January 5, 2025; Matthew 2: 1-12; Epiphany
Each year, on this feast of Epiphany, the gospel recounts for us the visit of the Magi to the child Jesus. It is a beautiful story. But it is important for us to recognize its darker dimension. We should not forget that the glorious star that led the Magi to Jesus, also led them to Herod, a wicked king who killed two of his sons so that he could remain in power and who was more than willing to kill the newborn king of the Jews whom he saw as a threat. We should not allow the richness and the sparkle of the gifts that the Magi offer to distract us from the fact that those same Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, because by doing so they would put Jesus’s life and their own in danger.
Today’s gospel does not only include beauty and splendor. It contains danger and violence as well. And this mix is intentional. The gospel wants us to realize that Jesus did not come into some heavenly perfect world but into our world—a world in which indeed, there are loving mothers, adoring shepherds, and luxurious gifts. But a world in which there are also corrupt leaders, the lust for power, and death. It is precisely because there is this mix of beauty and danger in our lives, that I would like to suggest that the message of today’s gospel is this: Do not wait to claim the beauty of your life until the day when all your difficulties are resolved. Do not postpone the joy that comes from your blessings until the day when your troubles are gone. That day may never come.
It is easy for us to say, “Once my children resolve the problems in their marriage, once I make this amount of money, once I get over this virus, then I can begin to live. Once we put the right people in government, once I have my eye operation, once my spouse comes to see my point of view, then we will celebrate.” The gospel says “Don’t wait. Celebrate now. Life will always be a mixture of blessings and difficulties, and the problems of today may well be replaced by new problems tomorrow.” So, find the beauty in your life, and rejoice in it—today. Find the love that is yours and express it—now. Find the gift that is yours to give and offer it as soon as you can.
If the Magi would have waited until a better king sat on Herod’s throne, they would never have made the journey. But they came. They came in a mixed world of grace and danger, and they rejoiced in the newborn king. We must do the same, because it is in the mixed nature of our lives that Jesus will be found.
Wonderful