Reading 1 Is 60:1-6
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13.
R. (cf. 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Reading 2 Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6
Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Gospel Mt 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
"Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage."
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel."
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
"Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage."
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
Meditation: Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6
Meditation: Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6
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The Epiphany of the Lord
You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace. (Ephesians 3:2)
Have you ever been entrusted with an important message to deliver to someone? If so, you probably worked hard to make sure it was delivered properly. That’s how Paul must have felt about the gospel he preached. It was a universal, revolutionary message: Salvation is available to Gentiles and Jews alike! No one is outside of God’s power to save, heal, and transform!
Two thousand years later, God is still looking for people willing to become stewards of his grace. He is calling you to proclaim the surprising news of salvation.
Why talk about our call to evangelize on the Feast of the Epiphany? Because today we celebrate the way Jesus’ glory was revealed to the Magi. Today we celebrate the way the Magi saw something special in this boy from Nazareth—something special enough to make them want to offer him valuable gifts.
In a similar way, when we share with people the message of Jesus— the universal, revolutionary message of salvation—we are showing them something glorious. We are proclaiming the greatest, most awe-inspiring news in history: Heaven is open! Salvation has come!
This is a high calling indeed! Every time we share the message of God’s grace, we offer people a chance to have their own epiphany. We can go so far as to say that just by living out the gospel, our lives can become an epiphany—a glorious manifestation of the power of God to transform human hearts!
So as it turns out, St. Paul is not the only one privileged to be called a steward of God’s grace. That title belongs to each of us. So let’s treasure our role in God’s plan—and, above all else, let’s treasure the salvation that we have received!
“Lord, I am in awe of how vast your plan is! Thank you for sending Jesus to redeem all of us. Help me to become a shining example of your love and healing power today.”
Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion
(Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-2,7-8,10-13; Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6; Matthew 2:1-12)
1. The first reading speaks of both darkness and light. In what ways do you see a battle waging in your heart and mind between the desires of the flesh (carnal desires) and the desires of the spirit (Godly desires)? What are some steps you can take to “win” this battle?
2. Jesus said that he is the light of the world. In what way is Jesus the light of your life? For example, do you speak with him daily in prayer? Is he the light that guides your daily decisions?
3. In the responsorial psalm, the psalmist asks for “justice” and “right judgment.” How important are these attributes to you in your family life and your business life? What steps can you take to allow them to have an even greater importance?
4. St. Paul tells us that “the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.” What does this mean to you? What are some of the promises that you are a coheir of and copartner in?
5. In the Gospel, we again see the humility of God - he chose insignificant Bethlehem for the birth of Jesus instead of Jerusalem the capital city and home of the great temple. How important is humility to you as a virtue? Would your relationships with others, or your dealing with your family, be described as humble? Why or why not?
6. Herod had told the Magi to “go and search diligently” for Christ. As we start the New Year, what steps can you take to seek the Lord more each day and allow him to occupy a greater part in your life?
7. In the meditation we hear these words: “Every time we share the message of God’s grace, we offer people a chance to have their own epiphany. We can go so far as to say that just by living out the gospel, our lives can become an epiphany—a glorious manifestation of the power of God to transform human hearts!” How would you describe any “epiphanies” in your life, when God touched you in a special way? Have you ever shared these epiphanies with other people? What was the result?
8. Take some time now to pray that in 2012 you would be faithful stewards of God’s grace, including sharing the good news of salvation with others. Use the prayer at the end of the meditation as the starting point.
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