The Magi’s search ended when they found "THE CHILD JESUS WITH MARY HIS MOTHER. When they found Jesus they had to separate science from the mystery of faith. As scientists they could explain the stars and planets; but as faith seekers, they had to depend on the mysteries of God. THE MAGI WERE SEARCHERS. THEY WERE NOT CONTENT WITH ROUTINE LIFE AS THEY FOUND IT. THEY WANTED MORE. THEY WERE WILLING TO BREAK WITH ROUTINE, AND TO SET OUT ON WHAT SEEMED TO BE A FOOL'S ERRAND. . WE TOO, LIKE THE MAGI, ARE SEARCHERS. WE SEEK ANSWERS TO THE MYSTERIES OF LIFE. IF THIS LIFE IS GOD'S PLAN WHY DOES HE PERMIT PAIN AND SUFFERING; WHY SO MUCH INJUSTICE IN THE WORLD; HOW CAN WE MASTER THE FORCES WITHIN US THAT AT TIMES PULL US DOWN AND DESTROY OUR INNER PEACE; FORCES SUCH AS ENVY, HATRED, RESENTMENTS, PRIDE. TOO OFTEN IN OUR SEARCH FOR ANSWERS WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE FOUND THE ANSWERS, BUT DISCOVER THAT THERE ARE STILL MORE QUESTIONS. THE MAGI WERE ALSO DISCOVERERS. THEY CONTINUED THEIR SEARCH DESPITE DISCOURAGEMENT AND SETBACKS. AND IN THE END THEY WERE REWARDED. THEY FOUND THE ONE THEY WERE LOOKING FOR. THEY REJOICED WHEN THEY FOUND HIM, AND LATER ON JESUS, THE ONE THEY FOUND, WOULD TALK ABOUT THE HAPPINESS IN FINDING SOMETHING, HE WOULD TELL ABOUT THE JOY OF THE SHEPHERD WHO FOUND THE LOST SHEEP; THE JOY OF THE WOMAN AT FINDING A LOST COIN; THE JOY OF THE LABORER FINDING IN THE FIELD AN UNSUSPECTING TREASURE; THE JOY OF FINDING A PEARL SO LARGE THAT IT MADE ALL THE OTHERS LOOK SMALL IN COMPARISON. IN ALL OF THESE CASES THE JOY OF DISCOVERY WAS THE RESULT OF LONG AND TIRING SEARCHES. AND THE MAGI WERE WORSHIPERS. WE ARE TOLD THAT THEY "GOT ON THEIR KNEES AND DID HIM HOMAGE. THEN THEY OPENED THEIR TRAVELING BAGS, THEY EACH PRESENTED JESUS WITH THE MOST PRECIOUS AND MOST COSTLY THING THEY POSSESSED. THEY BROUGHT THREE GIFTS -- GIFTS WHICH MOST PERSONS WOULD BRING IF THEY MET A KING. GOLD WAS FOR A KING; INCENSE WAS THE GIFT FOR A PRIEST, AND MYRRH WAS A SIGN OF SUFFERING AND DEATH SINCE IT WAS USED TO ANOINT THE DEAD THE END OF THE SEARCH IS NEITHER THE FINDING NOR THE JOY, BUT WORSHIP. IT MEANS FORGETTING OURSELVES, TO ENTRUST OURSELVES TO THE ONE WHO IS GREATER THAN THE GREATEST OUR MINDS CAN CONCEIVE, BUT YET WHO IS PRESENT IN THE SMALLEST AND WEAKEST OF US ALL. FOR MANY OF US OUR FIRST REAL ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS MAY BE A DISTANT MEMORY OF A FIRST COMMUNION, A CONFIRMATION, A READING OF A PART OF THE BIBLE THAT LEFT OUR HEARTS BURNING WITH CONVICTION. IS IT POSSIBLE TODAY, ANY DAY, TO RELIVE THAT HEARTFELT CONVICTION TELLING US THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE KNOWN JESUS NOTHING WILL EVER BE THE SAME? SO WHO ARE THE MAGI? THEY ARE OUR FELLOW TRAVELERS ON THE ROAD OF LIFE. YOU AND I ARE WISE WHEN WE ARE NOT CONTENT WITH LIFE AS IT IS; WE ARE WILLING TO BREAK WITH ROUTINE TO SEARCH ANSWERS TO LIFE'S MYSTERIES; WE WHO REFUSE TO ADMIT THAT LIFE IS MEANINGLESS, BUT CONTINUE TO SEARCH DESPITE ALL DIFFICULTIES AND DISCOURAGEMENT'S. WISE MEN AND WOMEN ARE WE WHEN WE PERSEVERE IN OUR SEARCH UNTIL IT ENDS IN JOY, AND THAT JOY GIVES WAY TO WORSHIP.