Tuesday, January 8, 2013

The Visit of the Magi [January 6, 2013 - Solemnity of the Epiphany]






The Sunday Gospel [January 6, 2013 - Solemnity of the Epiphany]

Matthew 2:1-12

1When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” 3When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:

6‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

7Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” 9After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. 10They were overjoyed at seeing the star,11and 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. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

Reflection

[Wise men said,] “We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” ~ v. 2

Henry Van Dyke wrote a story about an imaginary fourth wise man, Artaban. He was to go with the other three to search for the newborn king. Artaban had a pouch of precious gems as a gift for the baby king. On his way to join the other three, he stopped to help a needy person. The delay was just enough to cause him to miss the other three wise men. He never did catch them; he kept helping people and giving away all his gems. Artaban ended up as a beggar in a faraway city called Jerusalem. One day he saw a criminal being marched off to be executed. He felt close to this man and was sad that he couldn’t help him. As the criminal drew near, he turned to Artaban and said, “Be not sad, you’ve been helping me all your life.”

How do I imagine Artaban felt when Jesus said this to him?

Reflection Credits: Fr. Mark Link, SJ, Daily Homilies

Source: The Reflection is from Bro. Abel Navarro (you can visit his blog at http://myblogabelnavarroabel.blogspot.com/).

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