These days, the Epiphany could almost be a hallmark story. Three intelligent, spiritual foreigners see a sign in the sky and follow it to discover the joy of a newborn child and the joy of giving.
What gets lost in this rendering is the cross. Christ cannot be understood without the cross and the Old Testament.
The immediate result of the Epiphany is the slaughtering of the Holy Innocents and the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt for several years.
Moreover, the magi had to return to their country by another way. We can speak of the spiritual dimension of “another way”. Yet the text has a literal meaning. The magi likely approached Bethlehem from the lush territory of Galilee in the north. They likely returned by beating a hasty path east across the Jordan through the desert, near the eventual place of Saint John the Baptist’s ministry.
And yet God willed the Epiphany anyway, and we celebrate it to this day. Proclaiming the Gospel, giving Christ our best physically and spiritually, and inviting others to share in the joy of Christ remains worthwhile, no matter the suffering that is promised as a result.
The Blessed Mother knew from the Annunciation that she would have a target on her back as an unwed mother and as the mother of a king in the time of deadly tyrant Herod the Great. Saint Joseph anticipate the same sufferings. Yet there is no trace of reticence, looking back, or counting the cost.
In our age of nervous nellie Catholics who fear to evangelize lest we lose our comfortable jobs and way of life, this is a challenge. Let us pray that we do not lose sight of the challenge amidst the smiling manger scenes.
No comments:
Post a Comment