October 25th, 2020. God is present in dreams and in flight for freedom. Imagine our country seeing its primary purpose as promoting planetary well-being and guiding in companionship with other nations the planet toward justice and peace. As we close the Christmas season, Matthew invites us to cultivate a double vision. He is always manifest in the gospel of Matthew which we just read, gifts are a way of expressing, giving ourselves to Christ. (Jesus' last words are "Go and make disciples of all the nations" — Matthew 28:19.). To receive these commentaries two months in advance, sign up for Sunday Resources emails. A legend says that Casmir, Melchior, Balthazar travelled proclaiming Jesus’ kingship to Cologne in Germany. This last scene of the Christmas … Bruce Epperly, Ph.D., is a Cape Cod pastor, professor, and author. Our presence at mass is an expression of that gift. Note that the Magi, who came bearing rich gifts, offered nothing to Herod and his court. Because of the dullness or hardness of their hearts they ignored, “And you, Bethlehem of the tribe of Judah, a savior will arise from you.”. Certainly, poses the great “what if?” for us and our nation. January 5, 2020. They became curious about a star and they followed it. Published on November 28, 2019. EPIPHANY AND UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS JOB FAIR (VIRTUAL) Join in on Thursday, October 15th from 9 am to 3 pm to the free virtual job fair via Virtual on Handshake. A Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ pastor, he is the author of over fifty books including, Piglet’s Process: Process Theology for All God’s Children, Process Theology: Embracing Adventure with God, Angels, Mysteries, and Miracles: a Progressive Vision. No one is excluded from God’s revealing; we need to wake up and open to what God is planning for us. Press Esc to cancel. This will prepare us for the coming year in which the Scriptures and our Catholic tradition, Matthew and Pope Francis will call us again to respond the unexpected and universal dimensions of the unfinished Gospel. They return home by another way to save the child. There, by the light of their own traditions, they perceived a promise that moved them to offer their homage with gifts that foretold an unthinkable combination royalty, divinity and suffering. From the time of Jesus, the Gospel belongs to all the nations, not just the chosen people. In the cathedral that dominates that city, there are their reputed tombs behind the main altar. The Epiphany of the Lord. Epiphany is the season of revelation. Psalm 72. Ephesians describes the interplay of personal and global revelation. They were so hungry for more meaning in life that they went to a foreign land and consulted the wisdom of an alien tradition. The elimination of spiritual novelty is essential to orderly survival. The Epiphany is manifestation of the good news of God’s love. The magi took the information and did use it. But their own religious symbol, the star that called them beyond the familiar, led them to a simple family. November 8th, 2020. Outsiders see what the chosen miss. We need to cast a critical and self-reflective eye on the religious leaders here. Love, Opal, is a Cape Cod pastor, professor, and author. Isaiah 60:1-6 The time for gift giving in a large part of the world. Herod got the information and used it - for his own self-interest - to stay in power. To find the Lord, we need to seek him as the magi who successfully sought and found him. Perhaps we need to ask ourselves: Do we tend to stop at the story of Christmas with baby Jesus?Do we move beyond the crib, to the second part? That's another way of telling us they were not the same as they had been when they set off on the journey. Psalm 72 Without outlandish dreamlike prophecies, we become content with small minded programs and self-interested policies when God offers us beauty. Action Alert! Faith is what underpins our gifts. Then, the shepherds and various animals; finally, the wise men. Persons of other religions are more faithful than those of the chosen faith. He can be reached at bepperlychurch@comcast.net. Matthew wanted to interpret Jesus for his Jewish brothers and sisters, so he made lots of insider references to their religious heritage, prophecies fulfilled, etc. January 5, 2020 Epiphany of the Lord. Then, we who have found Jesus have the wonderful task of manifesting him to those whose lives we touch, of continuing the epiphany to the ends of the world. The epiphany message is that all things are theophanic at their depths and heights. Epiphany is the second part of Christmas time. Rev. Who were these Magi and why did Matthew tell us about them? The journey was short. The Challenge of Reducing Waste: A Parish Guide We have already heard how Mary and Joseph got there. The magi apparently have a collective dream that changes their journey. Revelation is personal but never individual. The Epiphany of Our Lord (Year A), 6 January 2020. Epiphany is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation (theophany ) of God incarnate as Jesus Christ. The evil ruler Herod reminds us that although the powers of the world are mighty and terrifying, God can circumvent them in unexpected, utterly simple, and nonviolent ways. They could tell the Magi what the prophets promised, but they were culpably incurious as to what God might be up to in their day. With the other eye, we follow the Magi and gaze beyond our horizons, toward new respect and openness to others who genuinely seek to know God. An outsider Messiah would turn everything upside down, threaten the status quo, and create turmoil that might require Roman intervention. Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6. We know nothing more about them. The scribes had the information, but didn’t use it. Imagine nations flocking to our country. The Epiphany of the Lord - January 05, 2020 - Liturgical Calendar | Catholic Culture. The mystery of God struck Saul on the road to Damascus and this same mystery is awakening Gentiles and outsiders. But, the Christ-child is anything is anything but orderly, expected, or predictable. Myrrh was used for embalming and symbolizes the faith that goes beyond death. October 4th, 2020. While border integrity is important and citizenship is of value, these policies are secondary to acts of hospitality and to responding to the injustices that provoke refugee journeys. We must protect our borders with compassion if we are to follow God’s border security. "We three kings ..." Sing for a minute, then ask yourself, "Who decided there were just three of them or that these wise pilgrims from the East were kings?" Sign up the week before on https://bit.ly/33nOkhs WORKERS LIST We have a list of domestic workers in the area. While we don’t seek a theocracy, we need leaders who respond to the cries of the poor, who privilege the needy, and put justice first. Finally, they met the mother and child and discerned that they had found what they were seeking. The magi – as well as ourselves - have it tougher. We experience a true epiphany in our lives each time we do this. September 27th, 2020. They told the Magi where to look, but they didn't bother to follow their own interpretation of Scripture. The McCarrick Report is Out: Read Our Full Coverage. We speak of shepherds and wise men often in the same breath. They relied on their traditional ways of knowing God through nature and reading the signs of the times in the movement of the stars. It is our respect, our caring and our faith that we bring to our Lord. Our way may not always be clear; other lights shine brightly in competition. (Magi-cians, astrologers are better words than kings.) Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 1. October 18th, 2020. The politics of this story are obvious as we view thousands of political refugees in our time, some knocking at the doors of our nation. Shepherds had it easy. They were willing to broaden their horizons. Today, we celebrate the revelation of the incarnate Son of God, Jesus Christ, into the world. Ironically, we think we are searching; but god, we are told, is actually reaching out to us; we are just responding. When they learned what they could from the Jewish theologians, they continued on the way their own lights led them. God feels the pain of parents separated from their children and the terror and trauma of young children separated from their parents. The directions were excellent. Copyright © The National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company | 115 E. Armour Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64111 | 1-800-444-8910, Members of the traditional group of "Los Historiantes" gather outside a house as they celebrate the feast of the Epiphany Jan. 6, 2019, in San Salvador, El Salvador. Isaiah reminds us to reject the gods that have failed, whether they are politicians, policies, and nations, and turn to the One who cannot and will not fail us. The music was great! In the end, Matthew simply says, "They departed for their country by another way." This is a story about the unexpected and unfinished. God reveals God’s presence from East to West and North to South and from birth to death, and Infinity and Beyond. Isaiah 60:1-6. The Light of the World uncovers new and radical alternatives to the current state of affairs and brings new possibilities into our world. It involves the search of the magi. We are very often in the dark. But this outlandish prophetic word – whether from the prophet Isaiah or prophets in our own time – cannot be silenced. We find meaning to life by seeing our life experiences in the light of those words. Wisely, they sought advice from the scribes, the experts. January 6, 2020. Pencil Preaching: Scripture and sketches meet in this daily reflection on the Word. Wakahiu, LSOSF. They were religious seekers, perhaps a whole caravan of them, who didn't have the Hebrew Scriptures to guide them. This vision of an alternative reality must hover over our nation, luring us beyond what we can imagine to a more perfect union and luring us personally to lives of mission and service in our domestic tasks and civic involvement. It is ironic and tragic that Saul’s (Paul) revelation came on the pathway to today’s war torn Damascus, Syria. October 11th, 2020. They are the outer circles in our Christmas crèches; there is, at the center, Jesus in the manger, then Mary and Joseph forming the inner circle. Matthew 2:1-12. In following God’s light, rising to the present light, we become radiant ourselves and give light to the world. The account of pagan seers seeking the newborn Jesus fits right into his plan to open his parochial-minded audience up to the fact that the Gospel is universal. When we wake up to theophanic moments, we discover that God reveals Godself in dreams to Joseph and the Magi, a dove lighting over Jesus’ head, a hippie preacher’s call to repentance, a message from the mountaintop, and God reveals God’s wisdom to us. Sister Jane. (CNS/Reuters/Jose Cabezas), 20190107T0821-23196-CNS-EPIPHANY-FEAST-SALVADOR resize.jpg. There is plenty of confusion. Once again, as we read Matthew’s gospel, we are confronted with the paranormal. That tells us that Matthew realized that God was moving people to interreligious dialogue from the time of Jesus' birth. Become Fire: Guideposts for Interspiritual Pilgrims. In the chief priests and scribes, we get a depiction of religious leaders and theologians seeking something less than the truth. The exponential slaughter that may happen must be deterred by stronger wiser forces than that which is coming from our Whitehouse. The Psalm portrays a great king, and the ideal for a national leader, even our national leaders. They did not know where it would lead. The epiphany message embraces every dimension of life and calls us to see revelation as joining person, community, and planet in the quest for God’s Shalom.
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