Magi from the East

                                    Epiphany of the Lord

                                   

Adoration of the Magi
Assumption church
Fairfield, CT*
Click to enlarge

Today we celebrate the great feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. Epiphany is a Greek word which means manifestation or appearance.  Traditionally, the story of the "magi from the east" has been seen as a sign of the manifestation of the Lord to all nations.

Today's first reading from the Prophet Isaiah with its mention of caravans of camels and dromedaries bearing gold and frankincense has from the earliest days of the Church been associated with the story of the Three Kings or Wise Men. Today's gospel account from St. Matthew only tells us that "magi from the east" followed the star "to the place where the child was." It doesn't say that there were three of them, or that they were kings. But  tradition and art have added the familiar features to the story.  

We have three kings probably because of the three gifts--gold, frankincense, and myrrh--which are associated with royalty. In art one of the Kings is usually portrayed as an old man, another is middle aged, while the third is young and beardless. They symbolize all the ages of mankind. Tradition called them wise men because the word magi came to mean "magician", or one familiar with the secrets and mysteries of nature. It is common to think of them as astronomers or astrologers because of the famous star that they followed to Bethlehem.

Although legends have embellished the story of the Magi, there is an historical core to their story. There were, after all, "magi" in the East. The members of the ruling priestly class of the Persian empire to the east of Palestine had for centuries been called "magi." They would have been familiar with the Hebrew scriptures and prophecies because so many Jews had emigrated to Persia in the centuries before Christ. Their journey to Bethlehem would have been over a thousand miles but it would have followed established and frequently traveled trade routes.

The reaction of King Herod to their news certainly fits what history has told us about that cruel despot. In those days it was common for rulers to kill anyone who might be a potential threat to their crown. Herod murdered his favorite wife--he had ten--and five of his own sons when he suspected that they were plotting against him. The slaughter of the Innocents which St. Matthew describes a little later in this chapter is certainly in line with Herod's character.

What is the importance of the visit of the Magi? Why is the Feast of the Epiphany one of the greatest in the Church's calendar?

We know that after the Resurrection of our Lord the first converts to Christianity, even the Apostles themselves, had difficulty in understanding that the mission of our Lord was not just to the Jews. There was a great debate in the early Church where some argued that Gentiles had to convert to Judaism before they could be Christian. In St. Paul's epistles we see that this issue centered around the question of circumcision, that particular rite which signified one's membership in the nation of Israel.

In fact the very first Council of the Church was held at Jerusalem precisely to discuss this very issue. There St. Paul, inspired by his own vision of the Lord, argued that the message of Christ was for all mankind. As he says in today's reading from the Letter to the Ephesians,

            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...

For Paul the Messiah promised to the Jews was to be in Isaiah's words a light to all nations. We will see next week that St. Peter, as observant a Jew as St. Paul, will have his own vision in which he sees that what God has created no man can call unclean. Perhaps it is only after the question had been decided that the early Christians began to reexamine the words and life of Jesus for new meaning.

He came to call sinners. He cured the Roman centurion's servant. The Sermon on the Mount did not mention race, creed, or color. He praised the Good Samaritan and insisted that the foreigner was more a neighbor to the beaten Jewish traveler than his countrymen who passed him by on the road to Jericho.

They even discovered an incident at the very beginning of our Lord's earthly life which indicated that He had come as a light to all the nations. The "Magi" had come from the East to bring Him gifts and do Him homage. On the other hand, the despised ruler of the Jews had only sought to put Him to death. Apparently, Herod and his advisers couldn't even see the star that led the "Magi" to the child.

The Christmas season comes to an end with Epiphany. The twelve days of Christmas are completed. Next week, we will begin to follow Jesus as He begins His public life. We will have a whole year to find Him on His way to Jerusalem. A few years ago I found a wonderful Christmas card which said simply,

            Wise men still seek Him.

Reading 1. Isaiah 60: 1-6

Reading II. Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6

Gospel. Matthew 2: 1-12 (Magi from the East). ###

*Photo by Melissa DeStefano

Finding in the Temple

Finding in the Temple:
Assumption Church
Fairfield, CT

 Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph          

It is appropriate that we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family right after Christmas. Not only do we continue the narrative of the infancy of Christ but also at no time do families come closer together than at Christmas. However, there is a dark side. We all know that the Christmas season can strain and test family relationships.

Today's first reading from the Book of Sirach can be summed up in the great commandment to "honor thy father and mother." It would do us well to pay close attention to Sirach's words. He tells us that the authority of a father and mother come from God, and that it is ingrained in all of us. We would call it today a part of our genetic makeup. To depart from this practice violates our very nature and will only result in bitterness and unhappiness. 

In our time when so many of our parents can no longer take care of themselves, the words of Sirach are more important than ever.

            My son, take care of your father when he is old;

            grieve him not as long as he lives.

            Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him;

            revile him not all the days of his life.

In our culture the roles of father and mother have come increasingly under attack. Television and movies usually portray fathers as ignorant simpletons or as brutal abusers. This only reflects a culture where men casually urge their girl friends or wives to abort their own children. That men should act as guardians and protectors of their wives and children is now regarded as old fashioned and laughable.

In today’s gospel St. Luke tells the poignant and significant story of the Finding of the child Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem. This familiar story reminds us of the Bar Mitzvah ritual that every Jewish boy must go through as he enters manhood. In preparation for the great event the young man must master a passage in Scripture, and after much study read and expound it in front of the congregation. His dedication to the Law or Teaching means that he has become a member of the community. Nevertheless, St. Luke tells us that Jesus  still remained obedient to Joseph and Mary.  

The role of father and mother is also the central theme of our passage today from St. Paul's letter to the Colossians. How are we to understand this reading especially that controversial passage where St. Paul says, "Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord."

We could say that Paul, like so many of his contemporaries, was a "sexist" who thought that women were second-class citizens. We could also say that since Paul never married, he knew nothing about the actual relationship of a man and a woman in marriage or the way they would arrange responsibility in a household even then.

However, we could also say that Paul was dealing in this passage with a very practical problem that had arisen in the early Christian churches, especially among the Gentiles. It would appear that the new faith was especially attractive to women. Scholars tell us that in pagan families it was often the woman who first converted to Christianity, and then subsequently brought their husbands and families into the fold. This is not unusual even in our time.

However, there were cases where the husband would not convert, and women in this situation wondered what to do. Should they stay with their pagan husbands or should they leave? Paul always urges them to remain faithful to their marriage vows. He knew that there was no social safety net for these women outside of marriage but he also argued that they would be better able to bring their husbands and families to believe by remaining married.

Finally, I think we could say that St. Paul is preaching a revolutionary new doctrine here. For a minute, let's concentrate on his advice to the men. "Husbands, love your wives." It is hard for us to realize that in the ancient world, love of a husband for his wife was not the ideal. Our idea of a young couple falling in love and dedicating their whole lives to one another was an alien idea in the ancient world. At that time and for centuries after, marriages were arranged between families. A young woman or girl might only meet her future husband, often an older man, for the first time at their engagement. A woman was little more than a child-bearing machine. If she could not bear children, her husband was obligated to divorce her. As far as romantic feeling or sexual pleasure was concerned, a man usually found that outside of the bonds of matrimony.

Despite today's popular opinion, Christianity elevated the role of women not only in society but also in the eyes of her husband. St. Paul understands the teaching of Christ to mean that Christian men must give up their whole lives for their wives and families, a rare thing in any time. Look at the first part of today's reading. St. Paul is telling the Colossians and us to put on virtue in the same way we would put on a suit of clothes. The relationship in a family should consist of "heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." A family built on these virtues won't have to worry about who's the boss.

Today's feast is not just about "The Holy Family" but it’s about making our families holy.

            And over all these put on love,

            that is, the bond of perfection.

            And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,...

Reading 1. Sirach 3: 2-6, 12-14

Reading II. Colossians 3: 12-21

Gospel. Luke 2: 41-52 (in my Father’s House)           

Christmas Story

                                  

                                   

Giorgione: Adoration of the Shepherds

Christmas Vigil

Reading 1. Isaiah 62: 1-5

Reading II. Acts 13: 16-17, 22-25

Gospel. Matthew 1:1-25 (Genealogy of Jesus Christ).

Christmas Midnight

Reading 1. Isaiah 9: 1-6

Reading II. Titus 2: 11-14

Gospel. Luke 2: 1-14 (she gave birth).

Christmas Dawn

Reading 1. Isaiah 62: 11-12

Reading II. Titus 3: 4-7

Gospel. Luke 2: 15-20 (the shepherds).

Christmas Day

Reading 1. Isaiah 52: 7-10

Reading II. Hebrews 1: 1-6

Gospel. John 1: 1-18 (the Word was with God).

There are four Masses that we could attend on Christmas. There is the Vigil Mass celebrated in the afternoon on Christmas Eve. Then there is the Midnight Mass. There is a Mass celebrated at dawn. Finally, there is the Mass for Christmas day. Each Mass has a different set of readings and so unless we get to church real early and read them all in the missalette, we will never hear the whole story.

All of the Masses begin with a joyful, exuberant reading from the prophet Isaiah. The reading from the Midnight Mass is typical:

            The people who walked in darkness

            have seen a great light;

            upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom

            a light has shone.

In the gospels we hear the story of the birth of Christ as told by St. Matthew and St. Luke. Little by little the characters in the Nativity scene are introduced. In the vigil Mass on Christmas eve, Matthew presents us with Mary and Joseph and tells us of Joseph's decision to take Mary into his house after finding her pregnant. In the Midnight Mass we find the stable and the manger, and the angels appear to the shepherds. At dawn, the shepherds go down to Bethlehem to find the child "lying in the manger." Finally, the gospel on Christmas Day is the famous beginning of the gospel of John, where John tries to explain the significance of the great event.

            In the beginning was the Word,

            and the Word was with God,

            and the Word was God.

No matter what Mass we attend all the readings testify that something unique and earth shattering occurred 2000 years ago. From Isaiah to John we hear that at that moment the darkness was pierced by a shaft of light and that because this tiny shaft of light entered the world, the world would never be the same.

Years ago I remember reading a novel by a little known Russian author about a day in the life of a prisoner in a Soviet concentration or prison camp. The book was written by a man who had himself spent 20 years in camps such as the one he described. He wrote the book secretly while in prison on little scraps of paper which had to be carefully hidden from the watchful eyes of the prison guards. The book was called "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovitch" and its author was Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who would go on to become one of the greatest authors of the 20th century.

When Solzhenitsyn's book first appeared, it was like a shaft of light cutting through the darkness of the vast Soviet empire. Until that time there were still those who defended that empire as a noble undertaking, or as the dawn of a new era in human history. Once the light appeared it exposed the rottenness, corruption, and brutality of that regime. The world would never be the same. Twenty years later the whole edifice came crumbling down.

Whatever Mass we attend today the readings all say the same--the light has come into the world and the world will never be the same. For each of us this Christmas it can be the same. A light can come into our hearts and we might never be the same. In the Vigil Mass we heard how Joseph after his dream, "did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home." For each of us who will take Mary and her child into their house this Christmas there is the possibility that our world will never be the same.

On Christmas the story begins. We'll hear the rest of the story in the weeks and months to come.

Fairfield, CT

Christmas Drama: Prologue

                                  

                                    

Chartres: The Visitation

Today is the last Sunday in Advent. Christmas is just around the corner. We can sense it in today’s first reading from the prophet Micah that sets the stage, so to speak, for the drama or play to come. The setting is Bethlehem, the little town outside of Jerusalem. We all know the lovely carol, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Here are Micah’s words:

You, Bethlehem—Ephrathah

Too small to be among the clans of Judah,

From you shall come forth for meOne who is to be ruler in Israel… 

So, Bethlehem, the insignificant little town, will be the stage on which the drama is played.

Today’s gospel account of the Virgin Mary’s visit to her elder kinswoman, Elizabeth, does remind biblical commentators of a dramatic presentation, a sacred musical. One scholar calls the infancy account “a play consisting of two main parts…the annunciation scenes and the birth scenes.” The plural “scenes” is used because St. Luke’s account contrasts the story of the birth of John the Baptist with that of Jesus.

The first chapter of St. Luke’s gospel begins with the annunciation of John the Baptist, which by no coincidence was actually yesterday’s gospel account. It begins with the introduction of the first set of players. Elizabeth and her husband, the priest Zachary, are introduced and we are told that their marriage has not been blessed with children. After this introduction an angel appears to Zachary while he is offering sacrifice in the Temple. Zachary expresses anxiety and is told not to be afraid. The angel announces that his wife, Elizabeth, will indeed bear a son but Zachary responds with a doubtful question. “How shall I know this?” Seeing Zachary’s doubt, the angel then introduces himself as Gabriel and reprimands him. “Behold thou shalt be dumb.” From that point Zachary cannot speak and departs from the Temple sanctuary. Elizabeth does become pregnant and six months later the same angel appears to Mary, a Virgin.

The annunciation to Mary follows a similar pattern. This time the stage is Nazareth, a town of Galilee, where the players are Joseph and his fiancée, Mary. We are introduced to them and given a little background. Then, the angel appears to Mary and she too expresses anxiety. Gabriel tells her also not to fear and this time sees acceptance of God’s will and not doubt. It is true that Mary also asks a question, “How shall this happen, since I do not know man?” Gabriel explains that the Spirit of God will come upon her and tells her about Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Rather than being struck speechless, Mary responds with those famous words, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to thy word.”

Then the angel leaves her and St. Luke tells us that the next thing Mary does is to go immediately to visit Elizabeth who is already six months pregnant. This famous meeting, which we call the Visitation, is described in today’s gospel.

What can we say about this scene, one of the most beautiful in the sacred drama? Once again St. Luke introduces the characters. Even though, like Bethlehem, they might be considered small and insignificant, the Spirit of God is upon them. Even their names are significant. Mary or Miriam means “the exalted one,” and Elizabeth means, “God swears or promises.” The greeting by Elizabeth is the basis of the “hail, Mary.”

            Blessed art thou among women,

            And Blessed is the fruit of thy womb!

Then, St. Luke brings John the Baptist onto the scene, still in his mother’s womb. Elizabeth notes that her unborn child “leapt for joy” at the approach of Mary and her Son.

It is interesting that whenever great painters portray John the Baptist, he is usually shown pointing to Jesus. Even when John is an infant he is directing the viewer’s attention to Jesus, reminding us to “Behold the Lamb of God.”

In a few days we will witness the climax of this sacred drama, the birth of our Lord. What is the moral of the story? What lesson can we learn? It is usually the second reading each Sunday that gives us such instruction. When we read the Letter to the Hebrews, we should recognize that it is not just directed to the Hebrews but to all of us. What do the following words mean?

When Christ came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

but a body you prepared for me;

in holocausts and sin offerings you took no delight.

The Letter is not just talking about ancient sacrificial practices. Maybe we should consider the gifts we give and receive each Christmas as modern day sacrifices and offerings. Don’t misunderstand. Who doesn’t love the giving and receiving of gifts at Christmas? But we should realize that even the smallest most insignificant gift is priceless if it expresses our love. Maybe little Charley Brown had it right: 

                        Christmas time is here.

                        happiness and cheer,

                        fun for all that children

                        call their favorite time of year.

                        Snowflakes in the air,

                        carols everywhere,

                        olden times and ancient rhymes

                        and love and dreams to share.

                        Sleigh bells in the air,

                        beauty everywhere,

                        yuletide by the fireside

                        and joyful memories there.

                        Christmas time is here;

                        we'll be drawing near;

                        oh that we could always see

                        such spirit through the year,

                        such spirit through the year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Reading 1. Micah 5: 1-4a

Reading II. Hebrews 10: 5-10

Gospel. Luke 1: 39-45 (Mary set out…)