Tomorrow's Feast of "Epiphany"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Hopefully, we have been preparing for tomorrow’s feast, as we gaze yet on the newborn King with His Mother. We keep our Christmas crib up until the end of the Christmas season. Just as I gradually moved Mary and Joseph and the donkey closer to the manger during Advent, so too I keep moving the Magi closer until tomorrow’s feast of Epiphany.

In my thread, “Seeking and finding”, I quoted from Pope Benedict XVI’s Vol. 3 of: Jesus of Nazareth - The Infancy Narratives. I was particularly blessed by his words expressing the joy the Magi experienced in finding The Child with His Mother. The Pope described their joy thus:

…It is the joy of one whose heart has received a ray of God’s Light and who can now see that his hope has been realized – the joy of one who has found what he sought, and has himself been found…

The Pope mentioned also the fact that Joseph is not mentioned by Matthew in this scene and Pope Benedict adds that he (Pope Benedict) has “yet to find a completely convincing explanation…” It seems to me very significant to listen and ponder these words in the Gospel of Matthew:

Going into the house they saw the child with Mary His Mother, and they fell down and worshipped Him. (Mt 2:11).

This morning, I’m wondering if the “key” is in the words “they saw”. They were seeking the newborn king, and they “saw” Him with Mary His Mother. I wonder if Joseph was there but they simply did not “see” him, or if Matthew intended us to focus only on Jesus and Mary to emphasize God is the Child’s Father.

More importantly, I wonder if God intends us to hear, in those words “they saw”, a reference to “seeing” with faith that this Child born of a human Mother was yet worthy of adoration! The gift of Faith is crucially important and it is a “Gift” God alone can give. God is never outdone in generosity. He knew the hearts of the Magi were truly seeking Him and He gave Himself freely to them - He revealed Himself (which is what the word “Epiphany” means i.e. to reveal, or to manifest). He received their gifts but gave them more.

Our Catholic Faith given at Baptism is a gift we need to nurture throughout our lives, along with Hope and above all Charity. We are called into union with God and Mary has a unique role in bringing Him to us, and us closer to Him. God wanted the Magi to “see” Jesus, The Word Made Flesh, the Son of God, born of Mary. God wants the whole world to “hear the Good News” and to “see” He has come to us through Mary and continues to come to hearts seeking Him (though they may not know him). He wants all of us to “see” Him by Faith. He will guide us by His Light, in darkness now, but one day we will “see” Him in the Light of His Eternal Glory.

 

[GLam8833]

Our pastor commented in his homily that
the visit by the Magi was in part a fulfillment
of the prophesy of Is. 49:3, 5-6 in Today’s
first reading, that nations will come with
their camels with gold and frankincense
to Jerusalem(to king Herod)!!

 

[patricius79]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Hopefully, we have been preparing for tomorrow’s feast, as we gaze yet on the newborn King with His Mother. We keep our Christmas crib up until the end of the Christmas season. Just as I gradually moved Mary and Joseph and the donkey closer to the manger during Advent, so too I keep moving the Magi closer until tomorrow’s feast of Epiphany.

In my thread, “Seeking and finding”, I quoted from Pope Benedict XVI’s Vol. 3 of: Jesus of Nazareth - The Infancy Narratives. I was particularly blessed by his words expressing the joy the Magi experienced in finding The Child with His Mother. The Pope described their joy thus:

The Pope mentioned also the fact that Joseph is not mentioned by Matthew in this scene and Pope Benedict adds that he (Pope Benedict) has “yet to find a completely convincing explanation…” It seems to me very significant to listen and ponder these words in the Gospel of Matthew:

This morning, I’m wondering if the “key” is in the words “they saw”. They were seeking the newborn king, and they “saw” Him with Mary His Mother. I wonder if Joseph was there but they simply did not “see” him, or if Matthew intended us to focus only on Jesus and Mary to emphasize God is the Child’s Father.

More importantly, I wonder if God intends us to hear, in those words “they saw”, a reference to “seeing” with faith that this Child born of a human Mother was yet worthy of adoration! The gift of Faith is crucially important and it is a “Gift” God alone can give. God is never outdone in generosity. He knew the hearts of the Magi were truly seeking Him and He gave Himself freely to them - He revealed Himself (which is what the word “Epiphany” means i.e. to reveal, or to manifest). He received their gifts but gave them more.

Our Catholic Faith given at Baptism is a gift we need to nurture throughout our lives, along with Hope and above all Charity. We are called into union with God and Mary has a unique role in bringing Him to us, and us closer to Him. God wanted the Magi to “see” Jesus, The Word Made Flesh, the Son of God, born of Mary. God wants the whole world to “hear the Good News” and to “see” He has come to us through Mary and continues to come to hearts seeking Him (though they may not know him). He wants all of us to “see” Him by Faith. He will guide us by His Light, in darkness now, but one day we will “see” Him in the Light of His Eternal Glory.

Happy Feast of the Epiphany to you MariaChristi, and to all!

My only thought would be that the reason they saw Jesus with Mary, His Mother, is because all the graces that brought them to that place came through the Mediatrix, Mary.

Mary is the one who believed, and conceived God in her womb by the Holy Spirit, and who conceives Him in us.

So I think we can call Mary: “She Who Believed”. The faith of the magi, which allows them to “see” Jesus, is a share in the faith of Mary.

Without devotion to her we cannot understand and appreciate the mystery of the Incarnation. We cannot truly adore Jesus is both fully human and as the eternal God.

Thanks be to Jesus for His Infinite Mercy given to us through the Mother of Divine Grace!

 

[MariaChristi]

Happy Feast of the Epiphany to you MariaChristi, and to all!

My only thought would be that the reason they saw Jesus with Mary, His Mother, is because all the graces that brought them to that place came through the Mediatrix, Mary.

Mary is the one who believed, and conceived God in her womb by the Holy Spirit, and who conceives Him in us.

So I think we can call Mary: “She Who Believed”. The faith of the magi, which allows them to “see” Jesus, is a share in the faith of Mary.

Without devotion to her we cannot understand and appreciate the mystery of the Incarnation. We cannot truly adore Jesus is both fully human and as the eternal God.

Thanks be to Jesus for His Infinite Mercy given to us through the Mother of Divine Grace!

My sentiments, dear brother Pat! All graces come to us through Mary, just as Jesus came to us the first time. She is the spiritual Mother of all. Let us do as Jesus told John from His Cross: “Behold your Mother!” and take her into our lives as John did!

 

[MariaChristi]

Our pastor commented in his homily that
the visit by the Magi was in part a fulfillment
of the prophesy of Is. 49:3, 5-6 in Today’s
first reading, that nations will come with
their camels with gold and frankincense
to Jerusalem(to king Herod)!!

Dear Glam,

Yes, the first reading and the Gospel for our Sunday Masses always have a “connection”. There is much for us to ponder in both readings. The coming of the Wise Men was and is a sign that Jesus came first to the Jewish Nation but He brought salvation to every nation – all are called to be children of God in Christ! Thanks for your reply. Hope it was a glorious Feast for you!

 

[patricius79]

My sentiments, dear brother Pat! All graces come to us through Mary, just as Jesus came to us the first time. She is the spiritual Mother of all. Let us do as Jesus told John from His Cross: “Behold your Mother!” and take her into our lives as John did!

Thanks, dear sister MariaChristi. Yes, we can never thank Jesus our Savior enough for giving us His mother to be our mother.

We can only find Jesus with Mary.

They are all tenderness!

 

[MariaChristi]

Thanks, dear sister MariaChristi. Yes, we can never thank Jesus our Savior enough for giving us His mother to be our mother.

We can only find Jesus with Mary.

They are all tenderness!

Dear Brother Pat,

Yes, Our Lady of Tenderness is one of my favorite icons, and Mary continually learned more and more tenderness from the Meek and Humble Heart of Jesus, her Son. Jesus seeing Mary gazing upon Him on Calvary, knew we would need her to help us learn from Him. Mary is Mother and Model for all.

 

[patricius79]

Dear Brother Pat,

Yes, Our Lady of Tenderness is one of my favorite icons, and Mary continually learned more and more tenderness from the Meek and Humble Heart of Jesus, her Son. Jesus seeing Mary gazing upon Him on Calvary, knew we would need her to help us learn from Him. Mary is Mother and Model for all.

Yes, MariaChristi, it is impossible to follow Jesus without Mary’s help. We are so weak and blind and hardhearted. But Mary allows us to share in her own humility and faith and tender love for Jesus.

 

[MariaChristi]

Yes, MariaChristi, it is impossible to follow Jesus without Mary’s help. We are so weak and blind and hardhearted. But Mary allows us to share in her own humility and faith and tender love for Jesus.

Dear Brother Pat,

That is a beautiful truth, isn’t it – every true Mother is willing to share with her child and there is no Mother more truly loving, than Mary. Full of Grace, she shares with us all God has given her to the extent that we are open to receive. May the fire of the Holy Spirit’s love soften the hardness of our hearts and open our ears to hear the words of Jesus : “Behold your Mother”; may our eyes see all Mary wants to share with us.

 

[patricius79]

Dear Brother Pat,

That is a beautiful truth, isn’t it – every true Mother is willing to share with her child and there is no Mother more truly loving, than Mary. Full of Grace, she shares with us all God has given her to the extent that we are open to receive. May the fire of the Holy Spirit’s love soften the hardness of our hearts and open our ears to hear the words of Jesus : “Behold your Mother”; may our eyes see all Mary wants to share with us.

Yes, my sister, she is the Key that unlocks every door in our relationship with her son…