Feast of the Epiphany 2010

Isaiah 60:1-6

Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6

Matthew 2:1-12

To those who are educators, you always know the importance of doing a pre-test, to find out what people learn, so the first question is, How many magi or wise men were there? All those who think three, raise your hand.  I hear some grumbling from the second pew, that it is a trick question!

I’m well over 60 and just recently learned that it’s not three. If you read the Scriptures,  it does not mention anything about three magi.  The first reading and the response psalm speak about gifts, and the gospel identifies three gifts brought to the new born King.  Tradition builds up fact that there were three magi. But, one could have brought all three, or six could have brought three gifts. Idle point, but aside now, we can begin the homily.

This past year we observed the death of two “kings” in our country.  One was known as the “king of pop” and some claim changed music and the entertainment world more than anyone else since,  Mozart.  The other was sometimes called the “king of  legislation” and for over 40 years was a US senator known especially for his care for the weak and needy and his ability to work with his opponents.  In their own, very different way, each powerful leaders.

The Gospel, today, presents us with two powerful leaders—two kings. There is Herod, who has ruled the Roman province of Judah for over 30 years. He was a very powerful man in the region. And then, there is Jesus, a baby, an infant in a manager in a stable. Imagine now, that you were one of those  magi. To which leader would you go to pay homage, to get on the good side of things.

Logic  would say Herod. He was the most powerful individual in all of the Middle East—a personal friend of Caesar Augustus, the most powerful man in the world. But, the reality was, as Paul would say to us in our second reading, that there was a mystery here, and that mystery is revealed to them just as the mystery is revealed to all of us—that this infant is the King of the world, for He is Emmanuel, the Son of God, God with us.

We call today Epiphany, the English from the Greek, which means appearance or manifestation, usually the connotation was that it was the manifestation or the appearance of a god or a divine ruler. So, the early Church thought it appropriate to speak of the manifestation of this Christ the King to the world should be called an Epiphany. The appearance of this infant Christ is the manifestation of the one king for all times.

We heard the Magi brought gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.  We also know that their greatest gift was their presence, coming to do homage to the King. What do you bring to the King?

Rev. Everett Hemann     RevEv@SaintPatrickcf.org