Fr. Francois Noha s.x.
The second Sunday after Christmas in the Sierra Leone Liturgical calendar celebrates the solemnity of the Epiphany which is the manifestation of the Lord. The gospel passage which guides the meaning of this celebration orients our reflection on the newness, the universality and guidance of God. This shows how the Holy Spirit works in the world and goes beyond our understanding.
The newness of the epiphany of the Lord is marked by his ordinary presence. However, the prophecies and the project it incarnates are new and beyond the usual prophecies. It goes further than the imagination and the limits of Israel. Therefore, St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians explains that “the pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are part of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ, through the gospel”. This tells us that the revelation of Jesus is wider than the ordinary understanding of the prophecies.
In addition, the visit of the three wise men discloses the way God’s Plan pervades the whole universe. In fact the text does not give us the information that the wise men learned about Christ in the book of the prophets of other religious books. But through natural interpretation of the universe and astrology. God is able to guide people from around the world who are looking for him to discover him through his Son Jesus Christ.
Third, there is a contradiction on the way the event is unfolding: the people of Jerusalem who read the prophecy year after years did not realize the materialization of that prophecy except when the three wise men informed them. In fact, by informing King Herod, the whole Jerusalem became aware of the accomplishment of the prophecy which they read regularly. The announcement of the birth of new king stirred up the fear and anxiety from the ruling king Herod. This will complicate life for the new king’s parents, the new born who will become victims of violence, and the whole town.
Finally, God’s guidance is always at work. The three wise men followed the star and from their heart and in the sky. God who forms the hearts and minds of people open their heart to search for God. This at the same time led them to scrutinize the sky until they perceive the star which became their guide. Here an important element enters into play, the capacity to train themselves in the reading and interpreting of the signs in the sky as the starts. Furthermore, the capacity to link the presence of that star to the birth of the king. This leads us to question ourselves today.
To sum up; is the Lord still manifested himself to us today? If yes what are the signs which we have interpreted and are capable of encountering God? In other words, how do we see God’s presence in our world today in this context of COVID-19? In the midst of such upheaval it is time for us to train ourselves to perceive God presence and to respond to it by encountering him in order to offer what we have. By doing so, we will help the world, as the three wise men, apprehend God’s presence in our midst.
The second Sunday after Christmas in the Sierra Leone Liturgical calendar celebrates the solemnity of the Epiphany which is the manifestation of the Lord. The gospel passage which guides the meaning of this celebration orients our reflection on the newness, the universality and guidance of God. This shows how the Holy Spirit works in the world and goes beyond our understanding.
The newness of the epiphany of the Lord is marked by his ordinary presence. However, the prophecies and the project it incarnates are new and beyond the usual prophecies. It goes further than the imagination and the limits of Israel. Therefore, St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians explains that “the pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are part of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ, through the gospel”. This tells us that the revelation of Jesus is wider than the ordinary understanding of the prophecies.
In addition, the visit of the three wise men discloses the way God’s Plan pervades the whole universe. In fact the text does not give us the information that the wise men learned about Christ in the book of the prophets of other religious books. But through natural interpretation of the universe and astrology. God is able to guide people from around the world who are looking for him to discover him through his Son Jesus Christ.
Third, there is a contradiction on the way the event is unfolding: the people of Jerusalem who read the prophecy year after years did not realize the materialization of that prophecy except when the three wise men informed them. In fact, by informing King Herod, the whole Jerusalem became aware of the accomplishment of the prophecy which they read regularly. The announcement of the birth of new king stirred up the fear and anxiety from the ruling king Herod. This will complicate life for the new king’s parents, the new born who will become victims of violence, and the whole town.
Finally, God’s guidance is always at work. The three wise men followed the star and from their heart and in the sky. God who forms the hearts and minds of people open their heart to search for God. This at the same time led them to scrutinize the sky until they perceive the star which became their guide. Here an important element enters into play, the capacity to train themselves in the reading and interpreting of the signs in the sky as the starts. Furthermore, the capacity to link the presence of that star to the birth of the king. This leads us to question ourselves today.
To sum up; is the Lord still manifested himself to us today? If yes what are the signs which we have interpreted and are capable of encountering God? In other words, how do we see God’s presence in our world today in this context of COVID-19? In the midst of such upheaval it is time for us to train ourselves to perceive God presence and to respond to it by encountering him in order to offer what we have. By doing so, we will help the world, as the three wise men, apprehend God’s presence in our midst.