Feast of the Epiphany

 

FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY 


We’ll begin with a roll call: at this point we have the baby Jesus, along with Mary and Joseph; the shepherds have checked in; the animals are gathered within the stable; angels have manifested themselves; and now we see that the Wise Men are stepping onto the scene. But so far there’s no sign of the Little Drummer Boy. 


He’s actually somebody that doesn’t get mentioned in the Bible. Rather, he is more of a legendary figure. If you do want to make room for the legend, then here is what you will discover: he stands in sharp contrast to the Three Kings. The Magi are adorned in regal splendor. They come before the manger bearing expensive gifts. As for the drummer boy,  he  belongs to the peasant class. He confesses: I have no gift to bring. 


It’s not something that can be held against him. He can’t help the way that he is dressed. He can’t help being poor and destitute. He can’t do anything about his state in life. But it occurs to him: Here is what I can do; I can play my drum for him! Therefore, he plays. He plays to the best of his ability. And the Baby responds with a smile. There is no mention of the Baby smiling at any of the Magi. However, according to the lyrics, the Baby does offer a smile to the Little Drummer Boy. 


So don’t be overwhelmed by the example of the Three Kings. Yes, they have traveled a great distance. Yes, they have put on their ‘Sunday Best.”  Yes, they have brought something impressive. Still, we don’t hear anything about a response from the Lord. He may or may not have broken into a smile. Meanwhile, we have some indication that the Lord DOES in fact smile when the Little Drummer Boy makes his appearance. Whatever else he lacks, he certainly provides an abundance of sincerity. 


Now, here we are, making our own appearance at this Epiphany liturgy. Has your appearance earned you a smile from the Lord? If it can be said that you are doing your best; if it can be said that your heart is in the right place, then we’ll presume that the Lord is smiling upon you. He’s rejoicing that you are here. You’re here and you’re not somewhere else. 

Popular posts from this blog

Sermon For Trinity Sunday

Image
  TRINITY SUNDAY [C] We are prepared to observe Trinity Sunday. But are we prepared to go that extra step? Are we prepared to actually celebrate the Trinity? It’s expected of us. But it’s not easy, getting excited about the Trinity. It’s not just a doctrine; it’s something dense; it’s a profound mystery. How do you penetrate the mystery of one God being revealed in a Trinity of three Persons? Perhaps we should begin by picking up a Bible.  Now that your Bible is open, you find yourself being introduced to our God; you’re being introduced to him in the Book of Genesis. You will notice right away that he is a rather busy God. Busy in what way? He’s being an artist. He’s doing what artists typically do: he’s creating. He stands back, he admires his creation, and he pronounces it as “good” (Gen. 1:31). This episode doesn’t resolve all of your questions, but at least it’s a start.  Later on in the Bible, we will arrive at a particular juncture. St. Paul refers to it as “the ...
Read more

Fifth Sunday of Lent [C]

Image
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT [C] Jesus wins a reprieve for the woman caught in adultery. He sends her on her way with the words: “sin no more” (John 8:11). Does she comply? We don’t know. But let’s suppose that she does comply; she takes the message to heart. What will this signify? As far as St. Paul is concerned, this signifies a type of liberation. She’s no longer carrying the burden of sin. Now she can run freely. In pursuit of what? Paul refers to it as “the finish line” (Phil. 3:14, original NAB translation). It’s “the prize” (revised NAB translation). In other words, it’s something very desirable, something appealing. It’s appealing in the same way that a river would hold appeal for someone journeying in the desert (see Isaiah 43:16-19). Isaiah looks forward to the day when God will transform the desert into a place of vitality. A river will be released, providing satisfaction for those who are in need of refreshment. God has had enough of the old; now a new plan will be unfolding....
Read more

17th Sunday of Ordinary Time [C]

Image
17TH SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME [C] Can anybody name the topic for this weekend? If you answer with “prayer,” then you’re at least partially correct. More specifically, we are dealing with the subject of PERSISTENT prayer. Note the example of Abraham in our first reading. He learns that a severe judgment is being handed down, concerning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. He responds with one petition after another, begging for the cities to be spared. As a result, we are now detecting flexibility, where previously there was no flexibility (see Gen. 18:16-33).  Jesus reaffirms the Abraham approach in this Gospel selection (Luke 11:1-13). When you pray, be sure to pray with persistence. What will that gain for you? Potentially, you will be blessed with the gift of mercy. That’s the point of focus for Abraham. And Paul likewise seems to be preoccupied with the gift of mercy as he writes to the community at Colossae. He proclaims that the bond being held against us has been nailed to the c...
Read more