PREPARE FOR US A SAFE WAY!
The Epiphany is the feast of faith. Those of us who have already
received the faith and those who are on the path to finding it share alike in
this feast.
Today the Church
celebrates the Epiphany, the manifestation of God to the Gentile world. The
Three Kings represent the peoples of the Gentile world, peoples of every
language and nation. The Kings were called by God to adore Jesus, and they set
out following a star. When the star disappeared they went to Jerusalem and
asked King Herod where the new king would be born. After consulting his
experts, Herod said that he was to be born in Bethlehem of Judea. They obeyed
the king and went on their journey; and all at once the star which they had
seen in the East reappeared over the place where the Child was. They rejoiced
to find the Child with His Mother Mary, lying in a manger, and they fell down
to worship Him. They adored Him. They knew that he was the Messiah, God made
Man.
The gifts of the Kings. Our offerings.
The Kings opening
their store of treasures offered Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
The most precious gifts of the East they offer; only the best for God.
We make our
offering to Our Lord daily, especially as we meet him in Holy Mass and
Communion. We can place our offering there, made up of little things, which
Jesus will accept. If we do the little things we offer with a right intention,
they acquire a far greater value than gold, frankincense or myrrh, because they
are united to the sacrifice of Jesus, the Son of God.
In today's Gospel
of Matthew we hear in obedience to the voice of the Angel, that the Kings
safely returned to their own country by another way. What joy those men must
have had in their hearts to the end of their days, having seen the Child and
His Mother.
The Epiphany is the
feast of faith. Those of us who have already received the faith and those who
are on the path to finding it share alike in this feast. We participate, giving
thanks for the gift of faith.
We don't ask these
holy kings to give us gold, frankincense or myrrh. It seems more natural to ask
them to teach us the way which leads to Jesus Christ, so that every day we can
take Him our own gold, our own incense and our own myrrh.
Points to Pray and Ponder: Let us ask the Mother of God, who is our Mother,
to prepare for us the way that leads to the fullness of love. Most Immaculate
Heart of Mary, prepare for us a safe way!