Homily Feast of the Epiphany: “Star Light, Star Bright”
Homily Feast of the Epiphany: “Star Light, Star Bright”
“Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil” (1st John 3:19). Darkness and light are what is called archetypes. An archetype is a primary symbol that speaks to everyone. If we look at all religions of the world every one of them uses darkness and light in their worship. Light represents the divine. Darkness represents evil, or at least chaos.
Perhaps that is hard for us to appreciate since we live in a world where we can create artificial light. But that has been the case for only a couple hundred years. The first city to have streetlights was London, sometime in the 1600’s. Gas lighting in cities came about in the late 1700’s. Household lighting is even more recent. Common people could not afford candles until around the year 1800.
Darkness is a difficult thing to deal with. We easily can get lost in the dark. We stumble around in the dark. How much crime is committed in the dark? When you live in certain places you can easily say. Nothing good goes on after 1 a.m. We feel most secure when we are home with our doors locked. The spiritual world seems more active at night.
The Christmas story has many allusions to darkness and light. We speak of Jesus being born at night probably because the Gospel of Luke alludes to the shepherds who keep watch over their flocks at night. When the angels appear to announce Jesus’ birth, we are told that the glory of the Lord shone about them.
We also have the story we read today about the Magi coming to worship Jesus. We are told that they follow a star to find Jesus. Many have speculated through the centuries as to what this star could have been. The last few weeks, the planets Jupiter and Saturn have appeared together in the night sky. The two planets came so close together that the appeared as one. For the amateur astrologer it was easy to find the constellation because it appeared next to the Moon. The alinement comes about every 20 years or so. (This year was the closest since 1623 and the closest observable since 1226) Because this phenomenon happened in around 7 B.C. people have tried to say this star was the one that the Magi followed. Scholars try to explain the Christmas star as a natural event, rare but natural.
But if we are trying to explain the star in Matthew’s story as a natural phenomenon, we miss the point. Matthew wanted his readers to know that the light that was there when Jesus was born was unexplainable. We see the supernatural light of God in several Biblical accounts. What was the first thing God created? “God said let there be light.” (Genesis 1:3). On the first day we are told that the Lord separated the light from the darkness, but it was not until the fourth day that God created the planets, the stars and the rest of the heavenly light. Clearly there was a difference in the light that is caused by divine intervention and naturally occurring light.
We could remember other Biblical stories. In the Book of Exodus God leads the people of Israel through the Red Sea. A pillar of fire keeps Pharaoh’s army from destroying the Israelites. The pillar of fire appears at other times to guide the Israelites through the desert towards the promised land. We remember how St. Paul was knocked to the ground by a burst of light when he was converted to the faith.
The star that the Magi followed was different. We are told it moved. Also, we are told that it shone by day and night. Finally, we are told that this divine light came to a standstill over the place where Jesus was. When we think about it, the star had to act in such ways to identify who Jesus was specifically. When God sends his light to dispel darkness it is a deliberate act. God intentionally intervenes. What happens cannot be explained.
What does this mean for each one of us? 1st Thessalonians 5:5 says, “No, all of you are children of light and of the day. We belong neither to darkness nor to night; therefore, let us not be asleep like the rest, but awake and sober!......We who live by day must be alert, putting on faith and love as breastplate.” We who have been baptized into the light of the Lord are to be wise people who spread the light in a world of darkness. The world needs this holy light more than ever. And God has called us through Jesus to point to the true light that drives away the darkness of despair.
Reflection Questions:
- Do I believe that God works in supernatural ways in the world? What examples can I think of?
- Who is a light for me in my light? How do they guide me?
Dear Parishioners:
Jesus’ Baptism was a beginning for him. His ministry started with that event. He did not just jump into ministry, however. We are told that he was led out in the desert by the Spirit. There he was tempted. He was shown that his ministry could be about him or it could be about his Father and others. Jesus led an unselfish life that was all about service.
Many of us have been frustrated the last year (yes, it is going on a year now) since we have not been able to serve others in the direct way we are used to. Are we unhappy because others are not benefitting from our charity or are we displeased because we do not feel needed? This is a sobering question.
Perhaps this is our time to reflect on this question. Like Jesus we have been given a time out. We might use this time to reflect on where we are being called to minister. It would be great if we are led in some new directions.
May our Lady and All the Saints watch over you today.
Fr. Mark