Gospel Reflection for January 5th 2020 Feast of the Epiphany Second Sunday of Christmas
All is now Revealed
We continue these early days of the New Year with the Feast of the Epiphany; Jesus is revealed to and for the entire world and the whole of creation.
The word ‘January’ comes from the name a Roman god; Janus. His statue had two faces; one that looked backwards and the other forward. The Romans believed that this was the appropriate time to give thanks for what had passed and to be hopeful for what lies ahead. We keep this ancient tradition alive when we let go of the old year and make new year’s resolutions. For what am I thankful from last year? Am I beginning this new year with faith, hope and optimism?
Today as we celebrate the Epiphany, we recall that Jesus is born for everyone and the whole universe. The word ‘Epiphany’ means to show or to reveal; the curtain is pulled back and all is now revealed to us. God is not distant, silent or remote. God is with us personally in the very person of Jesus. When Jesus speaks, we hear God speaking; when we see the face of Jesus as the Magi did, it is God eyes into which we look. No one is outside the loving gaze or embrace of God through the person and presence of Jesus.
Beginning something new can fill us with anxiety, especially a new year. We don’t know what will happen to us or what lies ahead of us. But we are not our own; God is with us. There is the modern parable about the woman who was worried about the new year. She prayed to God saying.; ‘Lord, give me a light so that I can find my way as this year starts.’ There was silence. Then she heard God say, ‘No, I will not give you a light. You take my hand and we will walk into the new year together.’ We are not our own as we continue this New Year.
The Nativity and the Epiphany call us to remember and celebrate the deep mystery and reality that God is with us in the most personal and intimate way possible. To repeat, God is now no longer distant, remote or silent. St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians reminds us of this and encourages us with these profound words;
‘The secret is that that Christ is in you.’
Christ is in you and in me!
When the shepherds looked at Jesus, they saw someone like themselves who later said, I am the Good Shepherd. When these visitors from East offered their gifts, they too saw one like themselves, who later said, Yes, I am King. Take some time these days to look into crib; who and what do you see? Do you see yourself in this child’s face? Do you see someone like just like you?
As Pope Leo the Great reminds us; O Christian be aware of your dignity and nobility, it is God’s own life that you now share.
-Br Michael Moore OMI
Gospel for January 5th the Feast of the Epiphany : Gospel: John 1:1-18 ©
The eternal Son of God has become human for our sakes, full of grace and truth
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.
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