Walking with Jesus: The Epiphany of the Lord

Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12

What are my gifts? What are my talents? Talents are defined as “natural aptitude or skills.” A gift is defined as “a thing given willingly to someone without payment, a present.” These are very precise descriptions and very necessary for reflecting on this feast of the Epiphany when unknown and unexpected astrologers (magi) from the East come to acknowledge the birth of Jesus, the highly expected and predicted Messiah and Son of God. They bring strange yet significant gifts. The start of this New Year is a fitting day to look at my own talents which have been developed from my natural ability and skill set. As I review these I notice the persistence, courage, strength, desire and affirmations present that have resulted from God’s care and my developing relationship with Him to become the best I can be. What gifts does God give? The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines the gifts of the Holy Spirit, first recorded in Isaiah 11:1-3 as “wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, piety, fortitude and fear of the Lord. [1830] These are permanent dispositions which make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.” God has given me birth to live at this time and in this place. His purpose is, with His gifts, I can reach out and touch those in need directly or indirectly and show them love in its fullest. This is the beginning of their knowing that God loves them. Once realizing they are loved, they feel called to share love. This enables all to attain heaven, the reason we were born. This is known as God’s plan for all eternity. How am I doing? Today’s feast brings out the need for recognition of gifts and talents and bringing others to God.

Earlier in his book, Isaiah invites kings and their subjects to experience all the benefits of living God’s way. Unfortunately the people refuse to accept this invitation, choosing to do it their way. This is a constant temptation from Satan: leading me to feel that I am the center of universe and my way is always the right way. Is it? Now the prophet asserts that it is all about God and His saving work. Jerusalem has been destroyed. The prophet sees Jerusalem transformed into a light where all nations will follow its beacon. God has brought salvation, and the world will see it in the Messiah to come: Jesus. In this reading, the Church sees the symbol of its universality in leading all to God. The world has been covered in darkness, seen in the captivity and destruction of Jerusalem. The resultant calamities are spiritual blindness, confusion, ignorance, violence, sorrows and misery of every kind. Isaiah sees a new day coming for the entire world, beginning with Jerusalem. Am I ready for God to operate in my life and bring this salvation to others? I ask, what can I do? “Look at what I have given you,” says the Lord. “It’s too much, I’m only one person. That’s why I created you to be in the here and now where all my gifts and talents can be used to their optimum.” Am I counting on myself alone or do I turn to and trust God?

Paul is grateful that he has been chosen by God to preach the word of God: the Good News, described in Galatians: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption.  As proof that you are children, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, ‘Abba, Father!’ So you are no longer a slave but a child and if a child then also an heir, through God.”   [Galatians 4:4-7] Paul declares that this is God’s plan for all peoples of all time. I am His messenger in my world. How am I doing?

The magi brought gifts: It was what they did to recognize the Messiah. Do I bring my gifts from the Lord to my world? What constitutes my best gifts? My faith is precious: Do I hide my love for God and how He has loved me consistently? God certainly deserves my gratitude for His presence and His consistent help. Am I a grateful person or do I feel I deserve what God gives me because of what I’ve done? What is the ultimate gift I can give? Jesus told us that loving God and neighbor are essential, but do I qualify and select the recipients of my love and caring? Since Jesus, love has been preached and there is much, much left for me to do. Do others know that I am a Christian by my love? The Israelites placed all sorts of false images of God, like the golden calf. What has replaced God in my life? Has it been my desire for power, prestige, possessions, pleasure, addictions … do I just have this urge to possess them? “O come let us adore Him” … the emphasis is on Him … not me. Am I the be-all and end-all to others, not seeing that each person is loved? “God alone” appears so often on monastery and convent walls. These holy people find this gift to be a daily challenge. Do I? “Come, let us adore Him.” Do I do this at specific times, like prayer times and worship times, or am I a constant “talker with God,” speaking all the time, loving, caring, asking, referring others, just doing the daily things that build up my special relationship with God? This requires daily prayer and daily recommitment.

So I reflect on:

• Where have I felt unwanted or unloved, as though a door has been closed in my face? Where have I felt welcomed when a door has been graciously opened to me? What's the message?
• Do I search for Jesus in my daily life? What happens when I find Him where I least expect? Have I ever found Him in people I don’t know or may not like?
  

Sacred Space 2021 states:

“The story told in today’s Gospel is about people being called to follow their star in order to find the fullness of life only Jesus can give: ‘I came that they may have life and have it abundantly' [John 10:10].

“You may not have thought much about the nature of the star you follow. With a view to clarifying this, it may be worthwhile to ask yourself what you want for your children, your family or your friends.

“Having done this, you might talk to Jesus about whether this is what He wants for you, the star He wishes you to follow.”