Roc Homily – Feast of the Epiphany (A) 2017

 The Feast of the Epiphany invites us to consider the Catholic notion of paradox – both/and.  We’re asked to reside in between opposites.

For example: On the one hand, we have these magi coming from Persia, present day Iran and Syria seeking the newborn king.  On the other hand, we see King Herod, the chief priests, and all Jerusalem shaken to their core at the news of the newborn king.

So, during National Migrant week, when we remember our ancestors who migrated to the US along with present day immigrants who are…. What?  Well, they are the current group many fear and many support.

In other words, like the English who appeared on the shores off Plymouth Rock, like the Irish who fled to these shores, the Italians, Jews, Poles and other Eastern Europeans, the Hmong, Vietnamese, and Ethiopians – they are the latest threat.

Paradox asks us to inhabit the chasm between the King Herod with the Judean locals fearing and the outsiders coming to worship. Rather than dismissing either side.

Here is the audio portion of my homily.  I’ll post word studies soon.

Happy Epiphany! –roc,sj