Homily (3) the
Epiphany of the Lord: Fr. Michael U. Udoekpo
Readings: Isa 60:1-6; Ps 72:1-2,7-8,10-13; Eph
3:2-3a,5-6 and Matt 2:1-12
Let Every Nation on earth Adore You O Lord!
The responsorial Psalm
“Lord, every nation on earth will adore you Lord” captures the essence of what
we celebrate today, the Epiphany of our Lord. Every Solemnity of the Epiphany brings
us together “to adore the Lord,” and make him known to the whole world. Truly,
our God freely and willingly manifested himself to us in Christ, deserves adoration and our worship. He is the word that became
flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). This Word must be shared with our
neighbors.
Saint Paul bore
witness to this Word in his missionary journeys to the Gentile nations as noted
in the 2nd reading. Paul says, to the church in Ephesus “you have
heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your
benefits…. That the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and
copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel” (Eph 3:2-3a,
5-6).
Paul’s message was long
foretold by the prophet Isaiah in the first reading, “Rise up in splendor,
Jerusalem! Your Light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See
darkness covers the earth, and the thick cloud covers the peoples, but upon you
the Lord shines, and over you appear his glory. Nations shall walk by light and
kings by your shining radiance… bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming
the praises of the Lord” (Isa 60:1-6).
Christ's Birth is an
entrance of Light into the world of darkness. It is an entrance of Light
and Divine Strength into our human weaknesses, selfishness, self-
centeredness, and sufferings. It is a manifestation, of divine goodness
into our lives. It is an epiphany of God's love, his Mercy, his Tender Care and
Kindness to all nations and continents, Jews and Gentiles, poor and rich,
queens and kings.
Epiphany is a
manifestation of God to our children, to mummy and daddy, to husbands and
wives, seminarians and priests, to friends, partners, politicians, poets,
colleagues and peers. It is a feast when Jesus, who we celebrated at Christmas,
is made known to the whole world, to every continent and nations: Lord, every
nation on earth shall adore you” (Ps 72).
Epiphany is a gathering of every nation to
adore Christ. This is true even when you look at our faces, our colors, and our
eyes, particularly our last names. I was recently in Africa and Europe the joy
was the same at Christmas, every nation adoring the Lord- the power of faith-
only Christ can gather us together at birth and at death. What a miracle of
faith.
At his birth,
manifestation many reacted: the angels, who sang, “glory to God in the
highest,” the shepherds who traveled to the manger in Bethlehem to visit with
the holy family, Simeon, the prophet sang the nunc dimittis, while Anna, the prophetess saw the uniqueness in
Christ and spoke about this special child to everyone(Luke 2). What is your
reaction to the story of Christmas, to the Christmas plays we watched, to
Christmas carols and music we have listened to, to all the Christmas homilies
we have heard from the lips of the Pope, bishops, different priests and
pastors? Do you like Anna internalize it or be ready to go out a manifest this
love to others, the poor and the rich? Or do you keep it to yourself?
In today’s Gospel (Matt 1:1-12) the magi join in this chain of reaction. Guided by the star, they came all the way from the East, from abroad outside Bethlehem/Judea, to adore Christ, to worship Christ (proskunh/), to submit themselves to Christ. They brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and foretold by Isaiah the first reading.
In today’s Gospel (Matt 1:1-12) the magi join in this chain of reaction. Guided by the star, they came all the way from the East, from abroad outside Bethlehem/Judea, to adore Christ, to worship Christ (proskunh/), to submit themselves to Christ. They brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and foretold by Isaiah the first reading.
Every nation adores
the Lord, including those who studied the stars. God can speak to us. He can
manifest Himself to us through our various professions and occupations. All
that he requires of us are (the gifts of) disposition, willingness,
openness and readiness, irrespective of our profession. You can be an attorney,
a nurse, a doctor, a secretary, a receptionist, a broker, a plumber, a factory
worker, a church volunteer, a student, employed or unemployed, a trader, wine
maker/tapper, a bank teller, a football coach, a husband, housewife, a Jew or
Gentile with deep faith.
We can learn from the
Gentiles the Magi. Their journeys I believe were not rosy-rosy. Mostly likely
there were some difficulties on the way. They must have left their homes,
children and family members searching for Christ in a territory where Herod was
appointed the king of the Jews by the Roman imperialism. I am sure being
learned scientists they were not naïve, they knew, humanly it would be
risky facing Herod, the reigning earthly king, when at the same time
searching to adore the heavenly King, the true “King of the Jews,”
and “the King of kings.” Being a faithful Christian in this New Year and at the
same time a good citizen is not always easy. Being a good Christian and a good
politician or a good member of the United Nations was never going to be without
faith. These things are possible when we walk with deep faith, when we
listen to the impulses of the Holy Spirit, when we follow the light of Christ
not our own will, as the magi did and as prophesied long ago by the Prophet
Isaiah “nations shall walk by your light.”
Nations of
professionals including the magi from Sheba shall submit (proskunh/) themselves to Jesus and worship him. The
precious gifts the brought Christ from the East- gold, frankincense and myrrh
are significant. Gold recalls the
royalty of Christ which lies in his mission of justice, peace, love,
forgiveness and holiness of life- Not bullying, revenge and terrorism. In
Frankincense we recall the perfume and the incense we use during worship- which
is a symbol of hope and faith that we all place in Jesus our Messiah.
In another place, Paul speaks of this in 2
Corinthian 2:15. St. Paul invites us to bring out that noble “aroma of
Christ” among ourselves: peace, love, forgiveness, universalism, inclusiveness,
friendship and acts of charity. In Myrrh
we recall the sufferings, the pains and passion of Christ (Mark 15:20-23; Matt
27:33-44). And it was with Myrrh in John 19:39 that Nichodemus anointed
Christ’s body for burial.
Epiphany is a
celebration of our faith from the strength of our jobs, vocations and
occupations. Many with various occupations gathered here have that faith. Many
with various professions are still searching for that faith. Like in the case
of the Magi sometimes the journey may be long and rough. In the case of the
Shepherds they risked abandoning their flocks and rushing to see the Christ
born at the manger in Bethlehem. Simeon and Anna did not mind their old age.
They faithfully and passionate sang and spoke about the blessings brought to
Israel by the redeemer- Christ.
For us when we finally find that faith we are
call to share it with others. This is not a time for “globalization of indifference”
mentioned by Pope Francis in his 2015 New Year Message. But a time to globalize the
light/love of Christ to others. We are invited to share with and manifest the
message of Christmas for our friends, relatives and in our communities. We are
called to manifest that faith, to spread that aroma of Christ, that golden
peace, that inclusiveness, that joy, that charity, that forgiveness, those
gifts, among others, among every nation. Lord every nation on earth will adore
you!