“He [the Word] was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” (Jn. 1:10–12). This is the Christmas story, as told by St. John, the Apostle. We have heard this Gospel last Sunday. The words are a fitting transition into our celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord, also called, the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles.
Why is that such a big deal? Well, I’m going to go out on a limb here, but I have to ask: “How many of you are Jewish?” Well guess what, then? You are a Gentile! You are a Gentile by birth, but a child of Abraham by rebirth in baptism.
Today, we celebrate that there are those who did receive him, those who have the right to become children of God. This is the mystery of the Gospel! Even the Jewish people were originally made God’s people not by anything other than God, when God covenanted with them.
Jesus Christ has come into the world (was incarnate) “for us men and for our salvation,” as we will soon proclaim in the Creed. The Messiah came not just for the Jewish people, not just for the Church in the East or the Church in the West, but for us men. He came for humanity. And as John said, to all who received him, he gives the right to become children of God.
Let’s look at today’s Gospel and see how the Word incarnate was received. There were three different reactions to Jesus’ birth. He was made Herod disturbed; the religious authorities dismissed his birth; but the Magi were drawn to him.
Jesus’ birth disturbed Herod and all of Jerusalem. King Herod … versus … Jesus, king of the Jews. After distinguishing himself as governor of Judea since 47 BC, Herod was proclaimed King of the Jews by the Roman Emperor in 40 BC. Herod the Great earned the title king of the Jews. He renovated the temple in Jerusalem at great cost. In 25 BC during a period of famine, he used his own gold to purchase food for the starving people. And Herod was successful at maintaining peace in Palestine, which, as we see today, is a no small task. But Herod was not a King by birth.
Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” and Jesus answered, “Yes, it is as you say.” (Lk. 23:3). Jesus was not declared king by the popular acclaim, nor was he granted the position because of he demonstrated his skills in battle or his superiority in politics. The Magi did not come from afar looking for the product of human achievement or of popular renown. They wanted to know, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” Jesus was born to be king. He said that his kingdom is not of the world. He does not rely on the Roman Empire, the British Parliament, or the American Congress to authenticate his authority. Jesus does not need the people of Jerusalem or you and me to declare him legitimate by our popular acclaim. He does, however accept our humble approach to worship him, as we recognize the authority that is in him.
Jesus’ birth was dismissed by the chief priests and teachers of the law. When asked by Herod where Messiah was to be born, they quoted the prophet Micah. Teachers of the law knew what the law had to say regarding the Christ. However, they did not know the Law himself, the Word of God. Jesus wept over them, “If you, even you, had only know on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. … because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you” (Lk. 19:42,44b). They were satisfied with the pax Romana, the Roman peace, and did not rush forth to greet the Prince of Peace.
Jesus’ birth drew the Magi who came to worship. They had seen his star in the east. The birth of the Christ was foretold by prophets. The world was anxiously anticipating some response from God. The Jewish prophets had been silent for 400 years since Malachi prophesied that Elijah would come in advance of the Messiah. It was 320 years since Ptolemy conquered Jerusalem. 140 years since the glorious victory of the Maccabean revolt. 60 years of Roman occupation. 30 years of the reign of Herod. The Roman historians Suetonius and Tacitus both noted a general feeling that a ruler would rise up from the east. How many people must have seen the star? How many knew what that star meant? Yet how few left home and came to worship Jesus?
The Magi came to Jesus, worshiped him, and then offered to him their gifts. The Magi had come to first Jerusalem. They were looking for the King of the Jews and so they went to the most likely place, Jerusalem. However, they did not find him there. If they had known the words of the prophet, they would have gone to the right place. Haven’t you ever tried to find God, and gone where your thought you’d find him, done what you thought was right, only to discover that you were wrong? The Magi saw the King of the Jew’s star in the east, SAW it, and weren’t seeing it any longer. Did they stop there in Jerusalem and wait for the King to show up? No, they got directions (from the prophet) and pressed on.
After they left the king, they set out for Bethlehem. “And the star that they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.” When the Magi had seen the star, it was in the east, the direction of the dawn, of hope, of new life. Quick geography lesson: which way is east? When the wise men saw the star, it was in the east. Does anyone know what direction you have to travel from Jerusalem to get to Bethlehem? South (by southwest).
How did a star in the east get move to the south? It’s a miracle. But far less of a miracle than God becoming man. Imagine God grabbing one of the star in the sky perhaps like a basketball, perhaps like a baseball, perhaps like a little pea, and moving it from one side of the galaxy to the other. Wow. Some people think that a comet appeared in the sky: image God blowing a glowing ball of ice—puff—just into the reach of the sun. Astounding. Some say that it was a supernova: God took his finger and exploded a star like you or I would pop a bubble that a child blew. Stunning. Any of these would be an awesome miracle, absolute overkill, gilding the lily, to announce the birth of a king. But for the humble birth of Almighty, Everlasting, All-Powerful God, in the flesh as true man, this miracle is but a mere sign of his greatness.
When they saw the star (that is stopped over the house where Jesus and Mary were, they were overjoyed. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
When the Magi left Jesus, they returned to their county by another route. The Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. The had seen a star and responded to it’s message, coming to worship the King. Now they are presented another test, and they obeyed. If Herod discovered them clandestinely returning home, there would have been consequences. Herod was intensely paranoid, and given to severe acts of cruelty. In preparation for his death, he had leading men of Jerusalem rounded up; at the moment of his passing, these men were to be slaughtered so that someone would be mourning at the time of his death, even if not for him. And after finding out the Magi had escaped him, his murderous rage let loose upon the Holy Innocents, all the children two years old and younger in the vicinity of Bethlehem.
But this act outsmarting of Herod has a further significance. Ezekiel, writing of the new temple, recorded some interesting details. “‘When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed feasts, whoever enters by the north gate to worship is to go out by the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate is to go out the north gate. No one is to return through the gate by which he entered, but each is to go out the opposite gate’” (Ez. 46:9). Why the different gates? We cannot enter into the house of the Lord and think that we can return to the same place. We cannot live in the same way. Even if we are leading good lives, we still have fallen short of the glory of God. No. Our every real, personal encounter with the living God demands that we move on, go forward. We must not come to God, pay him homage, and then turn around and go right back to our business. If our encounter of God means anything, we must go forward, going out of the opposite gate from which we entered.
Isaiah, full of the Holy Spirit, prophesied of the coming of all men to Christ. What he spoke of to the Jews is true this day of the Church, the Diocese of Delmarva, and St. Simon Peter. Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. God is here; God shines out from the body of Christ that is here. You may feel like those Jews who went into Babylon in exile. But the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples. When you read the newspaper, when you watch the news, when you see the headlines on CNN.com, what do you see … darkness! The world drifts further and further away from Christ and His Church. And there are too many examples I see of churches departing from Christ. Jesus said, “If the light in you is darkness, how great that darkness is!”
But the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will stream to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. See, the Lord rises upon you! When we, the members—member is just the Latin word for limb—members of the Body of Christ are united in Him, we are united in truth and in love. We are the light of the world.
Have you ever been out walking in the country on a moonless, cloudy night? The darkness becomes almost oppressive. However, when you see the porch light of your home, it pierces through the darkness, cutting through the blackness. Sure, all around is still black, but the lamp guides you on, until you come to it and it bathes the area around it with light. In the midst of all the darkness in the world, let us stand as lights, shining forth with Christ’s radiance, guiding the peoples home to heaven.
