Our Search for Jesus
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Happy New Year to All!
I hope you had joyful and peaceful celebrations of Christmas. Although the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God on January 1st concluded the octave of Christmas, which formally speaking finishes our celebration of Christmas, yet the whole season ends with the feast of baptism of the Lord on Monday, January 8th.
Today’s Sunday celebrates the great mystery of Jesus’ revelation to the gentiles in the person of the three magi who came from the East to worship the newborn King of Israel. This iconic story brings to the light the true significance of Jesus’ nativity and announces to us his salvific mission.
This simple but rich story not only recounts the main stages of their pilgrimage, but it is an account of their spiritual transformation, and because of that also ours. We can admire the courage of the three wise men who set out on a long and perilous journey without any assurance of reaching their destination and with no guarantee of a safe return. We can see in them men of a deep desire to look for the truth and of firm confidence that they would find it. They were people of knowledge and open minds to discern and follow the signs left by God on their path. But also, they were people of profound humility who worshipped the newborn King found not in a place in Jerusalem but in a simple house in Bethlehem. Their minds and hearts were open to God’s lead as they allowed themselves to be guided by his mysterious light.
Their attitude contrasts sharply with that of king Herod and the people of Jerusalem. In spite of a close proximity to Bethlehem, they are not only ignorant to the events that took place over there, but they responded to them either with indifference or hostility. While pagan magi accepted the challenge of a long and risky journey following the star, the inhabitants of Jerusalem preferred to remain in their comfort ignoring the presence of the divine King.
These two groups of people represent two different spiritual attitudes. We too, like the people of Jerusalem are in danger of remaining complacent with our basic knowledge and experience of God or we can allow ourselves be inspired by the magi and engage in a wonderful journey of faith, constantly discovering new dimension of our Christina faith and of our baptism. Our faith is never static, we either make even a small progress or allow ourselves to be paralyzed by our setbacks.
In order to find the newborn King, the three wise men followed the external signs of nature and of the Scriptures. God gives such signs to each one of us. But before returning home they heard the inner voice showing them a different way to go back. The encounter with the divine Infant changed their lives. This is the promise and the meaning of this beautiful Christmas season. May the joy of discovering Christ anew in our lives and speaking him in our hearts accompany us throughout the entire new year.
