The Epiphany: Christ Revealed to All Nations

This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany. Our

focus today is on the magi. Who were these men, sometimes

called kings? We don’t know a whole lot about them. The main

thing we know is that they were not Jewish. And this is

significant. A few days after the birth of the Lord, gentiles,

pagans, were summoned to follow a star to Israel where the One

the ages waited for was born. They followed the star because

they were good men honestly seeking God’s will.

It must have been quite a sight when they arrived in Israel. They

were foreigners, but not just any foreigners. They held positions

powerful enough for them to merit an audience with

Herod. Herod was troubled by their visit, and with him all of

Jerusalem. Who were these men, and what did they want from

the king? They asked to give homage to the newborn king of the

Jews. Was there a baby out there somewhere who would replace

Herod? The chief priests and scribes could only tell Herod about

an ancient prophecy that a ruler would come from Bethlehem. If

these three magi, in their own time considered kings, could

create such a stir in Jerusalem, imagine what it had to be like

when they arrived in Bethlehem and went to the place, where

Mary, Joseph and Jesus were staying. Even more amazing, these

rich pagans prostrated themselves before the child and gave him

gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Why would rich pagans be interested in the Jewish

Messiah? That the gentiles could be part of God’s plan for His

people was beyond the consideration of the Jews. But the

mystery, hidden for generations was now revealed: the gentiles

were to be co-heirs with the Jews, members of the same body,

co-partners in the promise of Jesus Christ, as Paul proclaims in

today’s second reading from Ephesians.

Jesus Christ came for all people. None were to be excluded from

the Grace of God that He would bring.

We, Catholics, people whose very name means universal, must

be careful that we recognize that all people are called to the

Grace of God given by Jesus Christ. We don’t have the right to

exclude people from worshiping the One who is the Gift of

Bethlehem.

In a similar way, we don’t have the right to exclude people from

receiving the charity of the Church. There are some who feel

that Catholic Relief Services and the Catholic Campaign for

Human Development should not be supporting organizations

that care for needy people unless these organizations adhere to

Church teachings on morality. So they would object to CRS

helping an organization that wishes to build an eye clinic for

children in Africa because that same organization might not

follow Catholic moral teaching in another clinics it may run

there or in other parts of the world. Some Catholics, who feel

they are better than others, would rather deny children, the poor,

and the infirm the help they need then recognize the good that is

being done by those who don’t follow the totality of Catholic

teaching throughout the world.

We cannot bring people the Good News of Jesus Christ if we

exclude them from the charity of the Lord with which we have

been entrusted. Jesus did not come for a select group of

people. He came for all people. This is a truth of the Church. We

often begin our Masses by singing, “All are welcome.” Do we

mean this?

Fr. Janusz Roginski, S.A.C.