III Sunday in OT:[2012]: Jonah 3:1-5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20

III Sunday in OT:  Jonah 3:1-5, 10; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20

From the earliest days of Christianity, believers have felt a conflict with life in the world. This is because Christians know themselves to be citizens of heaven, yet they have to live in the world. It is somewhat like fish living out of water. Christian values and ways of doing things vary considerably from those of the world around us. How do we resolve the conflict?

Christians have responded to this conflict in three ways. First, there are those who respond by conforming to the world around them. Their motto is: If you cannot beat them, join them. Such Christians may still participate enthusiastically in church services, but in their thinking, values, and priorities in life, there is no difference between them and those of the non-believers around them. They hold grudges and nurture hatred rather than forgive those who offend them. Paul condemns this approach outright. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God-- what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

Secondly, there are those who respond by flight, fleeing from the world. Some of the early monastic movement and spirituality was driven by a desire to isolate oneself from the world so as to draw near to God. Thomas à Kempis wrote in the Imitation of Christ, “As often as I have been among men, I have come back less a man.” According to this spirituality the way to be holy is to shun contact with society and one’s fellow human beings. This might have worked for some hermits, but it is definitely not intended for the vast majority of Christians. Jesus’ prayer for his disciples is that they remain in the world even though they do not belong to it. “The world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one.” (John 17:!4-15).

The third way of responding to the conflict of living by Christian principles in a corrupt world is the most demanding and the most faithful to the teachings of Christ. It is based on the principle of being in the world but not of the world. In one word you can call it detachment. This is what St.Paul is teaching us in today’s 2^nd reading.

Verse 29:  I mean, brothers and sisters, the appointed time has grown short; from now on, let even those who have wives be as though they had none,
30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning,
and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing,
and those who buy as though they had no possessions,
31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away. (1 Corinthians 7:29-31)

Joke: After digging to a depth of 100 meters last year, Russian scientists found traces of copper wire dating back 1,000 years, and concluded that their ancestors already had a telephone network one thousand years ago.

So, not to be outdone, in the weeks that followed, American scientists dug 200 meters and headlines in the US papers read: "US scientists have found traces of 2000 year old optical fibres and have concluded that their ancestors already had advanced high-tech digital telephone 1000 years earlier than the Russians."

One week later, the Nigerian newspapers reported the following: "After digging as deep as 500 meters, Nigerian scientists have found absolutely nothing. They have concluded that 5000 years ago, their ancestors were already using wireless technology.

St.Paul is not urging a flight from the world. He is not saying that people should stop marrying, buying and selling or dealing with the world. He is saying that whereas Christians should engage in these necessary activities, they should go about them with a spirit of detachment. They should go about these occupations without investing their heart and soul, their hope and confidence, in these things. In other words, Paul is expounding what Christ himself taught:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21)

The reason why we should not place our confidence in any worldly possession is because the world as we know it and everything in it is passing away. In the end the only wealth that will be of value to us on judgment day is the wealth of righteousness that we have accumulated through the acts of faith and love that we have done.

Anecdote: J. Edwin Orr, a professor of Church history has described the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the Protestant Welsh Revivals of the nineteenth century resulting in real metanoia.  As people sought to be filled with the Spirit, they did all they could to confess their wrong doing and to make restitution.  But this created serious problems for the shipyards along the coast of Wales .  Over the years workers had stolen all kinds of things, from wheelbarrows to hammers.  However, as people sought to be right with God they started to return what they had taken, with the result that soon the shipyards of Wales were overwhelmed with returned property.  There were such huge piles of returned tools that several of the yards put up signs that read, "If you have been led by God to return what you have stolen, please know that the management forgives you and wishes you to keep what you have taken."  In today’s gospel Jesus challenges each one of us to revive our lives with a true spirit of repentance.  

A deep sea diver lives in the water but breathes the air. Similarly, believers should live in the world but in the spirit of Christ. We should be fully involved with our world and society but our driving force should be the divine spirit that keeps us alive spiritually. In this new year let us resolve to be close to God, to be nourished, guided and enlightened by the light of God’s word while engaging in all the legitimate activities and duties that God has given us in this world – duties in the family, in the community, at work or school, in the community, in the society and in our world.

II Sunday OT: [B]: 1Sam 3:3-10,19,65; 1Cori 6:13-15,17-20; Jn1:35-42;

II Sunday OT: [B]: 1Sam 3:3-10,19,65; 1Cori 6:13-15,17-20; Jn1:35-42;

Today’s theme is Divine vocation.  Everyone is called by God to be something, to do something for others with his life and with his unique gifts.  We see the theme of “the call of God” in the first reading when Samuel hears someone calling him in the night, and keeps running to his mentor Eli, thinking it must be him. This happens a few times, so Eli eventually suggests that the next time it happens, that Samuel just simply say “OK, I am here.” When Samuel is at rest and hears the call again, he simply says to God – “I am here. What do you want? I am listening”, God speaks to him and lets Samuel know what he wants.

If we apply this to our own situations, I think that sometimes we are so busy that we either don’t hear God calling, or we do hear God and mistake it for something else in our busy lives. If we simply can relax into prayer, and say to God, “OK. I am here. I am listening. Speak to me”, we might actually hear what God is telling us in our lives.

The Gospel of this Sunday presents us with the early ministry of Jesus. Testimonies about him continues especially from John the Baptist who accepted God’s call and is coming to the end of his ministry. His role today is worthy of mention. Most especially, he is fulfilling his own prophecy: “I am not he who is to come…! Surely, he was not the messiah that was why he directed even his own disciples thus: “Behold the Lamb of God!” Hence, he had no problems about his own disciples deserting him to follow Jesus. He fulfilled his call by showing others the way to salvation. Most importantly, this gospel challenges us to reflect on our response to the call of Jesus. Today, He says to us as he said to his first disciples, “come and see!” This is an invitation to follow him. Likewise, Andrew invited his brother Peter using the Lord’s own words: “come and see the messiah,” and Peter responded immediately, by leaving everything. Also, when the Samaritan woman encountered Christ she used the same words to invite her kinsmen: “…come and see…” (Jn 4, 29). Of course, they responded by following her. Responding to Jesus’ invitation should be a daily business and requires the whole of our being (Body, Soul and Spirit). When we respond to it, we must also help others do so.

Event: One day Francis of Assisi invited one of the young friars to join him on a trip into town to preach. The young friar was so honored at receiving such an invitation from St. Francis that he quickly accepted. They paused beneath a tree and Francis stooped to return a young bird to its nest. They went on and stopped in a field crowded with reapers and Francis bent his back to help load the hay onto a cart. From there they went to the town square where Francis lifted a bucket of water from the well for an old woman and carried it home for her. All day long he and St. Francis walked through the streets and byways, alleys and suburbs, and they rubbed shoulders with hundreds of people. Each time they stopped, the young friar was sure that St. Francis would stop and preach. But no words of great truth or wise discourse issued from the saint's mouth. Finally, they went into the Church, but Francis only knelt silently to pray. At the end of the day, the two headed back home. Not once had St. Francis addressed a crowd, nor had he talked to anyone about the Gospel. The young monk was greatly disappointed, and he said to St. Francis, "I thought we were going into town to preach?" St. Francis responded, "My son, we have preached. We were preaching while we were walking and in everything we did. We were seen by many and our behavior was closely watched. It's of no use to walk anywhere to preach unless we preach everywhere as we walk! Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words only if necessary."

Joke: A Catholic boy and a Jewish boy were talking and the Catholic boy said, "My priest knows more than your rabbi." The Jewish boy said, "Of course he does! That is because you tell him everything in confession."

My Comment: Now you understood why I do not know some things …….

Practical Applications: 1) Believe that God has something to say to you. Believe that God loves you close up and personal. 2) Beware of false humility: - thinking that you’re such a bad person that God wouldn’t want to have anything to do with you. Remember that Jesus Christ has died for you. He makes you worthy of God’s love. You don’t make yourself worthy. If you think you’re so unworthy of God’s loving presence to you then spend some time gazing upon Christ hanging on His cross. That will tell you your value and how much God thinks you are worth in His eyes. That will tell you how far He has gone to let you know how much He loves you. 3) Recognize that false humility is really just another form of denial, or of pride. It makes you think you’re really someone special, one of the world’s greatest sinners, or something like that. This just isn’t true; it’s just another excuse for not letting yourself get near God’s love. 4) Take time to reflect and pray, paying attention to events as well as things people say to you. 5) Be open to see and hear things. God, after all, is trying to get in touch with you... maybe in them.  

God has a Word for you. He has something He wants to say to you. Begin your next time of prayer with these words: “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”

Introduction: Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Message: Through baptism we have been joined to the Lord who calls us to be his disciples.  How well do we listen to his voice? How willing are we to do his will?

Saints and Events in this week: This week is especially dedicated for the Prayer for Christian unity. 19 – Nineteenth – Monday – Birth of Martin Luther King, Jr. ; 20 – Twentieth – Tuesday – Saint Fabian, Pope, Martyr; Saint Sebastian, Martyr; 21 – Twenty First – Wednesday – Saint Agnes, Virgin, Martyr; 22 – Twenty Second – Thursday – Anniversary of the Supreme Court decision, Roe v/s Wade (1973), all dioceses in the United States observe a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. Please pray; 23 – Twenty Third – Friday – Saint Vincent, Deacon, Martyr; Saint Marianne Cope, Virgin; 24 – Twenty Forth – Saturday – Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop, Doctor of the Church;

II Sunday in Ordinary Time :1Sam 3:3-10, 19; 1Cori 6: 13-20; Jn 1: 35-42

II Sunday in Ordinary Time :1Sam 3:3-10, 19; 1Cori 6: 13-20; Jn 1: 35-42

Introduction: The main theme of today’s scripture readings is divine vocation – that everyone is called by God to be a witness for Christ by doing something for others with his or her life, using his or her unique gifts and blessings. Hence, today’s readings remind us of our personal and corporate call to become witnesses for Jesus, the Lamb of God, by leading lives of holiness and purity.

Scripture lessons:  The first reading describes how Yahweh called Samuel to His service and how the boy Samuel responded to Him, saying, “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.” Hence, God blessed him in the mission entrusted to him, and Samuel became an illustrious figure, ranking with Moses and David as a man of God.  In the responsorial psalm, the psalmist sings, “Behold, I come to do Your will,” indicating   that his vocation is to obey, to do what God commands him to do. In the second reading, St. Paul explains to the Corinthians that their divine call is a call to holiness.  Hence, they need to keep their bodies pure and souls holy because by baptism they have become parts of Christ’s body and the temples of the Holy Spirit.  In the gospel, John the Baptist introduces Jesus to two of his disciples as the “Lamb of God,” suggesting Jesus’ vocation to become a sacrificial lamb to atone for our sins. The disciples followed Jesus to his residence, accepting his invitation to “come and see.”  They stayed with him that day.  Then Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus, introducing Jesus to him as the Messiah.  Thus, today’s gospel describes also the call or vocation of the first apostles and challenges us to invite others to Christ by our Christian witnessing.

Joke 1)  The son-in-law’s testimony: A rich Jewish business man named Raymond went to meet Ben, his new son-in-law to be.  He said to Ben, "So, tell me, Ben, my boy, what you do?" "I study the Theology," Ben replied. "But Ben, you are going to marry my daughter! How are you going to feed and house her?" “No problem," says Ben, "I study Theology, and it says God will provide." "But you will have children; how will you educate them?" asked Raymond. "No problem," says Ben, "I study Theology, and it says God will provide." When Raymond returned home, his wife anxiously asked him what Ben was like. "Well," said Raymond, "he's a lovely boy. I only just met him, and he already thinks I'm God."

Anecdote: At the beginning of Advent we received a beautiful gift: the new English translation of the Roman Missal. Many of my priest friends - especially the younger ones - have commented on how much they appreciate this new translation.  One of the parts I particularly like is the invitation to Communion. The priest holds up the Host and says, "Behold the Lamb of God..." We hear these same words in today's Gospel. John the Baptist sees Jesus and exclaims to Andrew, "Behold the Lamb of God."

Exegesis : To understand John's exclamation we need to know some of the Old Testament background. Each year the Jewish priests led a lamb - a year-old male lamb with no blemish - to the high altar. They placed the gentle animal's head on the stone and with knife opened its throat. The lamb's blood flowed on the altar. The priest took some of the blood and sprinkled it on the people. It brought forgiveness of sins.

When John called Jesus the Lamb of God, he was saying a lot. Jesus is gentle and like a lamb, submissive to the will of his Father. In obedience to his Father, he would offer his life on the altar of the cross. He would make a sacrifice so complete that it would not need repetition. As the letter to the Hebrews says, it would be "once and for all."

It is interesting to understand that normally the parish church is built at the center of the parish.  And the people built their own monuments and houses around the church, keeping the Holy Eucharist in the church at the center, remembering the feast of tent in the Old Testament. Houses where the parishners live in become the places where they offered sacrifices in life. To offer sacrifice is a natural part of religions everywhere.

Jesus brings to perfection the sacrifices, not only of the Jewish people, but of all who recognize the need for a divine power. If we have in our hearts anything like the Jewish people - or the peoples of America - we would thrill to hear John's exclamation: Behold the Lamb of God.

Life messages: 1) Our Christian vocation is to live and die like the Lamb of God.  (A) We live like the Lamb of God: 1) by leading pure, innocent, humble, selfless lives, obeying Christ’s commandment of love. 2) by appreciating the loving providence and protecting care of the Good Shepherd in his Church.  3) by partaking of the body and blood of the Good Shepherd in the Holy Eucharist and deriving spiritual strength from his Holy Spirit through prayer and the sacraments.  (B) We are called to die like the Lamb of God: a) by sharing sacrificially our blessings of health, wealth and talents with others in the family, parish and community; b) by bearing witness to Christ in our illness, pain and suffering by our graceful acceptance of suffering c) by offering our sufferings for God’s glory, as penance for our sins and for the conversion of sinners.

Introduction : Introduction : II Sunday in Ordinary time

Message : Through the baptism we have been joined to the Lord who calls us to be his disciples.  How well do we listen to his voice? How willing are we to do his will?

The week of prayer for Christian unity begins Wednesday, 18 January(USA).  

16^th Monday: The birth of Martin Luther King Jr. is celebrated in USA.

Saints in this week : 17^th Tuesday: Saint Anthony, abbot :   Anthony or Antony, 356 at age 105; born in upper Egypt; hermit and early founder of religious life; called the “Patriarch on Monks”; aided Athanasius of Alexandria in combating Arianism

20^th Friday: Saint Fabian, pope, martyr; Saint Sebastian, martyr : Fabian, 250 under Decius; layman elected bishop of Rome in 236; an “incomparable man, the glory of whose death corresponded with the holiness of his life”(St.Cyprian to Pope St.Cornelius); His body came to be transferred from the catacombs of Callistus to the basilica of St. Sebastian.

St.Sebastian, 288? At Rome under Diocletian: chief of the Praetorian cohort whose acta tell of his being pierced by arrows, later being clubbed to death; patron of archers, soldiers, and police associations.

21^st Saturday: Saint Agnes, virgin, martyr : Agnes, beginning of 4^th c. under Diocletian at the age of twelve(so Augustine and Ambrose report); patroness of Christian virtue confronted by political and social violence; represented with a martyr’s palm and a lamb (her name in Latin [agnus] = lamb); the wool from two lambs blessed today will be used to make the pallia which are presented by the pope to metropolitans on 29 June; name mentioned in the Roman Canon.

I Sunday in OT-Baptism:[B]: Is 55:1-11,21; 1 Jn 5:1-9; Mk 1:7-11

I Sunday-OT-Baptism:[B]: Is 55:1-11,21; 1 Jn 5:1-9; Mk 1:7-11

Story: There is a story of a wealthy man who had a double tragedy. His wife died in childbirth and the boy that she gave birth to was mentally handicapped. He hired a nurse to take care of the child. The nurse raised the child like her own son. The boy, however, died in his early teens. Heartbroken, the rich man died soon after. The man’s will could not be found and so the state decided to put the man’s estate and belongings up for sale. The old nurse had very little money and there was one thing she wanted more than any other – a framed photo of the boy she had nursed and loved. No one else wanted the picture, so she got it for just one dollar. She took the picture home and began to clean it up. As she did so, a piece of paper fell out from the wooden frame. It was the rich man’s will. It stated that all his wealth and estate would go to anyone who loved his son enough to buy his picture. The sales were halted and everything was returned to the nurse, whose dedication to the boy was happily rewarded. Accepting Jesus as the son of God rewards inheritance of heavenly properties. 

Today is the first Sunday of Ordinary Time. We inaugurate Ordinary Time by celebrating the Baptism of Our Lord. Before beginning his public ministry, Jesus was baptized. He considered baptism so important that - even though he had no personal sins - he nevertheless submitted to the baptism of John.

Teachings: Because of the importance of baptism, I would like to give the basic Christian teachings:

1. Baptism is a true sacrament initiated by Christ. The Church Fathers cite Scripture verses such as Mt 28:19 and Jn 3:5 to show that Baptism as a Sacrament comes from Jesus himself. Strictly speaking, John's baptism is not a sacrament but a ritual that involves repentance and a symbolic cleansing bath. Jesus would take John's basic ritual and transform it into a true sacrament.

2. Baptism can be done by immersion or infusion that is, pouring water over the head. Complete immersion has a richer symbolism, but infusion is equally valid.

3. In the form of Baptism it is essential that there be a distinct expression of God as One and Three. For validity, the person must be baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

4. Anyone using the required matter and form - and having the intention of baptizing - can validly confer the sacrament. He does so licitly, however, only in the case of necessity. The normal minister of baptism is the deacon, priest or bishop.

5. Baptism is necessary for all in respect to salvation, whether they be infants or adults. The early writers, like us, had theories about those who - through no fault of their own - did not receive baptism. Still, they were firm in maintaining the necessity of baptism - that it is the only means given by Jesus to enter everlasting life.

6. Even infants are capable of receiving Baptism. From earliest times Christian writers testify to practice of baptizing the children of believing parents.

7. The effect of Baptism is spiritual regeneration. The baptized person is reborn by receiving remission of every sin and the infusion of first grace.

Exegesis: When Jesus came to be baptized, John the Baptist insisted that it was he who should be baptized by Jesus. For the Baptism of John was a rite of repentance and confession of sin. How could Jesus submit Himself to such a Baptism when "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth?" [1 Pet. 2:22] Jesus' submission to the Baptism of John was to demonstrate that He was a faithful Jew who obeyed the Law and the practices associated with good Jewish life.

Practical Applications:  1) Be a faithful Christian obeying the laws and the practices associated with it.  2) Acceptance and believing in Jesus reflects in practical life by our love of neighbors. (1John 5:2).

Introduction: Baptism of the Lord, First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Message: Jesus is the beloved Son of the father.  He is the light of the nations and Lord of all creation.  To him be all glory and praise.

Saints and Events in this week: 13 – Thirteenth – Tuesday – Saint Hilary, Bishop, Doctor of the Church; 17 – Seventeenth – Saturday – Saint Anthony, Abbot;  

I Sunday in OT:[B]: Is 55:1-11,21; 1 Jn 5:1-9; Mk 1:7-11

I Sunday in OT:[B]: Is 55:1-11,21; 1 Jn 5:1-9; Mk 1:7-11

Story: There is a story of a wealthy man who had a double tragedy. His wife died in childbirth and the boy that she gave birth to was mentally handicapped. He hired a nurse to take care of the child. The nurse raised the child like her own son. The boy, however, died in his early teens. Heartbroken, the rich man died soon after. The man’s will could not be found and so the state decided to put the man’s estate and belongings up for sale. The old nurse had very little money and there was one thing she wanted more than any other – a framed photo of the boy she had nursed and loved. No one else wanted the picture, so she got it for just one dollar. She took the picture home and began to clean it up. As she did so, a piece of paper fell out from the wooden frame. It was the rich man’s will. It stated that all his wealth and estate would go to anyone who loved his son enough to buy his picture. The sales were halted and everything was returned to the nurse, whose dedication to the boy was happily rewarded. Accepting Jesus as the son of God rewards inheritance of heavenly properties. 

Today is the first Sunday of Ordinary Time. We inaugurate Ordinary Time by celebrating the Baptism of Our Lord. Before beginning his public ministry, Jesus was baptized. He considered baptism so important that - even though he had no personal sins - he nevertheless submitted to the baptism of John.

Teachings: Because of the importance of baptism, I would like to give the basic Christian teachings:

1. Baptism is a true sacrament initiated by Christ. The Church Fathers cite Scripture verses such as Mt 28:19 and Jn 3:5 to show that Baptism as a Sacrament comes from Jesus himself. Strictly speaking, John's baptism is not a sacrament but a ritual that involves repentance and a symbolic cleansing bath. Jesus would take John's basic ritual and transform it into a true sacrament.

2. Baptism can be done by immersion or infusion that is, pouring water over the head. Complete immersion has a richer symbolism, but infusion is equally valid.

3. In the form of Baptism it is essential that there be a distinct expression of God as One and Three. For validity, the person must be baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

4. Anyone using the required matter and form - and having the intention of baptizing - can validly confer the sacrament. He does so licitly, however, only in the case of necessity. The normal minister of baptism is the deacon, priest or bishop.

5. Baptism is necessary for all in respect to salvation, whether they be infants or adults. The early writers, like us, had theories about those who - through no fault of their own - did not receive baptism. Still, they were firm in maintaining the necessity of baptism - that it is the only means given by Jesus to enter everlasting life.

6. Even infants are capable of receiving Baptism. From earliest times Christian writers testify to practice of baptizing the children of believing parents.

7. The effect of Baptism is spiritual regeneration. The baptized person is reborn by receiving remission of every sin and the infusion of first grace.

Exegesis: When Jesus came to be baptized, John the Baptist insisted that it was he who should be baptized by Jesus. For the Baptism of John was a rite of repentance and confession of sin. How could Jesus submit Himself to such a Baptism when "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth?" [1 Pet. 2:22] Jesus' submission to the Baptism of John was to demonstrate that He was a faithful Jew who obeyed the Law and the practices associated with good Jewish life.

Practical Applications:  1) Be a faithful Christian obeying the laws and the practices associated with it.  2) Acceptance and believing in Jesus reflects in practical life by our love of neighbors. (1John 5:2).

Introduction: Baptism of the Lord, First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Message: Jesus is the beloved Son of the father.  He is the light of the nations and Lord of all creation.  To him be all glory and praise.

Saints and Events in this week: 13 – Thirteenth – Tuesday – Saint Hilary, Bishop, Doctor of the Church; 17 – Seventeenth – Saturday – Saint Anthony, Abbot;  

Epiphany:[B]:Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2- 3a, 5-6; Mt. 2:1-12

Epiphany:[B]:Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2- 3a, 5-6; Mt. 2:1-12

Introduction: The Greek word Epiphany, means appearance or manifestation. First, the angels revealed Jesus to the shepherds.  In the Western Church, the Feast of the Epiphany celebrates Jesus’ first appearance to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi, while in the Eastern Church, the feast is the commemoration of   the baptism of Christ where the Father and the Holy Spirit gave combined testimony to Jesus’ identity as Son of God. Later, in the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus revealed himself as the promised Messiah, and at Cana he revealed his Divinity by transforming water into wine. These multiple revelations are all suggested by the Feast of the Epiphany. 

Event: On a cold morning three palm fruit farmers were warming themselves by the fireside. Soon two of them were engaged in a heated debate comparing their religions to decide which one was the true religion. The oldest among them, sat quietly listening to the debate. Suddenly the two turned to him and asked, “Decide for us. Which religion is the right one?” The oldest man rubbed his white beards and said thoughtfully, “Well, you know there are three ways to get from here to the oil mill. You can go right over the hill. That is shorter but it is a steep climb. You can go around the hill on the right side. That is not too far, but the road is rough and full of potholes. Or you can go around the hill on the left side. That is the longest way, but it is also the easiest.” He paused and then added, “But you know, when you get there, the mill man doesn’t ask you how you came. All he asks is, ‘Man, how good is your fruit?’”

Exegesis:  Today’s Gospel reminds us that if God permitted the Magi – foreigners and pagans – to recognize and give Jesus proper respect as the King of Jews, we should know that there is nothing in our sinful lives that would keep God from bringing us to Jesus.  There were three groups of people who reacted to the Epiphany of Christ’s birth. The first group headed by King Herod tried to eliminate him, the second group, priests and scribes, ignored him and the third group, represented by the shepherds and the Magi, came to adore him.

Joke: While they were talking about the story of the three wise men, a woman asked her parish priest this question, "Do you know why God gave the star to the wise men?" When he professed his ignorance, she told him: "God knows men are too proud to ask directions. If there had been three wise women instead of three wise men, they would have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and given some practical gifts!”

Practical applications:  a) Let us worship Jesus at Mass with the gold of our love, the myrrh of our humility and the frankincense of our adoration. b) Give a new direction to our lives.  Just as the Magi chose another route to return to their homes, let us choose a better way of life, abstaining from proud and impure thoughts, evil habits and selfish behavior.  c)  Let us become stars leading others to Jesus, as the star led the Magi to Jesus.   Let us  remove the darkness of the evil around us by giving Jesus’ love through selfless service. Thus we will make sure that we belong to the group of shepherds and Magi.

Introduction: Epiphany of the Lord

Message: All nations are invited to sing the Lord’s praises for they have been called to hear the good news and worship the long awaited Messiah and King with the gift of their lives.

Saints and Events in this week: 5 – Fifth – Monday – Saint John Neumann, Bishop; 6 – Sixth – Tuesday – Saint Andre Bessette, religious; 7 – Seventh – Wednesday – Saint Raymond of Penyafort, priest;

 

Epiphany : Jan-8; Is 60: 1-6; Eph 3: 2-6; Mt 2: 1-12

Epiphany : Jan-8; Is 60: 1-6; Eph 3: 2-6; Mt 2: 1-12

Story : Once upon a time there lived in Bethlehem a woman named Babushka. She kept the cleanest and neatest house in town and was also the best cook. She heard rumors of three kings coming across the desert but paid no attention to them because she had so much work to do. Then she heard the sounds of drums and pipes and a cavalcade of riders. She looked out the window and there were three richly dressed kings coming towards her house. They told her that they had come to honor the little prince who had been born in Bethlehem and they needed food and lodging. Babushka cooked a wonderful meal for them, remade all the beds, and wore herself out. The next morning the kings begged her to come with them so she too might see the little prince. Babushka said she would follow after them as soon as she finished the dishes. She cleaned the house again and then took out of a cabinet the toys of her own little prince who had died so long ago. She had no more need of them and would give them to the new little prince. She put them in a basket and sat down for a moment’s rest before she followed the wise men. Hours later she woke up, grabbed the basket, and rushed into town. But the kings were gone and so was the little prince and his parents. Ever after, it is said, Babushka has followed after them. Whenever she finds a new born babe, she looks to see if he is the little prince. Even if he (or in our days she too) is not there, Babushka leaves a toy for the child. I think she probably found the prince early on, but we still should learn from her lesson: we should never let the important interfere with the essential.

Who were they, these three men we call magi?  Were they kings?  Popular tradition refers to them as the three kings, and maybe they were.  Certainly, their gifts were those one king would offer to another.  The title “king” was used rather loosely in the ancient East.  They may have been more similar to the medieval counts or dukes. The Hebrew prophets, particularly Isaiah, had foretold that kings would flock to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. So, it would be acceptable to consider them as kings.  Sometimes they are referred to as astrologers.  Were they astrologers?  Well, they were astrologers in the sense that they studied the sky looking for the sign that the Golden Age would begin.  Perhaps, they were more astronomers than astrologers. The ancient people believed that the birth of the Great One would be accompanied by rejoicing in the heavens.  The Hebrew people also believed that nature would respond to the momentous event. Recent studies have shown that those east of Judea would have indeed seen a phenomenon in the sky, a star in their sense of the term, right at the time of the birth of Jesus.  Were the three simply wise men?  Certainly, they were wise, but wiser than most men.  They were willing to leave their lands, their comforts, and journey to find the great King whose birth was announced by the star.

Joke-2) An 8-year-old asked, "How come the kings brought perfume to Jesus? What kind of gift is that for a baby?" His 9-year-old sister answered, "Haven't you ever smelled a barn? With dirty animals around, Mary needed something to freshen the air."

And, how about this King Herod?  Who was he?  He was to be known as Herod the Great. His son, Herod Antipas, would be the king who would put John the Baptist to death and mock Jesus. Herod the Great built up much of Jerusalem, including the second Temple, a wonder of the ancient world. This Herod was a fierce politician.  His family came from the Roman province of Idumea, and had been pagan themselves.  They became Jewish in order to rule in Palestine under the protection of Rome.  So Herod was always suspected by the Jews as being a Jew in name only, but not committed to Yahweh.   In 40 BC the Roman Senate declared that Herod was King of the Jews.  He spent most of his reign trying to protect himself from being overthrown.  His own family was not safe from his paranoia.  He sent his wife and son into exile.  When his young brother-in-law was becoming too popular, he had a "drowning accident" in what archaeology has shown to be a rather shallow pool.  Herod also had three more of his sons killed when he  suspected  them of plotting against him. Many modern writers repeat the probably apocryphal story that the Emperor Augustus remarked, "It is better to be Herod's pig than his son."  By the way, that was a pun, the word for pig in Greek was hios and the word for son was wehous. Since the Jews did not eat pork, the lives of Herod’s pigs were safer than those of his sons.

So when the three magi called on Herod and asked where is the new born King of the Jews was, all that Herod could hear was that once more his power was being challenged. You can understand the phrase, “He was greatly troubled and all Jerusalem with him.” That he would send his soldiers to kill all the children born in the vicinity of Bethlehem is in perfect keeping with how he protected his reign.  This Herod would die a year or two after the birth of the Lord.

Herod and the magi offer a study in contrasts.  Herod was a man of the political world, fiercely holding onto his power.  The magi were men devoted to finding the King announced by the star, even though they did not know who this King was or exactly where the star would lead them.  Herod was a Jew in name but a pagan in all things.  The Magi were pagans in name, but acted like sincere Jews seeking the One who was the summit of God’s Plan for mankind.

Sixteen centuries later, the mystic and doctor of the Church, St. John of the Cross, would reflect on his own life in a way that was similar to the lives of the ancient magi as well as the lives of all who seek the Lord.  In “Songs of the Heart....” John of the Cross wrote, “I went without discerning and with no other light except for that which in my heart was burning.”

And so, we journey to the Lord.  Where exactly are we going to find Him?  We really don’t know.  He may be in marriage.  He may be in the priesthood or religious life. He may be in the life of the single determined to spread Christianity.  He may be in children and Teens. He may be in a career.  He may in our caring for a sick spouse or relative.  He may be in the outcast who reach out for us. He is in all these and countless more places.  If we are wise, we will spend our lives seeking Him out, wherever He is.  And yes, we might get sidetracked. Yes, we might find ourselves seeking Him in the wrong place, like in the palace of a hypocritical King Herod.  We may start a career that is wrong for us. We may have to break a relationship that is unhealthy for us. But if we are attune to God’s Word, He will set us straight and direct us to the course we need to follow.  We will all get to our Bethlehem’s if we are open to God’s call.

“Where am I going with my life?” we  ask ourselves.  Ideally, our answer should be, “I am going to Jesus, wherever He might be.”  “When will I get there?” we also might ask.  And we answer, “I will get there when the Lord decides that the journey of my life is complete.”  For none of us has arrived at the goal of fully embracing the Lord.   We need to keep searching for Him throughout our lives.  After all, our lives are journies of  love, There are always new places to find love.

Joke-1) The little boy turned in his Christmas drawing to the teacher. It showed two camels approaching the inn, over which was painted a huge star. But the third camel and its rider were shown gong away from the inn. "Why is the third man gong in a different direction?" asked the teacher. "Oh," said the boy, "he's just looking for a place to park."

At times the journey is difficult.  We are called to be moral in an immoral society. We are called to stand for life in a society of death. We are called to embrace the joy of the Lord in a society that exalts in diabolical hatred. It is easy for us to give up and  to give in.  It is easy to take the drink that will destroy us, the drug that will dull us.  It is easy to go with the flow of an immoral relationship. It is difficult to step away from all this and stay on the path to the Lord. But we can stay on that path.  We can, and we must.  The world is counting on us completing the journey of our lives.  For those who complete their journey reveal to the world the Presence of its Savior.  And we journey, not alone, but guided, guided by an interior star, the voice of the One we love who calls to us deep within ourselves.  And we go “without discerning and with no other light except for that which our hearts is burning.”

We pray today for the wisdom to seek and discern the truth, the Lord.