Feast of the Epiphany – Another look

We saw the other day how Herod and all Jerusalem quaked at the news from the Magi that a star had appeared in the east and heralded the birth of a baby king.  Theirs was the perfect, visceral response to this divine intrusion.

The birth of Jesus disrupted the lives of the power brokers in Jerusalem.  Perhaps it’s like hearing how Valentine’s Day this year will be trumped by Ash Wednesday.  Either way, their claim to sovereignty, our claims to sovereignty, revealed when our plans and demands that life go our way are crushed.

Note, too how the drama among these power brokers remains in Jerusalem (!)  None of these characters went on the briefest of journeys – 6 miles to Bethlehem.  It was the foreigners, the outsiders, the hated Gentiles who had journeyed, following the star whose meaning they had divined.

So, here’s the audio of my first homily (Saturday’s Vigil Mass).  Note how you respond.  Happy Epiphany (still) !!! –roc,sj