You are the Star!
Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12
In a rare occurrence, a galactic force, a star, points to Jesus, and we celebrate its importance as the universal manifestation of God! Rather than the star that led the Magi to Jesus, we are celebrating the responsibility of Christianity and Christians as stars that lead people to God through Jesus Christ.
The searchlight is on us, fellow Christians. This is the time to make a difference in the world! Why? Look at the Christian legacies of our times – advancements in education, science, and technology. The freedom of the sons and daughters of God and God’s command to us, in Genesis 1, to be guardians and custodians of creation, these are the catalysts for our progress so far. Where there is freedom, there is creativity, and there are dreams to realize. Creativity and dreams underlie the human progress of today. What more? This progress is globalized – peoples of every race, gender and religion benefit from it.
If scientific, educational and medical know-how are not circumscribed by any race, religion, and gender, that is not the case with migration and human integrations: the color blindness which technology enjoys is denied to human migration and integration; better put, opportunities are not equally offered to all for fear of scarcity. Is it true that the real reason for world violence is “scarcity” of resources? Is it not because of the scarcity of true Christians in the world, in contradistinction to nominal Christians?
Isaiah prophesies a common humanity, thousands of years ago: “Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance . . . and proclaiming the praises of the Lord” (Isaiah 60:1, 6). When will we realize this prophecy? Isaiah hopes for a day when what divides is not God, since he claims all humanity will be “proclaiming the praises of the Lord.” Surely, “God” question still founds the violent crisis of our world today, no thanks to religious fundamentalism. This does not negate the efforts being made toward integration: a good start is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; but what about a universal defense of our common humanity? As it is, “rights” can exist without beliefs, and “rights” can be purchased by the highest bidder. But what alternative awaits us?
The alternative Isaiah offers – “by your shining radiance” – is a brilliant one. For, there are several ways to conquer a people; the most popular one is military conquest. Isaiah teaches us a different way – the conquerors of the Jewish people, the Babylonians, the Assyrians, the Mesopotamians, all of them are returning to One God, singing his praises on account of the power of the example of faith, of Israel, and not by military might! The exemplary lives of those who refuse violence are the catalysts our world needs today, and it is the example put forward by Isaiah in our first reading today. Military might only breads more divisions and violence, and no reconciliation. On the contrary, the human heart, the seat of peace and love, is like the special African yam, which needs warmth to cook it: its externals are burnt by strong fire (like brute force and military power), but it remains uncooked inside.
The spate of migrations and violence in our time need warmth to heal and not more suicide bombers and military might: here is where we need authentic Christians. Only authentic Christians can celebrate today’s feast, the Epiphany of the Lord: the Lord of all peoples, genders and races! If Epiphany celebrates the public and universal manifestation of God to all peoples; a God who welcomes scientists of his time – astrologers/Magi, because they attain him through their own means and not through the Scripture of Israel – there should be a room in every Christian’s heart to accept all those who are different from us.
Here is St. Paul’s unequivocal pronouncement: “the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3:5-6). In God, there are no outsiders and insiders – there is only one common humanity of all. Of course, St. Paul’s conviction of this mystery of the common humanity of all takes place after God confronts him on his way to Damascus to kill Christians (Acts 9). If there is a revelation or mystery that our world urgent needs to understand, it’s this mystery – that human beings are all one. This oneness of humanity is the needed belief for the defeat of violence and hatred – the power of love to conquer hatred and differentism.
Like the migration of the Magis, in our gospel today, the global migration of Muslims and adherents of other religions and peoples of different races is an opportunity to realize Isaiah’s prophecy. If we can sit around a common academic table to discuss human technological progress; if we can designate Nobel Laureates to peoples irrespective of their creed, race and gender; if we can appreciate goodness wherever it is found, then Christianity is challenged to realize for itself the acceptance of difference as a gift from God.
Yes, the Magis came from the East because the globe belongs to God, and so is its globalization of oneness. The Magis did not come empty-handed: their gifts, to baby Jesus, confirm the revelation of the Hebrew Scripture, especially its prophecies about Jesus. Just as Herod exemplifies ignoramus Jews, as far as the prophecies to Israel were concerned, so too, not everybody from the Orients was privy to the knowledge of the Magi. One thing is sure, God wills the peace and happiness of all peoples; what is in short supply are messengers of this good news – those willing to accept differences as riches rather than inconveniences to be avoided!
You are the Star to shine brightly in our night of wars, hatred, racism, etc. Your light is your exemplary life of love, acceptance of the other, and agency of reconciliation of all that divides!
Assignment for the Week :
Find a person of a different religion or race and offer her/him a gift or offer Mass or pray, especially for an end to every kind of violence!