Some random thoughts on the Epiphany …
Note that the magi were looking for a king, not a Messiah. Some of us are right in the path of Jesus, have daily encounters with him, and STILL don’t recognize him for who he really is!
The magi stopped to see Herod both to pay their respects and to ask for directions. Was this the first and last time men asked for directions?
If the Wise Men had been women, they would have asked for directions, arrived on time, and brought practical gifts like a pack of diapers, a case of formula, and a baby rattle. Oh yes … the casserole too … can’t forget the casserole!
Even though they knew the why and where of the prophecy, why didn’t the priests get off their duffs to go a few miles to see what foreigners had come from afar to worship? And it’s not just priests, but all those who are convinced of their “rightness.”
If I were presiding at Mass, and asked you to return to your pew by a different way, would you do it? Would you remember where you sat? Perspectives change when one goes off autopilot and does the same thing in a different way. It strikes me that the new Missal translation is a lot like this!
And for me, here is the really key question that arises in my reflection on the Epiphany: Epiphany does have to do with the gifts we present to Jesus. They are cherished and loved by our Lord. BUT … what gifts has God given us to reveal to others, some particular feature of God’s personality? What particular feature of God’s personality are you showing forth in your daily encounters with others?
A blessed and happy New Year to you!
Fr. Herb, C.S.C.
