2/4 January 2015, the Epiphany. Fr. Raymond Homily

Mass Homily, by Fr. Raymond  

Our Crib: Nativity figures play their parts.
The Epiphany Star features Scripture and Liturgy

Subject: Epiphany

The Liturgy speaks of three Epiphanies. 

The Adoration of the Magi, when the Gentile Nations recognised the Messiah; 

the first public miracle at the Marriage Feast of Cana,  when the water blushed into wine, as the antiphon so picturesquely says;   

and lastly the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan, when the Father's voice proclaimed "This is my beloved Son!

However if we wish to confine the Mystery of the Epiphany to God’s opening up of the gospel to all nations, then we must focus on the first of these three scenes, The Coming of the Magi seeking Him who was born King of the Jews. The Old Testament foreshadowings of this mystery stretch from the enigmatic figure of Melchidezech to the even more enigmatic figure of Balaam and his wonderful blessings and prophecies and through all the gentile figures in the lineage of the Christ Himself. These stretch from the Canaanite wife of Judah to the Moabite woman Ruth and goodness knows how many others. 

It is to the Prophets we must turn however to find the most explicit teaching of the gathering of the Gentiles into the Family of God. Today’s Liturgy is full of it. "Arise and shine Jerusalem ... The Nations shall come to your light, kings to your dawning brightness. Lift up your eyes and look around. All are assembling and coming towards you.”  This aspect of the Christian Mystery is of course a perennial one. The Church IS Epiphany. WE are Epiphany. It is another way of saying that the Church is missionary. WE are missionary.

But Today’s Feast says something more. Let us be careful to note that it was not the Holy Family that went out on a 'mission' seeking the Wise Men. No, it was the Wise Men who came seeking the Child who was born to be King.

In this wonderful event we are invited by the Holy Spirit to realize and to appreciate the searching and seeking that goes on the minds and hearts of all men of good will, whatever their religion. And even more are we invited by today’s mysterious events to ponder how God Himself is with these Gentiles of all time; his loving providence guiding them and providing signs and clues to lead them to the truth. 

          Raymond      

Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan