2014-01-05, Epiphany, Finding Jesus

Homily 01-05-14
Epiphany A, 7:00, 10:00 Masses
Is 60:1-6; Ps 72:1-13; Eph 3:2-6; Mt 2:1-12

(Scriptures included after homily)

They say, if you ever want to win the lottery, you have to buy a ticket.
And if you ever want to see a shooting star, you have to look up to the sky.
But, do we know what we have to do to find Jesus?

The magi knew that it would take dedicated perseverance.  It would take crossing a hot desert, encountering a deceitful king, and following a star.  You see, they bought the ticket and they were gazing at the sky.  But you know what?  It just all might sound a little foolish.  It might even sound superstitious. Yet behind, their following of that bright star, came years of preparation, intense study, and a whole lot of faith.

So what’s it take for us to find Jesus?

Well first, just like the magi, it will take some preparation.  And here we ARE!  We’ve come to the right place.  Maybe we’ve had to drag ourselves out into the cold, from our warm, cozy beds, but we’ve made it!  We are here, and we are prepared.  So what’s next?

Well next, if we want to find Jesus, it will also take a little study.  And again, we’ve come to the right place for that.  Because here we listen to and study the Scriptures.  We recite what we believe in the Creed.  We pray together and we even sing songs to learn about Jesus.  And if we truly and sincerely want to find Jesus, we might even do more of these things on our own, or in small communities.

And you know what?  It might not always be easy.  Sometimes it might feel like we’re all alone, in the middle of a desert.  And sometimes we may even run into ‘deceitful kings’ who would like nothing less than to see us fail.

And that’s where the third step is so crucial in our quest of finding Jesus.  We must have a faith, strong enough to unreservedly follow that bright star.  And our just being here today, on this brutally cold, winter’s morning, is proof in itself of our faith, our dedication to finding Jesus.

The Prophet Isaiah said, “Raise your eyes and look about, and you shall be Radiant at what you see.”  “Your heart will throb and overflow from the riches all about you.“  Here in this place, together in this Community, there is a Radiance, and His Name is Jesus.  And we can always find Him, with a little Preparation, Study and Faith.

Now, I know, we often hear many of the same words, every time we come to Mass.  But you know, they’re really not the same!  The question is: Are we truly looking into the sky for the light of that special star?  Or are we just glancing at a blur of white dots?  The question is: Do we truly want to find Jesus, or are we just lost somewhere out there in the cold darkness?

You see, every Mass has something different, something special, that’s calling out to each and every one of us.  And if we find it, it might even BE “the Epiphany” of our day!  And yet, we can only find it if we are truly watching and listening.

If we think of St. Paul.  He was not struck down with that ‘bolt of lightning – revelation of Jesus,’ while he was pleasantly trotting along on his horse.  No!  Paul had climbed the pinnacle of revolution against Jesus, and there was only one place left for him to go – DOWN!

Sometimes finding Jesus might just be that blinding light of Epiphany, when we think we’re standing so tall without Him.  But we don’t have to fall in order to find Him.  All we have to do is look.  All we have to do is open our eyes of faith.

And when Father holds Jesus up in that Communion Rite, and says “Behold, the Lamb of God,” we should all feel blinded by the brilliant radiance of our star, Jesus.  And our hearts should be throbbing and overflowing with the riches that we are about to receive!

And that radiance will then be magnified all around us, as His Love reflects back out from every one of us to one another.  And I know that it truly does, because I can see it, and I can feel it, looking out at you.

You see, those magi wanted to find Jesus so intensely, that they were drawn to Him like pin to a powerful magnet.  That star’s light was so bright to them, that they didn’t even need eyes to see it.  And when they finally found Him, they were so awestruck at the magnificent beauty of His Divinity, that they didn’t even have to think about what to do next.  They fell down at his feet in humble worship and they offered Him the very best gift, that anyone could ever possibly give to Jesus.  They offered – themselves.  Their throbbing and overflowing hearts were His!

You see, brothers and sisters in Christ, Jesus IS HERE!  He is alive in Word and Sacrament.  He is alive in you and me.  And Jesus is here for every single person in the world.  Not just the Jews, not just the Priests, but everyone with an open heart to look. He is our bright, shining Epiphany Star.  And we are like mirrors, reflecting His bright light, His love and His hope out into the world.

So now we can slightly edit that old Nursery Rhyme to say .  .  .

Star Light, Star Bright,
brightest Star I see tonight.
Know I may, Know I might,
have Jesus always in my sight.