DAILY- HOMILY

January 4, 2015 Sunday

EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

Solemnity, White

Is 60:1-6 / Eph 3:,5-6 / Mt2:1-12

1st Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6

     Arise, shine, for your light has come. The Glory of Yahweh rises upon you. Night still covers the earth and gloomy clouds veil the peoples, but Yahweh now rises and over you his glory appears. Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn. Lift up your eyes round about and see: they are all gathered and come to you, your sons from afar, your daughters tenderly carried. This sight will make your face radiant, your heart throbbing and full; the riches of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you.

     A flood of camels will cover you, caravans from Midian and Ephah. Those from Sheba will come, bringing with them gold and incense, all singing in praise of Yahweh.

From the Gospel Reading: Mt 2: 1–6, 9-12

     When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in Judea, during the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem. They asked, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw the rising of a star in the east and have come to honor him." When Herod heard this he was greatly disturbed and with him all Jerusalem. He immediately called a meeting of all high-ranking priests and those who taught the people of God his Law, and asked them where the Messiah was to be born.

     "In the town of Bethlehem in Judea," they told him, "for this is what the prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the clans of Judah, for from you will come a leader, the one who is to shepherd my people Israel." . . .

     After the meeting with the king, they set out. The star they had seen in the East went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. The wise men were overjoyed on seeing the star again. They went into the house and when they saw the child with Mary his mother, they knelt and worshipped him. They opened their bags and offered him their gifts of gold, incense and myrrh. In a dream they were warned not to return to Herod, so they returned to their home country by another way.

Reflection:

     When the wise men left their homelands to search for the Messiah, their bases were prophecies and star charts. It was not clear to them if they would find the Messiah. It was not clear to them what he looked like. When they finally found the Infant Jesus, the only guide they had was the star which stood over the place where the Child lay.

     Our search for that which will give us satisfaction and peace is very similar. We search though we are not really sure. We have an idea what it is but at best it is a guess. And we go out of our way to go for what we desire, though it may seem just a dream.

     When we find ourselves looking for God in the many situations we find ourselves in our lives, let us not be surprised if all we have is a feeling, a hunch or gut-feeling where God is, how God will be like when we finally find him. But like the wise men from the east who sought the Messiah, the King of the Jews, we will know, somehow, when we find what we are looking for. We will recognize our God, with a certain sureness, to make sense of all our toils and troubles.

     The challenge is to keep looking and searching. The challenge is to trust our God-instincts when we are searching. The greater challenge is to be open, so that we will recognize God when he shows himself to us.

     However, the God-instincts will be sharp and sensitive only if we have a relationship with whom we are looking for. This relationship grows through constant listening and conversation which we call prayer.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILYPRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

     JAMES & GLORIA YU

     LESTER & HAZEL LIM

IN MEMORIAM (+)

     ONG AI GUI

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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   |  The Daily Prayer, a service and an apostolate of the

   |  priests, laity and friends of Mary the Queen Parish

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