The Epiphany of the Lord – Year C
January 3, 2016
Gospel: Mt 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 (1)
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 (2). And having been warned in
a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
The difficult words
(1) A scribe is a Jewish scholar, or learned
man.
(2) Myrrh is a very precious fragrance
that was used for important occasions.
This week’s spotlight
Epiphany
''Epiphany” comes from a Greek word which means
"appearance." It is one of the great
Christian feasts. Today we remember
the wise men who came from the
east and went to Bethlehem to adore the baby Jesus. The wise men represent all
people throughout the world. Jesus has come for the entire human family.
Through his Son Jesus, God the Father
reveals his love and his goodness to all the people of the world.
Through his appearance to the wise men, Jesus showed that he is the Messiah,
the Savior of the whole world.
The wise men
The Magi, also called the three kings, were wise men
who studied the stars. Their journey to find the Christ child reminds us that
every human heart seeks the Lord. The Magi, as kings, represent their whole
nations, and even people of every time and place - yourself included! They come
from far-away countries because Jesus is king of all the earth, not just of the
Jews. For this reason, the wise men ane often pictured as having different ages
and skin coloring, They bring Jesus gold, which shows us that he is a king.They
bring incense, which reminds us that he is God. They give him myrrh, a fragrant
oil used at funerals, which is a sign that he will die and be buried.
Reflection
Guided by a star
We have just celebrated Christmas, but have we truly
found Jesus? Have we let the baby in Bethlehem change our lives? Like the Magi
in the Gospel, all of us are looking for Jesus. Growing in friendship with God
is like setting out on a long journey to find him more and more. The good news
is that Jesus is also searching for us. As God sent the star to guide the Magi
to the place where the Christ child was, he sends us many guides and
messengers. All we need to do is notice them and follow where God leads. We may
even find Jesus in places we would not expect. The Magi didn’t find him in King
Herod’s palace, but in a lowly place with Mary his mother. Jesus comes to meet
us where we are, where even the poor can find him. Let yourself be guided by
faith and by the Holy Spirit. Let yourself be found by Jesus!
Discussion questions
1. Who are looking for the newborn king of the Jews?
2. Who was the King at that time?
3. What does “Epiphany” mean?
4. What gifts were given to Jesus by the Magi?
5. What do those gifts represent?
6. And you, which gifts will you give to Jesus?
Praying after Communion
After
receiving Holy Communion,
you can say this prayer silently to yourself. If you
have not yet
received your First Communion, you can still say this prayer because of your desire to
receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in
communion with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. You have
guided me here just as you once guided the Magi to baby Jesus by the light of a star. May this Communion in
the Body and Blood of your Son strengthen me for the journey through life, and
help me to be a guiding light for others.
Puzzle
