OXYGEN

04 Jan- Epiphany of the Lord

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Isaiah 60:1-6

Lift up your eyes and look round:
all are assembling and coming towards you,
your sons from far away
and your daughters being tenderly carried.

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Ephesians 3:2-3a. 5-6

You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the mystery, as I have just described it very shortly. This that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ, through the gospel.

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Matthew 2:1-12

After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. ‘Where is the infant king of the Jews?’ they asked. ‘We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ‘At Bethlehem in Judaea,’ they told him ‘for this is what the prophet wrote:

And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
you are by no means least among the leaders of Judah,
for out of you will come a leader
who will shepherd my people Israel.’

Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. ‘Go and find out all about the child,’ he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward, and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

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Go and find out all about the child…. So that I too may do him homage

I clearly remembered that as a young boy, the part of the Mass that I looked forward to the dismissal for it marked the beginning of my journey to the next destination for lunch. However, I discovered that the original Latin is “Ite Missa Est” which roughly translates to “Go, you are sent forth”. Indeed, today’s readings remind us of the importance of being a missionary people to those who do not know Christ.

On Christmas Day, Jesus was made known to the shepherds, a job that did not carry with it a high social status. This was His manifestation to the Jewish people and in particular to the poor Jewish people. Today we commemorate the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as the three kings came, as Church Tradition puts in, from the lands of the Orient.

They have travelled far to see the Word of God made Man. Their actions certainly reflect the hunger of non-believers to learn more about God. Their actions contrast greatly with Herod’s evil intentions to kill the child. I have selected the words of Herod because his words are very meaningful but they were said without an ounce of sincerity. We certainly cannot become like that. We should emulate the example of St Paul who travelled tirelessly amongst the Gentiles to spread the Word of God. He never failed to preach of the love of God and every thing he did was for the greater glory of God.

When our non-Christians friends see the joy that we possess in our hearts after attending the Mass and the happiness by which we share the Word of God, they will realise that we are living out the missionary command that we are given at the end of the Mass. Hopefully our actions will draw them closer to the Christian faith.

(Today’s OXYGEN by Nicholas Chia)
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Prayer: Lord, we pray that we stay true to our prophetic mission to share your Word with the world.

Thanksgiving: We give thanks for the presence of modern technology that enables us to share God’s word more effectively.

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Upcoming Readings:
Mon, 05 Jan - 1 John 3:11-21, Psalm 99, John 1:43-51, Monday after Epiphany
Tue, 06 Jan - 1 John 4:7-10, Psalm 71,  Mark 6:34-44 Tuesday after Epiphany
Wed, 07 Jan - 1 John 4:11-18, Psalm 71, Mark 6:45-52, Wednesday after Epiphany, St Raymond of Penyafort
Thu, 08 Jan - 1 John 4:19-5:4, Psalm 71, Luke 4:14-22, Thursday after Epiphany
Fri, 09 Jan - 1 John 5:5-13, Psalm 147,  Luke 5:12-16, Friday after Epiphany
Sat, 10 Jan - 1 John 5:14-21, Psalm 149, John 3:22-30, Saturday after Epiphany
Sun, 11 Jan - Isaiah 55:1-11. Psalm Isaiah 12. 2-3, 4. 5-6, 1 John 5:1-9, Mark 1:7-11, Baptism of the Lord