Epiphany 2017

Is 60:1-6 | Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6|Mt 2:1-12

Following our Star… following our dream…

 Dear Brothers and sisters in Jesus

Paulo Coelho's master piece, The Alchemist is an inspiring story which has been translated at least 69 languages. It is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way, he meets different personalities and no one knows what the treasure is, or if Santiago will be able to overcome the obstacles along the way. Number of times, we would feel that Santiago may drop to follow his dream, because the obstacles are either demanding or huge; but we see the next moment, that he comes back on his course to follow his dream. The story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

The Feast of Epiphany makes me to think in the same line of the novel Alchemist, wise men who followed the star in order to find the real treasure in their life. Did they have obstacles on their way? Did they think about dropping their journey- we don’t know; but I am sure, anyone who search for any treasure in their life has to pay for it. Because, any adventurous trip includes risk. Adventurers have always aroused our admiration and our skepticism. To the cynical observer, the Magi must have seemed foolish to go following a star. These astrologers had to be a little crazy leaving the security of their homeland to venture forth into a strange country presided over by a mad man like Herod. Nevertheless, to the person with the eyes of Faith, the Magi had discovered an immense secret. Not only the secret of the star that they followed, but also the secret of the universe and secret of their existence.

Three groups of people that we meet in the gospel today. These people represents three attitudes of humanity. First, we meet Herod and his dependents. The dominant emotion that rule them is hatred. Hatred towards everything and everyone. They kill everyone whom they see as the potential threat to their comfort zone and destroy everything, every system that challenges their ways. Second, we meet the Priests and Scribes of Jesus’ time. They represent the people of indifference. They are knowledgeable people who can articulate reasonable discourses on anything under the sun. The danger of this attitude is they close themselves from the light of truth or ignore the presence of truth. Why do they do it? Because they are comfortable in their selfish motifs and they don’t want to change themselves.

The third group of people are the Magi, who are willing to open themselves to the reality and who are capable to change themselves according to the light they follow. These group of people are courageous people who are willing to cross their comfort zone and who are willing to follow their dream. Moreover, the Magi represents our own longing for the Ultimate Truth; our own search for God.

Dear brothers and sisters,

These attitudes can be seen any community like ours. If a community is dominant with the attitudes of Herod, it would be a closed community. No novelty will happen there. Because they don’t expect changes. If the community is predominantly with the attitudes of priests and scribes of Jesus’ time, it would be an indifferent community. No life would be there. It exist for the sake of existing. Finally, if the community with the heart and minds of the Magi, it would be an open community where everyone is welcomed, where new ideas and life has immense value. Moreover, this third group of community will be a God centered community where everyone is in search for their Ultimate truth.

This epiphany, the feast of Manifestation, is inviting all of us to explore the heart of the Magi, because we have a common dream- a dream of making this sacred ground for everyone to feel comfort and everyone feels everyone as part of their life and that they are related to each other.

PS. I know that your Sunday obligation is over. But don’t forget your community obligation tomorrow. The home coming celebration of Holy Family. Be part of tomorrow’s event- because we are related to each other.