Manifesting Jesus, "with Mary His Mother"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On “Epiphany”, the Church invites us to ponder in particular the manifestation of Jesus to the Gentile Kings or Magi. For a few days, I’ve been pondering these verses from today’s Gospel:

…They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary His mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

It is important to pay attention to every word, as the Catechism teaches:

106 God inspired the human authors of the sacred books. "To compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever He wanted written, and no more."

107 The inspired books teach the truth. “Since therefore all that the inspired authors or sacred writers affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures.”

108 Still, the Christian faith is not a “religion of the book”. Christianity is the religion of the “Word” of God, “not a written and mute word, but incarnate and living”. If the Scriptures are not to remain a dead letter, Christ, the eternal Word of the living God, must, through the Holy Spirit, "open (our) minds to understand the Scriptures."

Hopefully, many ponder these words: “they saw the Child with Mary His Mother”. Words are important. Why did the Holy Spirit inspire Matthew to include “with Mary, His Mother” in that sentence if it is not important? It is in Sacred Scripture because it is important. Mary the Mother of God is so important because God chose to send His Son, the Word Incarnate, to us through Mary. As St. John Paul II said: “Where the Mother is, there is the Son”.

The Magi “saw” (“Epiphany” can also be defined as “a moment of sudden revelation or insight”). It seems to me there are many searching today as the Magi searched, yet they do not know for Whom they are searching. Pope St. John Paul II called Mary the “Star of the New Evangelization” - perhaps he connected that title to the Epiphany. Certainly St. JPII knew how important Mary is, as did every other saint. By God’s Grace, may we “see by faith” as the Magi “saw” Jesus with His Mother today, and every day adore Him, giving all we have.