The Epiphany of the Lord - 5 January 2025
5th January 2025
“The shepherds were Israelites, the Magi were Gentiles. The former were nigh to Him, the latter far from Him. Both hastened to Him together as to the cornerstone.” - St Augustine of Hippo
A reflection by Bishop Robert Barron:
"The unforgettable story of the journey of the Magi, as recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, is an artful summary of the principal dynamics of the spiritual life. Watching the night sky with scrupulous attention for signs of God’s purpose, the Magi evoke the importance of alertness in the spiritual order. We must keep our eyes open to see what God is up to. For far too many people, the spiritual life never gets underway, precisely because they don’t pay attention.
"Once they saw the star, they moved, despite the length of the journey and the dangers of the road. Sometimes people know what God wants them to do, but they don’t act, either out of fear or laziness or the influence of bad habits. In their confident journeying forth, the Magi teach us not to miss the propitious moment. They teach us to move.
"When they entered into Herod’s territory, the Magi caught the attention of the king. And when they spoke to him of the birth of a new King of the Jews, Herod became frantic and tried to use them in order to destroy the baby. A third lesson: when you walk the path that God has laid out for you, expect opposition. We live in a sinful, fallen world, and there will always be forces at cross purposes to God.
"Refusing to cooperate with Herod’s game, the wise men came to Bethlehem, found the child, and gave him their precious gifts. When you come to Christ, don’t give him your second best; break open the very best of yourself and make it a gift for him. Finally, they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod and so ‘they returned to their home country by another route.’
"As Fulton Sheen commented so magnificently: ‘Of course they did; for no one comes to Christ and goes back the same way he came!’
"The journey of these wise men is a metaphor for the spiritual journeys that all of us must make. Like the magi, we must be attentive; we must be willing to act; we must expect opposition; we must give our best to Christ, and finally, we must be willing to change, ‘to go back by a different route.’"
(Five Lessons of the Magi, Bishop Robert Barron, 6 January 2002)
Prayer for the Epiphany of the Lord
Dear Jesus, as You led the Three Kings to You by the light of a star, please draw us ever closer to You by the light of Faith. Help us to desire You as ardently as they did. Give us the grace to overcome all the obstacles that keep us far from You. May we, like them, have something to give You when we appear before You. Amen. 💐🙏💖
The Epiphany Blessing
Marking Homes with Blessed Chalk for the New Year
The ancient custom of marking the door of the home with blessed chalk is a way of incorporating the liturgical feast of the Epiphany as a domestic ritual into the prayer life of the family. Chalk will be blessed at Mass this weekend, then parishioners are welcome to take some home and to mark the lintel of their front door as follows:
20 C + M + B 25
The letters C, M and B stand for the traditional names of the Three Wise Men who came seeking Jesus: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. The letters also represent the words Christus Mansionem Benedicat (May Christ Bless this Abode).
Words to be said at home:
Peace be upon this house and with all of us who live here. Amen.
Read aloud Matthew 2:1-2, 10-11
The wise men from the East came to Jerusalem asking: Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed His star at its rising and have come to pay Him homage. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary His mother, and they knelt down and paid Him homage.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Then continue with these words, whilst making the chalk marks at the names of the wise men and the year:
The Three Wise Men, Caspar (C) Melchior (M) Balthasar (B) followed the light of the star to find Jesus, the Son of God, Who came to live among us Two Thousand (20) and Twenty-five (25) years ago. (+) May Christ bless our home today and (+) remain with us throughout the year.
Let us pray. God of mercy, fill our home with the light and love of Christ that it may be a place of hospitality and welcome. May Christ be our shelter when we are at home, our companion when we are away, and our welcome guest when we return. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord. Thanks be to God.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.