Homily

We have come to adore him (Mt 2:2)

Sunday, January 6, 2008, Solemnity of the Epiphany of our Lord
Assumption Grotto Parish, Detroit

            Epiphany shows us, as one ancient writing says, that two are the ways, one which leads to life, the other to death. Herod chose the road of death which leads to death, and the Magi chose the road of faith which leads to life. I exhort you to be wise by choosing life, the life of grace, so that you can know, love and serve God in this life, and be with him happy forever in the next!

            Today’s homily on Herod and the three Magi will illuminate the truth about the two ways.

            Let us first consider Herod, and profit from the warnings the scriptures provide for us. Now, there are four different Herods in the New Testament. This Herod is called Herod the Great. Not a Jew, but a consummate politician and friend of the Romans, he rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem with as much splendor as hypocrisy, for he had no love for God. The other three Herods are his son, his nephew, and his grand-nephew. He murdered more than half of his ten wives, several of his own sons, and many prestigious persons of the day. And while his fingers still dripped with blood, he next set his gaze upon the Incarnate Lord. His life of sensuality and pride had bereft him of all reason, and so much fear seized him at the prospects of this Baby, the Redeemer, that he reacted most dramatically. Power, death and brutality was always how he got his way, and this is how he would try to get his way now. He sought for the New Born King, but he did not find him in his sin. He did not go to adore him, but to destroy him. He saw this Child as competition for his power.

            Second, let us consider the Magi, who also sought the Lord. When Herod used calculation to find Him, the Magi used contemplation: they simply followed the star. This star led them to the light, for as it says in John, “The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world” (Jn 1:9). It was in a dream when the angel told Joseph the purpose and intention of Herod’s search for the Redeemer, as the scripture says, “Herod is about to search for the child and to destroy him” (Mt 2:13). The scriptures also tell us the purpose and intention of the Magi: “We have come to adore him.” (Mt 2:2) From search they moved to contemplation, from contemplation to an encounter with the Lord, and from the encounter to adoration of him, and from adoration to donation. For when the Magi found the Light, that is, the Child who governed the stars, they gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and Myrrh.

            And so we see that there are two quests, with the same term – the Child born in Bethlehem – but there are unequal reasons in each case, and very different results. Herod in his pride did not find Jesus or Mary or Joseph; the three kings, just like the shepherds (Lk 2:16) found all three.

           Next let us then meditate on the results of the path which the Magi chose. They offered the donation of gold, frankincense and myrrh, worthy gifts for the Lord who was Priest, Prophet and King. But who received the greater gift, and who was the giver? The Magi gave what was most valuable on earth, gold; yet Mary gave them, from her virginal womb, the one who created the gold and every other visible thing. For a prophet the Magi offered frankincense; yet Mary gave back to them the Word eternally begotten of the Father, of whom the Holy Spirit spoke in ancient times through all the prophets of Israel. For a priest they brought myrrh, burial spices, myrrh which was offered to him mingled with wine while he hung upon the cross ; yet in return, Mary gave them the one who would rise from the dead, the conqueror of sin, the “life” who was “the light of men,” a light which the “darkness has not overcome” (Jn 1:4-5).

            This all has countless applications for our spiritual life, yet if you do not take all this to prayer, today’s solemnity will slip through your hands like sand, through your fingers like water. Some of these applications can be as follows. First, follow the Lord, but only with purity of heart; those who claim to follow Jesus, but with selfish motives, become consumed with sin as was Herod. Second, see how your prayer life is, and move from searching to contemplating, from contemplating to finding, from finding to adoring, from adoring to giving, and from giving to receiving from God. Third, see that God always gives you infinitely more than you could ever give Him, and love Him! Finally, be aware that whenever you find Jesus, there also you find Mary and Joseph. Make Mary and Joseph important features of your spiritual lives, according to the mind and tradition of the Church.

            And so we recollect ourselves in prayer, before the moments of the Eucharistic sacrifice, saying, “Holy Mother and St. Joseph, show me the Lord. Help me renounce my sins, and live the virtues. Make the light of Christ efficacious and powerful in my soul. Help me always live in God’s presence, adoring your Divine Son, both in time and in eternity. Amen.”