Looking out at the dark sky on a starry night is an incredible spectacle. It is beyond comprehension to think that God chose our little planet in this galaxy to send his son, a babe, as the light of the world. Afterall, the scene on this Epiphany is puzzling. So much is going on behind the scenes of the Manifestation of the Christ Child to the Magi.
It is like CSI Judea. King Herod hears there is a newborn king and one coming from the Jews. He is troubled. Anxious. His investigation immediately begins.
-He then got all of the chief priests together and the scribes and asked where this Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem of Judea” Right in his backyard. How threatening is that? Then he called a secret meeting with the Magi to find out the child’s exact location and to do a reconnaissance search for this new king. He was a bit paranoid to say the least. He was expecting a full report and what he got instead was a royal snubbing. The Magi were warned not to report to the king and they sneaked back into their own country by a clandestine route. This enraged the King who eventually decided to kill all first born males in the census year. But Christ who is the light to the world, the star that never grows dim shined brilliantly for all to see. Not even a rival king like Herod who was taken with worldly things could darken this magnificent light, a light that no darkness could ever extinguish.
This feast of Epiphany celebrates just that: The Manifestation of the Christ Child as the light to all nations, even to the Magi from afar. In a darkened world the light of our savior, our king dispels all evil from the world. He uproots selfishness, pride, absolute power, and prejudice. To bring in the light of kindness, the light of humility, the light of sacrifice, the light of acceptance, the light of joy and the light of eternal salvation. This is indeed, one of my favorite feast days of the year.
Once again, I thank God for the great opportunity to serve you and to bring the light of Christ into your hearts. Every time I Baptized your children the light of Christ came into their hearts for the very first time. When I heard your Confessions, the light of Christ dispelled sin from your souls. In giving First Eucharist to your children I witnessed the glow of God’s presence in their faces. Watching the young people grow and become Confirmed allowed me to experience the flame of God’s Spirit inspire them with hope. Joining couples in Marriage gave me the joy of seeing two people be united in the light of Christ’s love. Anointing your loved one’s near death gave me a glimpse of the light of Christ’s everlasting life. Celebrating the funerals of many members of this parish family and my own, taught me to appreciate the fragility of life and the awesome reality that Christ conquers even death, so that His light will prevail in eternity.
Having the privilege of serving you these past four and a half years and listening and attending to your many needs, my advice to you is: Continue to be Christ’s Light for one another, to be the welcoming light that you are to newcomers to the parish, to be the light of Christ for those who are poor and needy, to be the light of Christ to those who mourn, to be the light of Christ to the sick and lonely, to be the light of Christ to the lost and unbelievers, to be the light of Christ in His Eucharistic presence that you carry out these doors of St. Agnes.
***MAY WE ALWAYS PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER THAT HIS LIGHT MAY SHINE OUT FOR ALL THE WOLRD TO SEE.
Fr. Mark
Mon, Jan 16, 2012
Weekly Homily