STAR IN OUR HEARTS

The famous philosopher, Aristotle said that all men by nature desire to know. This is because we have an intelligence and we want to know why, where for and what exactly the world is all about. Curiosity is a child's natural instinct. It's how they learn. In fact, it's how we all learn. During the 1st stage of learning the child wants to know the ultimate things and asks the most unimaginable things. As adults, we still have questions. Unfortunately what we seek is the light and understanding that this mysterious world can never give. It is the light of glory that stimulates people to seek. It is the very light in redemption brought by Jesus given to all men. If no one had known about Jesus Christ, how will we be saved? The glory of the Lord appeared to the Jews, the shepherds on the night Christ was born. They were uneducated but they rushed to the stable and sought the light. The light that Aristotle sought is experienced by the Magi, the 3 wise men, the philosophers and astrologers, partially religious and scientific. They were brought to Jesus by the star through nature. It is a physical event that led them to Israel. It is where faith and reason meet. They were looking for the Messiah as foretold from of old. It led them to Bethlehem and saw the fulfillment of nature in the light that even the wise men sought. What these philosophers, wise men, the uneducated and shepherds sought on that night paved the way for faith and reason to meet. This is the true wisdom that the light of Christ filled this world with and we should be led by the star in our hearts to receive Him and transform us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 60:1-6
1 Rise up in splendor! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory.

What the wise and the unlearned alike sought and found in the stable is the encompassing light of heaven. Herod was so afraid that Jesus will take away his earthly kingdom without realizing that He gives away the heavenly kingdom. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
R: Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
...For he shall rescue the poor man when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. 13 He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save.

The kingdom of heaven is not just for a select few but for all who believe and faithfully follow our Lord Jesus Christ whether Jew or Gentile, woman or man, slave or free. Amen. Hallelujah!

Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6
2 Brothers and sisters: You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, 3 namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation. 5 It was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: 6 that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. The Magi or the wise men presented Jesus with gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts were very prophetic for they spoke of our Lord's offices of King, Priest, and Savior. Their gifts manifest what they profess. The events and circumstances that surround the birth of Jesus are all so magnificent and amazing. We sometimes think that things just happen for the sake of nothing. If we are to look very closely at all these things we will come to a conclusion that God arranges everything in a perfect and orderly way. These 3 wise men from the East were not Jewish nor do they belong to the chosen race of God and yet they believed and sought the Messiah and King. When they responded to the presence of God in the realm of their vast and high level of knowledge and learning they opened up themselves even more to a greater intelligence that not even this world can offer in a lifetime. We just have to open ourselves to the infinity of God’s power. God manifests Himself to us in various ways that we sometimes can not even imagine. It could be in the form of dreams or a sudden or gradual realization of something through the things that are happening to us or around us. It is not enough that we stand and look at the star. The wise men were wise because they allowed themselves to be guided by the star. Today’s gospel tells us also that they were warned in a dream. They have properly used their knowledge and learning in a way to be with Jesus. We can also follow guidance of the light shining from the star in our hearts through the leading of our faith in Jesus our God that will bring us to heaven. Just like the 3 magi, we should also faithfully follow the star the leads to Jesus and bring with us the best offering that is fitting for a King. And we must keep in mind that as we travel through life we ought to be always sensitive and wise enough to know the messages that God is sending our way whether in a form of a confirmation or a warning so as to be well guided in our journey. The gospel for today spoke also of the shepherds whom the angels appeared to and announced the birth of Jesus, our Savior. The shepherds symbolize that Christ came first to His people. Just like that woman in the well when everybody is staying in their homes and was the only one out there fetching water. It is the same thing for the shepherds who were out at midnight caring for the sheep. These people who can be somehow considered outcast and sinners are mostly whom Jesus would reach out to. Though, He came for the whole world and for every single one of us. The reign of the Messiah extends to all nations. As demonstrated by these 3 kings who represented each and every color and race, bowed down to Jesus for they had recognized the greatness behind the baby lying in a manger. We have to acknowledge that Jesus our Savior came and redeemed us. What goes with it should be our submission and adoration to God. What stops us from adoring God is due to the fact that we want to be our own king and ruler of our lives. This Child is King, Immortal, Deity, God and Man capable of dying for our sins. We rejoice at this truth and though we are not Jews, the chosen race whom God first came for, we together with the Gentiles profess our faith in Him. We have to give Him homage. When we have no intention of kneeling down before the God Man then all we do are just pretenses the way Herod did in front of the 3 Kings. It’s a good thing having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way. In our hearts we should recognize the deception of the enemy and listen to the voice of God. When we fall into the trap then we might end up in fits of rage just like Herod who ordered the killing of the innocent children. We drive Jesus out of our lives. The enemy would attempt to eliminate the light of Christ in our hearts and homes. We should always have the Lord reining over us because He came to save us all.
Amen. Hallelujah!

Matthew 2:1-12
… He 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.”
After 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. 10 They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 11 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. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.