Epiphany of the Lord – Cycle A
Isaiah 60: 1-6; Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6;
Matthew 2: 1-1
There
is a word that keeps appearing in the gospels during the Christmas
season. We've heard it six times so far – and it appears in
today's gospel twice. It's a word that is not used much these days,
so it is noticeable when we hear it so frequently. Do you know which
word I mean? The word is “behold.”
Webster's
dictionary says that behold means to observe or to gaze upon. Today
we might say, “look at that” or “check it out.” For me
though, the word implies a deeper meaning; an uncommon occurrence –
memorable – perhaps even life-changing.
The
act of beholding can take many forms. Some people must touch
something, hold it in their hands before they can behold it. Others
like myself must dwell on the meaning, intellectualize the
experience, in order to behold.
I've
come to the conclusion that we do not behold enough in our world
today. The star that led the Magi to the Christ child continues to
shine for us in numerous ways. But do we see it?
If
you gazed upon our nativity scene at the back of church today, you
will have noticed that the Magi have arrived in Bethlehem. These
travelers from the Gentile world came and adored the baby. They
prostrated themselves and presented gifts. They dwelt on these
things in their hearts and allowed the moment to change them, reshape
their lives.
Yet
even in the midst of this great joy, the Magi were haunted by the
image from their dreams – the child was in danger. The dream hints
at the suffering that Jesus will endure, the blood that is to be shed
on behalf of the world.
Today
we are led to this place of worship, not by a star, but by a faith
that has manifested itself within our hearts. We seek to encounter
Jesus firsthand. We dwell on these things and, hopefully, allow them
to reshape our lives also.
Each
time we come to mass, we reenact the journey the the Magi. Father
raises the body and blood of Christ and proclaims, “behold the lamb
of God, who takes away the sins of the world.” and we come forward
to receive the the divine into our own hands. We take the child,
consume it as intended, and hold it within our hearts. Then we turn
to the chalice, the embodiment of the suffering and sacrifice that is
necessary to redeem the world. Again we consume and that sacrifice
becomes a part of us. We are now one with Jesus, body and spirit.
As
for the three wise men, I'm certain that their lives were forever
impacted by their visit to Bethlehem. They came, they beheld, and
they left as changed men. They went back to their worlds, just as we
do at the end of mass. Will our encounters with the Lord change us?
With
the Christmas season nearly complete, soon it will be time to return
our figures of the Magi to their storage place for another year. But
they will have served their purpose only if we leave this season with
renewed zeal to care for those we encounter on our journey forth. To
quote Archbishop `Romero, “We must not seek the child Jesus in the
pretty figurines of our Christmas cribs. We must seek him among the
undernourished children who have gone to bed tonight with nothing to
eat.” We must continue our search for Christ in every face we see.
Like the wise men, our worship and adoration must prompt us to
proclaim:
- Behold the Afghan widow who suffers the ravages of war.
- Behold the African baby orphaned by AIDS.
- Behold the face of Christ in the unemployed, the elderly, the ostracized people of our community.
On
this day, let us go forth, forever changed by our encounter with
Jesus.
Deacon Darryl J. Diemer
Epiphany of the Lord
January 5, 2014
