Solemnity of the Epiphany of

They departed for their country by another way. – Matthew 2:12

       Robert lost his job and sought ways and means to get through life. He unknowingly got involved in a syndicate and began to deliver drugs. Eventually, he became a drug user. His relationship with his wife was in shambles. They were forced to pay off huge debts that arose from other debts. They lived in fear because of threats from the syndicate. His life went down the drain.

       But his wife didn’t give up. She kept praying on bended knees and never stopped looking up to heaven.

       They had a heart-to-heart talk. Robert heeded the call to change his life and move forward. They worked day in and day out and lived simply so they could pay their debts. They attended prayer meetings and sought a friend priest for spiritual guidance.

       When we find ourselves in times of trouble, let us not go to “little kings” that this world offers. Rather, let’s seek the star that will lead us to Jesus. And when we find and accept Him, let’s leave behind our old sinful ways and tread the right path to victory. Sol Saura (sol_saura@yahoo.com)

Reflection:Are you sinning endlessly? Are you feeling helpless and hopeless? Are you living in fear? Are you always irritable and angry? Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Lord, in times of adversity, grant us the grace to gaze on You and stay faithful and true, trusting that You are always with us.

St. Angela of Foligno, pray for us.

One of the questions we should constantly reflect on concerns our effectiveness at giving witness to the Gospel. When others see the way we live, do they see Christ? Do we do our best in presenting the Gospel to the world? Yes, we have our own dreams and desires, but having received the gift of faith, are we doing what we can to share this gift with others?

1 Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the Lord shines, and over you appears his glory. 3 Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. 4 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. 5 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. 6 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.

R: Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

1 O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king’s son; 2 he shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. (R) 7 Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more. 8 May he rule from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth. (R) 10 The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. 11 All kings shall pay him homage, all nations shall serve him. (R) 12 For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. 13 He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save. (R)

Jesus offers salvation to everyone. We are called to be part of the Body of Christ and offer our life to building His Church. The more we support one another in this goal, the stronger our witness to the Gospel will be. This is how we bring the unbelievers to God.

2 Brothers and sisters: You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, 3 namely, that the  mystery was made known to me by revelation. 5 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: 6 that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

The gift of salvation is universal and this is seen in the reign of kings without Jewish roots. The birth of Jesus holds within it the seeds of the Mission ad Gentes — preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles — initiated by Peter and championed by Paul. Let us do our part in this mission, the reason for which the Church exists. May we all live and proclaim the Good News every day.

1 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: 6 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.” 7 Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. 8 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.” 9 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. 10 They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 11 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. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

think: Where is the mission field that God has placed you in to preach the Gospel?

Read the Bible in one year  Matthew 1-3

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

BEHOLD THE CHRIST CHILD

Today is the solemn Feast of the Epiphany. Epiphany literally means the unveiling, the revelation, the manifestation. Today, the Baby Jesus is unveiled, revealed and manifested by Mary to the Magi from the East. They were non- Jews but Mary found no reason to hide the Child from them. On the Feast of the Epiphany, the Child Jesus is manifested as Savior of all of humanity.

       Who are the Magi? Scripture scholars say they were astrologers. Tradition  fondly calls them the Three Kings. The Bible is not specific as to their number but this evolved mainly from the three gifts they brought with them: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Whether they were really kings or not, we do not know, as the Scriptures is likewise silent about this. But come to think of it, it doesn’t matter. The Feast of the Epiphany is not about the three kings. It is actually about two kings: Jesus, the real King, and Herod, the counterfeit king. Today, we are asked for an epiphany of loyalty and commitment to the real King.

       The Magi were commissioned by King Herod to tell him where the child was on a false pretext that he might pay him homage. Threatened by the real King, he wanted to kill the threat to his kingship.

       But the encounter with the Child Jesus changed the astrologers. Matthew said it beautifully, “They went back to their own country by another route” (v. 12). It was not a geographical change but a biographical one. The Magi were never the same again. They have found to whom their loyalty is really due.

       They came at Herod’s bidding. They left at the Child’s command.

       Like Herod, there are many pretentious kings bidding us around and demanding our loyalty. May the simplicity of the Child, the real King, help us to go beyond the glitter and trappings of the many pretentious kings around. That would be a real experience of epiphany on our part. Fr. Joel Jason

Make a heart inventory today. Who or what occupies first place in your heart?

“As the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for You, my God” (Psalm 42:1). Amen.