The story of the magi carries with it an extraordinary richness. In it the evangelist teaches us about the mission of the Son of God. Jesus is ‘made manifest’ (epiphany = manifestation) as Messiah not only for his own people, but for those who come ‘from the east’, for all the peoples of the earth. At the same time this is the Messiah heralded by the prophets. The Scriptures are fulfilled.

This Messiah is born into danger, as the cruel tyrant, known to history as ‘Herod the Great’, is the first to threaten his life. The gift of myrrh alludes to the death he is to suffer. The presentation of gifts from the peoples of the world completes the Christmas scene. The magi represent the nations, but also the age-old quest among the peoples of the earth for true wisdom. This wisdom is found in Christ. 

Most of this gospel reading for the feast of Mary, Mother of God, the octave day of Christmas and the first day of the calendar year, has already been heard as the gospel for the Dawn Mass of Christmas Day. The final verse is added today. It is particularly appropriate, since this is the eighth day, the octave day, of Christmas.

But there is a more important reason why reading these verses today, one week after Christmas Day, is different. We are asked to focus on the role and on the behavior of Mary, the mother of the Messiah. This feast on the octave day of Christmas was instituted in the liturgical reforms of the Second Vatican Council. It replaces the feast of the Circumcision of our Lord. It is most appropriate that we should focus on Mary on this day.

The coming into a human life of the Son of God could only happen with the collaboration of this humble woman of Nazareth. God respects our human freedom. Mary was invited to work for God in this unique way. Her response to the invitation was a courageous and generous ‘yes’. Her fiat is a turning point in history for it enables the Son of God to become a human being. Her fiat is an example to all those who, like Mary, endeavor to do the will of God by following Jesus.

On this solemn feast we continue to commemorate the birth of Jesus. We acknowledge the consequences of this birth for us, as St Paul writes in the reading from the Letter to the Galatians: ‘at the appointed time God sent his Son, born of a woman’ in order to redeem us and offer us adoption as children of God. Our first reading, from the Book of Numbers, invokes God’s blessing on God’s people as the new year begins.

When the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen; it was exactly as they had been told.

We are accustomed to call the words of the angel Gabriel to Mary ‘the annunciation’. This Sunday’s gospel reading perhaps ought to be called ‘the annunciation to Joseph’. Joseph is in fact the principal actor in the account of the birth of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. Like Mary, he too had to listen for the message of God. Like Mary, he too was invited to play his part in the working out of God’s mysterious plan that the Son of God should become man. This gospel reading, just like the annunciation to Mary in the Gospel of Luke, gives us the basis for our belief in the virginal conception of Jesus. Here we find an expression of this mystery in the words of the angel to Joseph: ‘she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit’ (v.20). The Son of God is born among us in an utterly extraordinary way. The role of Mary as ‘virgin mother’ is quite unique, and Joseph has to go against his initial inclinations and make the decision to ‘take his wife to his home’ (verse 24).

In this reading we encounter the first of many verses which Matthew will quote from the Old Testament, declaring that they are ‘fulfilled’. The text read at this Mass from the prophet Isaiah speaks of God’s constant solidarity with the people. The fulfilment of this same text, which is announced by Matthew in the gospel reading, points to something even greater, the extraordinary intervention of God to bring the Son of God into the world.

Our gospel reading, like that of last Sunday, focuses on John the Baptist, but his ministry is now at an end. He is in prison, and martyrdom awaits him. Curiously, he seems to have doubts about Jesus being the Messiah. He who was so confident in proclaiming the one who was to come now seems confused. How can we explain John’s uncertainty?

A major feature of the preaching of John the Baptist was the coming of judgement. As we heard in last week’s gospel, John expected the Messiah to bring retribution, to separate the chaff from the wheat and to consign the chaff to fire. John must learn that the way of Jesus is different: he brings healing and life, and good news for all.

This gospel reading has a powerful message for us. If it was indeed difficult for John to come to terms with the gospel of mercy, it may well be difficult for us to come to terms with the extraordinary love of God, who offers forgiveness to all. The gospel challenges us to accept in our minds and hearts that the Son of God brings forgiveness, and that the only thing which can deny us salvation and eternal life is our own refusal to be forgiven and loved. The one who is least in the kingdom of heaven knows this, and is ‘greater than John.

On the second Sunday of Advent we are introduced to another great Advent figure, John the Baptist. Matthew has him preach, like Jesus, about the coming of the kingdom of heaven. His preaching fulfils the words found in the prophet Isaiah about ‘a voice crying in the wilderness’.

John is dressed like a prophet and lives in the wilderness. Those who come to him receive a baptism of repentance for their sins. John fiercely attacks those who have relied on their status and their traditions for their salvation. They have relied on being ‘children of Abraham’ and have become complacent. For John, the love of God is not limited to the chosen race, and all men and women are called to produce good fruit.

John’s principal task is to point to the ‘one who follows me’. This one is more powerful and will bring a new baptism, in the Holy Spirit. With the preaching of John the Baptist, the liturgy is preparing us for the coming of Christ.

Reflection

“READY TO GREET HIM WHEN HE COMES”

“You must be prepared in the same way. The Son of Man is coming at the time you least expect.” —Matthew 24:44

Happy Advent! Advent is about the three comings of Christ:

1)      Jesus first came to earth as a Baby, humble and lowly, at Bethlehem (Lk 2:4ff).

2)      Jesus will come again at His Second Coming on the last day (Mt 24:30-31). This coming will be as majestic as His first coming was humble (1 Thes 4:16; Lk 21:27).

3)      The third coming of Jesus is the coming of the Eucharistic Jesus into our souls today. Jesus’ coming in Holy Communion is a humble coming, just as He came humbly to earth in Bethlehem. His Eucharistic coming is as easy to miss as was His coming at Bethlehem.

How prepared are we to meet the Eucharistic Jesus when He comes to us today? If we’re prepared for this “third” coming, we’ll welcome His first coming at Christmas and be prepared for His Second Coming.

Therefore, on this first day of the new Church Year, this day of new beginning, invite Jesus to come and reign in your life. “Seek first His kingship over you” (Mt 6:33). Be “sober and alert” (1 Pt 5:8), ever ready to greet Him when He comes. Live so that Jesus may never have to ask: “Why was no one there when I came?” (Is 50:2)

THE CRUCIFIX AND THE KING

“There was an inscription over His head:

‘THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.’ ” —Luke 23:38

Many people have crucifixes on their walls, in their pockets, in their purses, or around their necks. Usually at the top of this crucifix are the letters I. N. R. I. This stands for “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” On Calvary, hardly anyone believed this inscription. In fact, “the chief priests of the Jews tried to tell Pilate…‘This man claimed to be King of the Jews’ ” (Jn 19:21).

What about you? Do you believe the letters on your crucifix? Or are the letters I.N.R.I. just an inscription to which you’ve never paid any attention? If you decide to take your crucifix seriously and be a faithful subject of King Jesus, you must:

• be rescued “from the power of darkness” (Col 1:13),
• repent,
• contradict leaders, soldiers, criminals, and the many people who continue to mock His kingship (Lk 23:35, 36, 39),
• be willing to be persecuted,
• worship King Jesus, for He is the King of kings (Rv 19:16) and God Himself, and
• tell everyone about the perfect King, Who is God and Love (see 1 Jn 4:16).

Are you willing to accept Jesus as your King? If so, kneel down before Him now and give Your most precious gifts to Him (see Mt 2:11). Give your whole life to King Jesus. Start talking to Jesus. Ask Him to show you Who He is. Begin to repent. Keep talking to Jesus until you can again honestly see or carry a crucifix not out of habit but out of love.

 

RISEN LIFE

“The King of the world will raise us up

to live again forever.”—2 Maccabees 7:9

Both today’s first reading and the Gospel deal with life after death. Both show that we humans have no idea of what risen life will be like. In today’s Gospel, the Sadducees demonstrate this by their misguided assumptions. They were “badly misled” and failed “to understand the Scriptures or the power of God” (Mk 12:24).

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is an historical fact. It is not merely an idea. Throughout the centuries after Jesus rose from the dead, people have given their lives in martyrdom to defend the truth of Jesus’ Resurrection. Numerous martyrs “were tortured and would not receive deliverance, in order to obtain a better resurrection” (Heb 11:35).

The key to life is to have an encounter with the risen Jesus. After we have met the risen Christ, we become “a new creation. The old order has passed away; now all is new” (2 Cor 5:17). Even in this earthly life, our lifestyle changes completely as we see everything through the perspective of the kingdom of God rather than with the eyes of the world (see Mt 6:19-34).

Since Jesus has risen, we who are baptized into Christ can share even now in this risen life (Col 1:10-13). Our life is hidden in Christ (Col 3:3). We are citizens of heaven (Phil 3:20) while living on this earth. Accept the risen Jesus as your Lord.

 



MY SAVIOR

“The Son of Man has come to search out

 and save what was lost.” —Luke 19:10

Although God is omnipotent and almighty, He rebukes us gently, little by little, so that we may be able to bear it and be encouraged by His mercy to grow in faith, obedience, and holiness.

Thus, Jesus stayed with sinners. He came to seek and save sinners (Lk 19:10). Even at the end of His life, Jesus was crucified between two sinners (Lk 23:33). He was made to be sin, as it were, for those who need salvation from sin (2 Cor 5:21). Sinners at least are in the position to eventually know they need Jesus (see Lk 18:9ff). Self-righteous people don’t think they need Jesus. They are in danger of becoming, in effect, their own gods and not realizing they are in need of a Savior.

We need to realize that we cannot save ourselves (Ps 49:8; Is 26:18). We are less than “a drop of morning dew” (Wis 11:22). Once we know that our salvation is in God and in Him alone, we then know that we cannot stand before God on our own. God is far greater than the universe, and we are so small before Him. We need a Savior. The Good News is that we have a Savior! (Acts 4:12) Accept Jesus, “the Savior of the world” (Jn 4:42).