Homily (Reflection) for
the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (A,B,C) (07th January,
2018) on the Gospel and the Solemnity
Ps 71:1-2.7-8.10-13 (R. cf. v.11);
Eph 3:2-3.5-6;
Matt 2:1-12.
While reflecting on
today’s gospel, I remembered one of the games we played during our childhood
days. It can be played by two or more children. No matter the number, only one
of them stands at a time with sand placed round his or her legs. The rest will
gradually reduce the sand that was placed around his or her legs while chanting:
“onye kwụrụ ọtọ, egbutuo ya, sọ m bụ eze
ga-akwụ ọtọ”, literally means that whoever stands must be brought down
except ‘I’, the king. This certainly might serve as a reminder of the good
olden days? Such is life. We have left the stage for others just like those
before us did and the children on the stage now must in turn leave it for
others whether they like it or not.
Topic: Your reign will not be eternal.
The wise men from the East came to
Jerusalem and asked:
‘Where is the child who has been born
king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay
him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem
with him (Matt 2:2-3).
Today is the solemnity of the
manifestation of Jesus, the newborn king, to the whole world. This brought joy
and sadness, calmness and agitation, peace and upset, and so on. One gift with
different effects on the recipients, cf. Jn
4:10; Rom 5:15; 6:23; Heb 6:4.
Have you ever looked back to see
what you were yesterday? No matter what you are today, do not forget what you
were yesterday. There was a time you were not, today you are, and tomorrow you
will not be.
These men from the East saw a star
and followed it. They are rightly called wise ones because they recognized the star
of the new born king when they saw it. The said star could not have been
visible to the wise men alone but they were the people who recognized it. It
may do us good if we reflect on whether we have ever seen any star.
Which star are we talking about? I also
remember those days we spent time looking upwards with the intention of seeing
the star that led the wise men. While one points to one direction the rest will
also be pointing to other directions. Often, we solved the problem with
quarrel. No doubt, it may sound funny
solving a problem with a problem (quarrel). Well, it worked for us. When one
hears or reads about the star that made the magi leave the East, one’s mind may go to those luminous bodies
very far away. You may be right but in this homily, we shall shift our minds a
little beat so as to get the message better. Looking into the sky may not
affect our lives in any way. People are
gifted differently, cf. 1Cor 12:4; Eph 4:11; Heb 2:4. In many fields, we have
stars. Therefore, let us not think that the star is just something very far
away. You have yours, I have mine, and the rest have theirs. But when one sees
someone’s star, what does he or she do? We all do not have the same star, cf. 1Cor 12:1-31. But we are called to use
our stars for the collective good, cf. 1Cor
10:24. At the appearance of other’s star/s, do you act like the wise men,
like the chief priests and scribes of the people or like Herod and his likes,
cf. Matt 2:2-6?
While reflecting on this gospel
pericope, one of the questions that came to me is what happened to that star
that made the wise men ask questions about the newborn King? Well, the
scripture did not say anything on that but I see the disappearance of the star as an opportunity for Herod and others in
Jerusalem to recognize the Saviour. However, they did not make anything good
out of it, cf. Jn 1:11; Acts 13:26-28.
Herod’s reign has both a beginning
and an end. If we can always be conscious of the fact that whatever we are today
we were not yesterday, and will not be tomorrow, why do we waste opportunities creating
what will hunt both the ‘creator’ and others? What we create out of today will
either save or destroy us tomorrow. We
must be conscious of the legacy we leave behind.
My dear brothers and sisters in
the Lord always remember that what you are today, you were not yesterday, and
will not be tomorrow and make the best out of today. Again, do not waste your
time trying to stop other buds from coming up for fear of taking over from you.
You will not reign forever. Despite all the atrocities Herod committed he did
not reign forever. Encourage others to come up. One star will be even brighter
with other star/s beside it. The more you struggle to stop others from coming
up, the more enemies you create for yourself and whatever is yours and more
dangerous your retirement will be. Furthermore, be happy when you see other
people’s stars. This will bring out your own star/s. When you try to stop or
cover-up others’ stars, you will end up covering yours. Every star that
deserves the name is of God and as a result, no mortal can stop it because “E jighị aka ekpuchi ọnwa” literally meaning
that no one can cover the moon with mere hands, cf. Rom 13:1; 1Cor 7:7; 11:12. Do not fight against God, cf. Acts 9:4; Acts 5:35, 39.
Bible
Reading: Gen 37; Gen 41:37-57; Gen 45; Matt 2: 13-23; Acts
13: 26-52; Deut 11; 1Sam 17; 1Sam 18; 1Sam 31; 2Sam 2; 2Sam 5. 1Cor 12:1-31.
Silent Prayer: Whatever you are today, you were not
yesterday, and will not be forever. What you create out of today will either
save or destroy you tomorrow.
Let
us Pray: Heavenly father, help us to remember always how
short our span is, to know that no material thing will be eternal, and to make
out of all your gifts what will save and not what will destroy. We ask these
through Christ, our Lord – Amen.
May
the star that led the wise men from the East to the new born King be your guide
now and forever + AMEN!
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