Manifesting God's Glory

Adoration of the Magi by Rubens

I made one resolution for 2020: to look for "epiphanies" in God’s universe.   Epiphany is from a Greek word meaning “revelation.” The word has come to mean a manifestation of the divine. Sunrises and sunsets, landscapes and waterscapes, furry and feathered creatures and compassionate people—all these and more can be a manifestation of the divine. For beneath all these appearances lies the reality of an awesome creator God who sustains this multi-faceted universe.

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, the revelation of the child Jesus to the magi. These were non-Jews, who traveled from far away, guided by a sudden illumination of wisdom – a mysterious star -- to pay homage to this Jewish child named Jesus. Yes, Jesus is for all people, all times, our way, our truth and our life.

The Word of God from Isaiah takes us back to the 6th century before Jesus, when the Jews lost everything they thought would continue forever. Yet the author speaks of a new Jerusalem. A divine light will emanate and people will acknowledge and walk by this dazzling light. Christians of course see Jesus as this light who shows human beings their purpose: to manifest the glory/presence of God.

The letter of Paul to the Ephesians speaks about our future: we are coheirs to God’s promise of eternal life, co-workers in bringing about the kingdom of God.

In the Gospel according to Matthew, we have all the ingredients of a great mystery novel: exotic visitors, a wicked king, a mysterious star, precious gifts and a new child. The Word of God became flesh so that God can transform our earthly self into an indescribable, heavenly self.

Yes, this child in a manger – a feeding trough –will become an adult, a suffering Messiah, who through his death/resurrection we have eternal life. And He will “deify” us—we shall be like God and we shall see God as God is!

The magi gave homage to the Christ child with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
In our liturgy of thanks, we bring our gifts of bread and wine, and yes, our very selves, to this sacrificial meal so that God can transform them into the real presence of Jesus Christ.

Now who is this Jesus to whom we pledge our ultimate allegiance as a worldwide faith community?
The early Christian community saw Jesus as the fulfillment of the hopes of ancient Israel. They named him the Messiah, the anointed one.

The more they reflected on who he was, the more they saw Jesus as both the fulfillment and the foundation of their hopes. So they called him the eternal Word. The Gospel according to John captures this magnificently: The Word was with God and the Word was God.

Yes, Jesus is the foundation and fulfillment of our hopes as well. He was a real historical person. He experienced, as we do, joy, fatigue, friendship, disappointment and loneliness.
He was a prophet proclaiming that good ultimately will triumph over evil.
He is one with God, truly divine yet truly human; he is gloriously alive in our midst today especially in the sacramental life of our Catholic faith community.

Jesus taught not only that the kingdom of God was breaking into our midst; but that you and I can share in bringing this kingdom forth by living a life of discipleship.

Jesus showed us that God is our Father, a compassionate God, always near us at the start of each day to guide us on our journey to our heavenly home.

So on this the feast of the Epiphany, I invite all of us to rededicate ourselves to Jesus, to ask him to grace us anew at the beginning of this new year, so that we might manifest ever more clearly the divine in our daily lives through our faith, hope, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity and faithfulness.
And may we in 2020 be ever more attuned to those epiphanies all around us:the manifestations of the divine in all of God’s creations.

Every Picture Tells A Story

Rembrandt's Return of the Prodigal Son

This Sunday is known as Laetare Sunday. Laetare is a Latin word meaning “rejoice.” Why rejoice? Because we are close to our salvation, the Easter mystery.

In modern times, Easter is often boiled down to eggs and the Easter bunny. Many people ask, what’s the connection?

Originally, eggs laid during Holy Week were saved and decorated and then given to children as Easter gifts. Chocolate eggs appeared in the 19th century. And the Easter bunny? Rabbits usually give birth to a big litter, so they became a symbol of new life. Legend had it that the Easter bunny lays and hides eggs. Thus, the Easter egg hunt. So much for folklore.

What does the word of God say to us today? In the Gospel, the parable of the prodigal son has many levels of meaning, inviting us to see ourselves in the characters.

The younger son asked his father for his inheritance, squandered it—and then he “comes to his senses.” An amazing phrase! He realizes his true identity as a beloved son. His father unconditionally forgives and loves him and gives him a party.

The older son is “angry,” critical, finding his father’s generosity incomprehensible. Was the older son really listening to his father, and following his example? His father affirmed that “everything I have is yours.”

This parable may move us to ponder forgiving someone. If we can’t forgive on our own, pray for the grace to participate in the forgiveness of Jesus, who pardons those who come to him and try to start their lives afresh.

And who is this Jesus who loves and forgives us unconditionally?  Did you ever wonder what Jesus really looked like? Great painters give us different portraits. The Gospel writers Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John also give us different portraits, and various ways to bring forth Jesus. They faced a unique challenge. How portray someone completely human and yet completely divine? Moreover, they wrote to different audiences. Which Gospel is most authentic and best reflects the historical Jesus? They all do.

Mark was the earliest, shortly after scores of Christians perished during the persecution of Emperor Nero. Mark thought he ought to write who Jesus was, what he taught, and what he did. The Jesus in Mark is very human: the Messiah who suffers so that we can live forever. What happened to Jesus, Mark says, can happen to us too. Luke’s and Matthew’s portraits are similar.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus is noble, majestic, and divine. Remember how this Gospel opens: in the beginning was the Word. Yes, Jesus is completely human and completely divine. Jesus in John is the revealer of the mystery of God, the face of God among us.

Jesus, the God-man, is more than any one person can adequately describe. And so, each of us might ask: how do I reflect Jesus in my daily attitudes and behaviors? Rediscover a portrait of Jesus by prayerfully reading and listening to the Gospel. Let the portrait fire you up to become an ever-more-faithful disciple.