The holidays are over. How many have made New Year's resolutions?
Perhaps the best resolution is to focus on God's presence in our lives, in ourselves, and let the glory of God shine forth each day.
Today we celebrate the Epiphany: the manifestation or showing forth of the child Jesus as the messiah. We don’t really know who the "magi" were--wise men or astrologers or traders. All we know is that they were non-Jews who came from far, far away, guided by a mysterious bright star, to pay homage to this Jewish baby called Jesus.
The word of God from Isaiah takes us back to the sixth century before Jesus. The author refers to a new Jerusalem. A divine light will emanate from this shining city on a hill and all people will walk by this light.
Christians see Jesus as this light who illuminates darkness, who shows the ultimate purpose of life: to be in relationship with God and thereby manifest the glory of God through who we are and what we do.
St. Paul's letter to the Christian community at Ephesus outlines our future: we are coheirs to the kingdom of God, co-workers of Jesus in bringing about the fullness of the kingdom. Jesus is indeed our guide: a pathway; bread for the spiritually hungry; a companion and a beacon of hope.
In the Gospel according to Matthew are all the ingredients of a great story: exotic visitors, a wicked king, court intrigue, a mysterious star, precious gifts, a new child. The magi give homage with gold, frankincense and myrrh, highly symbolic gifts about the identity of this child.
Gold can symbolize kingship or divinity, the things of God; and the coin of this child’s heavenly realm are the virtues of self-discipline, compassion, responsibility, friendship, courage, perseverance, honesty, decency, respect and faith in God. Are these virtues our values?
Frankincense with its wonderful fragrance and medicinal magic can symbolize healing, and this child came to heal wounds separating us from God and one another. We too are called to build bridges.
Myrrh can symbolize a burial embalmment, and this child, through his life/death/rising, re-established our relationship with God and designated us as co-heirs to God’s promise of eternal life.
Now who is this child to whom the magi give homage? This newborn messiah, completely human and divine, is the exemplar of what it means to be an authentic human being. That is why some ask themselves as they go about their daily routines: what would Jesus do in this or that circumstance?
With Jesus as our model, God invites us, from an infinite number of possibilities, to become the best version of ourselves.
But what is that? What is our essential purpose?
We are called to be in relationship with God by living a holy life, every man and every woman, without exception, regardless of age, race, socioeconomic background, career or calling in life.
Holiness is allowing God to enter into the very fiber of our being so that we can become our best through who we are and everything we do. To be true to our inner best self is a willingness to go the extra mile to make something “just right” because it’s the better thing to do. In all our decisions, small and great, that affect our work, career, family and social life, the rearing of children, relationships with others, and even our leisure time.
Yes, with Jesus as our model, now is the time to renew ourselves spiritually, and to encourage others as well, as we begin a new year.
A wise mystic observed this about his life:
“I was a revolutionary when I was young, and my prayer to God was: ‘Lord, give me the energy to change the world.’
“As I approached middle age and realized that my life was half gone without my changing a single soul, I changed my prayer to: ‘Lord, give me the grace to change all those who come into contact with me. Just my family and friends and I will be satisfied.’
“Now that I am old and my days are numbered, I have begun to see how foolish I have been. My one prayer now is: ‘Lord, give me the grace to change myself, to become the best version of myself.’ If I had prayed this right from the start, I wouldn't have wasted my life.”
Now is indeed a time to re-create ourselves, to re-energize our life with God and with one another.
Yes, it's time to begin again, to become the best version of ourselves.
