This weekend’s readings are a wakeup call to the Church. The
Solemnity of the Epiphany is when we celebrate the revelation of Jesus Christ
to the world.
The 3 Magi in the readings of today represent the world. The
Magi weren’t Jewish; they were foreigners from the east. For the readers
millennia ago, the Magi would have been exotic, unknown, coming from the parts
of the world that were barely known.
They, though, were the ones who first recognized the full significance
of the coming of Jesus. They brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and
myrrh. Only rulers were rich enough to own gold. The gift of gold is
recognition that Jesus would be king. The frankincense was used in the practice
of sacrifice of animals in the ancient religions, a very practical way to cover
up the smell of burning flesh in the altar fires. Giving Jesus frankincense was
a recognition that Jesus would be priest. Myrrh is a balm, a perfumed oil that
was often used in the preparation of bodies for burial. Just as the incense
reveals that Jesus would be the priest offering the sacrifice, the myrrh
reveals that Jesus would be the sacrificial victim that is offered. In his
life, he is King, Priest, and Sacrifice.
The Magi came from worlds away to this little nowhere town,
not really knowing that it was Jesus they were seeking, but knowing what it was
they were hoping to find: a king who would give them piece, a priest who would
advocate for them to the Almighty God, and a victim that would be sacrificed
for the forgiveness of their sins.
Why is this a wakeup call to the Church? The last command
that Jesus gave to this disciples was to go out into the all the world and make
disciples of all nations. How do we do that?
We “rise up in splendor!” Whenever we hear the Old Testament
readings, and we hear references to Israel or Jerusalem or God’s Holy People,
these are foreshadowings of the Church. The prophets are calling us to “rise up
in splendor.”
Here’s the Truth, Church: we have Jesus. Jesus is the Light
of the World. When we live in Him, He radiates from us, and draws people to
himself. By shining in the splendor of Jesus, we draw people to him, people who
will come, not really knowing that it is Jesus they are seeking. They come
looking for something that will bring peace to their lives. They come looking
for someone who they feel like is on their side. They come looking for
forgiveness, even if they don’t realize yet that it is forgiveness that they
seek.
So how are we to shine? First, and above all else, by being
the beautiful Christian that God has recreated in the new life we find in
Jesus. In Christ, you are a new creation. In Christ, you are beautiful. In
Christ, you have the strength to meet the challenges of life. In Christ, you
have the knowledge that the sufferings of this life are not the end of the
world. In Christ, you have the peace that surpasses understanding. In Christ, you
are beautiful. Be beautiful, and your beauty of heart and soul will draw
people, just as surely as the star drew the Magi. When they come to you, and
they will, drawn by your other-worldly beauty, you will show them Jesus.
We also shine by our sincerity of worship. I think sometimes
our Sunday celebrations do more to drive people away from the Church than lead
people to worship. What message is heard on Sundays? Not just the words that
are prayed or preached. There is message and there is meta-message. The message
is what is prayed and preached. The meta-message is what is actually
communicated. Do people come and experience a community centered on Christ, and
truly lifting their hearts up to him? Or do people come and experience a
community that is there because that’s just what we do on Sunday mornings? Do
visitors experience a people fully participating in worship and offering
sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving? Or do visitors experience a people who
are wondering why they go to Church because they just don’t get anything out of
it anymore? This extends to our priests and leaders in worship, too. Does the
congregation gathered experience a leader in worship who is sincere in his
prayers, or someone who is just mindlessly reading words or reciting the same
things over and over?
Our Sunday worship is a wonderful opportunity to be
beautiful together, to experience the Lord shining upon us, the Lord’s glory
appearing over us. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Jesus was a baby in Bethlehem
and Nazareth. These two towns were dumps. The Magi weren’t drawn to the palaces
of the king or to the wonder of the temple. They were drawn to Jesus.
This weekend’s readings are a call to the Church. We have
Jesus. Are we drawing the world, or our neighbors, to him?
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