This weekend, the Church invites us to celebrate the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, one of the most revered feasts in the Christian calendar. Clear and distinct in the first reading from the third section of the Book of Isaiah is a brilliantly triumphant note. Why? The long, dreary exile of the faithful Hebrews in Babylon has ended. It was not all rejoicing because for those who returned to the Holy Land, life was not easy. The land was decimated. Despite this, the prophet insists, a new day has come! It is not necessarily a prediction of material success, although this would be a part of it. Rather, the new day had come because God had not abandoned the Chosen People, and they had not abandoned God. They had returned to their own land, faithful to the great God of Israel. For its second reading, this liturgy presents a selection from the Epistle to the Ephesians. In the first generations after Jesus, as converts increased the numbers of the Christian community, great interest began to surround the question of who was entitled to the salvation secured by the Lord? Prompting this interest was the fact that so many new converts were from pagan backgrounds. It intensified when, in short order, once pagan Christians outnumbered the onetime Jewish Christians. Part of the message of Jesus was that throughout the ages God had spoken through, and to, the Chosen People, the descendants of Abraham, the Hebrews. Now, God spoke to all through Christ. Gentiles could expect salvation. This promise undergirds this reading. Salvation procured by Jesus is open to any human being. St. Matthew’s Gospel furnishes the last reading, the story of the Magi who came from the “East” to find, and then to adore, the newborn “king of the Jews.” The story is unique to Matthew. No other Gospel reports such a visit. The story situates Jesus, the newborn son of Mary, in the great train of God’s saving works. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the birthplace of David, who as king established his own covenant with God. David ruled the Chosen People, but he was much more than a political leader. His task was to bring the people to God, and God to the people. The Magi were searching for the “king of the Jews.” The title often appears in the stories of Jesus offered in the Gospels. Christ’s kingship was the subject of Pilate’s interrogation when he tried Jesus on Good Friday. It was inscribed on the placard that was placed atop the cross as Jesus was dying. The Lord is king. His majesty eclipses all else. Reflection Who were the Magi? No one knows exactly. Where was their home? We know only that they came from the mysterious East. How many of them? Tradition says three. The Gospel is silent. For centuries, Christians have wondered. They brought costly gifts. Were they kings? They knew the movement of the stars and planets. Were they scholars, or “wise men.” Whatever the case, they were not Jews, but they were searching for truth, for God, and they found both in Jesus. In a sense, the lack of precise knowledge about these visitors is fortunate. They could represent every human being, and their long journey and search could represent the ultimate need of every human heart. What is life all about? Who has the answer? The message of this feast is that all people may hope for salvation through Jesus. None is preferred. None is excluded. All are beloved. On this feast, the Church calls us to come to the Lord, born of Mary, the king of the Jews, the lamb slain on Calvary. He belongs to us all. He is the answer. READINGS Sunday: Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalms 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 1:1-12 Monday: 1 John 3:22–4:6; Psalms 2:7b-8, 10-12a; Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25 Tuesday: 1 John 4:7-10; Psalms 72:1-4, 7-8; Mark 6:34-44 Wednesday: 1 John 4:11-18; Psalms 1-2, 10, 12-13; Mark 6:45-52 Thursday: 1 John 4:19–5:4; Psalms 72:1-2, 14, 15bc, 17; Luke 4:14-22a Friday: 1 John 5:5-13; Psalms 147:12-15, 19-20; Luke 5:12-16 Saturday: 1 John 5:14-21; Psalms 149:1-6a, 9b; John 3:22-30 The post Like the Magi, All Are Called to Seek the Lord and Pay Homage to Him appeared first on Today's Catholic. ...read more read less