The Star
No Christmas Eve children’s pageant would be complete without the Star.. Along with the boys in donkey suits and girls in sheep costumes, the Star usually brings the house down. This little boy or girl, in his silver or gold five-pointed suit, is the Star of the Pageant. Why is the Star so important? I looked out my window before dawn today and saw the morning star shining next to the crescent moon. A bright star sends us light from another world; it brings us hope from heaven. And the Star that led the Magi by its radiance pointed to the “True Light that was coming into the world,” Jesus Christ.
Happy New Year
I forgot to wish all of you a Happy New Year. May our 2011 be full of light and hope, joy and peace. Perhaps you have made a New Year’s Resolution? May I suggest another: to follow the star of Bethlehem, through thick and thin this year, all the way to Jesus. And don’t forget to bring your gifts to offer, gifts that are from Jesus in the first place anyway.
The Magi
The non-Jewish Magi find themselves fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah without even knowing it. “Caravans of dromedaries shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming God’s praises.” Following the Star, these three Gentile Kings drew close to Jerusalem and so came within Herod’s radar. Herod is so bent on guarding his earthly power that he doesn’t look up into the sky; he misses the star; he sees not a beautiful baby boy but a poltical rival and threat to his power. While Herod destroys thousands of baby boys in a frantic attempt to destroy Jesus, the Magi go on their way and are “overjoyed” at seeing the star again. They continue to Bethlehem, about 5 miles further. They offer gold for Christ the King, frankincense for Christ the High Priest, and myrrh for Christ the sacrificial victim. They kneel before the Messiah, offering their riches, joyfully declaring their submission to One greater than themselves.
Stewardship
Their freedom to give of themselves without fear of loss is the Stewardship Paul speaks of in the second reading. “Brothers and sisters, you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit.” Paul is not afraid to give not only his time, talent, and treasure to Jesus. He even writes that he considers everything in this world as “trash” compared with the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ. Do you know of anyone who is trapped in the cycle of making money, spending money, and paying debts—pinned to the ground such that they have hardly any joy? Paul claims to be a steward, not any owner. Such are the Magi as well.
My dear brothers and sisters: we Catholics have been given the world’s greatest treasure, the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ in the Sacred Eucharist; we are even at this moment inside the Holy Mass. The Star of Bethlehem shines from within the Catholic Church. Do we recognize the gift we have been given?
The world needs God
Pope Benedict’s voice was the first voice I heard on National Public Radio this morning. The news anchor played his gentle voice rolling out over St. Peter’s Square: “Il Mundo ha bisogno di Dio….” The world needs God, the reported translated. It is this man who speaks for all Christians, and speaks for humanity. Do we know what a gift it is to be a Christian, and Catholic?
And yet the Pope, and Christians, are persecuted. In his message for January 1st, a Day of Prayer for World Peace, Pope Benedict said that “At present, Christians are the religious group which suffers most from persecution.” This past week, five Christian churches were bombed: in Pakistan, Nigeria, the Philippines, and last night another one bombed in Egypt. Herod still wants to kill the child, and he knows where to find him: in the Church. Christians are not only persecuted by suicide bombers, the pope went on. “In other areas we see more subtle and sophisticated forms of prejudice and hostility toward believers and religious symbols.” He’s talking about Europe and America.
The Star shines brightly from our Catholic Church. Many are the Herods who fear that light. If you are a serious Catholic, you will have to pay the price for following the star. You must expect prejudice, misunderstanding, and persecution. It will grow more acute as the world grows more secular. Make it your New Year’s Resolution to follow the star, no matter what the cost. We have been given the stewardship of this light. We must carry it through the darkness. The world is depending on this Light, even as it mocks and persecutes it. Resolve in 2011 to never miss a Sunday Mass, to make your homes places of prayer, and to bring the love of God to all we meet this year.
No Christmas Eve children’s pageant would be complete without the Star.. Along with the boys in donkey suits and girls in sheep costumes, the Star usually brings the house down. This little boy or girl, in his silver or gold five-pointed suit, is the Star of the Pageant. Why is the Star so important? I looked out my window before dawn today and saw the morning star shining next to the crescent moon. A bright star sends us light from another world; it brings us hope from heaven. And the Star that led the Magi by its radiance pointed to the “True Light that was coming into the world,” Jesus Christ.
Happy New Year
I forgot to wish all of you a Happy New Year. May our 2011 be full of light and hope, joy and peace. Perhaps you have made a New Year’s Resolution? May I suggest another: to follow the star of Bethlehem, through thick and thin this year, all the way to Jesus. And don’t forget to bring your gifts to offer, gifts that are from Jesus in the first place anyway.
The Magi
The non-Jewish Magi find themselves fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah without even knowing it. “Caravans of dromedaries shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming God’s praises.” Following the Star, these three Gentile Kings drew close to Jerusalem and so came within Herod’s radar. Herod is so bent on guarding his earthly power that he doesn’t look up into the sky; he misses the star; he sees not a beautiful baby boy but a poltical rival and threat to his power. While Herod destroys thousands of baby boys in a frantic attempt to destroy Jesus, the Magi go on their way and are “overjoyed” at seeing the star again. They continue to Bethlehem, about 5 miles further. They offer gold for Christ the King, frankincense for Christ the High Priest, and myrrh for Christ the sacrificial victim. They kneel before the Messiah, offering their riches, joyfully declaring their submission to One greater than themselves.
Stewardship
Their freedom to give of themselves without fear of loss is the Stewardship Paul speaks of in the second reading. “Brothers and sisters, you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit.” Paul is not afraid to give not only his time, talent, and treasure to Jesus. He even writes that he considers everything in this world as “trash” compared with the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ. Do you know of anyone who is trapped in the cycle of making money, spending money, and paying debts—pinned to the ground such that they have hardly any joy? Paul claims to be a steward, not any owner. Such are the Magi as well.
My dear brothers and sisters: we Catholics have been given the world’s greatest treasure, the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ in the Sacred Eucharist; we are even at this moment inside the Holy Mass. The Star of Bethlehem shines from within the Catholic Church. Do we recognize the gift we have been given?
The world needs God
Pope Benedict’s voice was the first voice I heard on National Public Radio this morning. The news anchor played his gentle voice rolling out over St. Peter’s Square: “Il Mundo ha bisogno di Dio….” The world needs God, the reported translated. It is this man who speaks for all Christians, and speaks for humanity. Do we know what a gift it is to be a Christian, and Catholic?
And yet the Pope, and Christians, are persecuted. In his message for January 1st, a Day of Prayer for World Peace, Pope Benedict said that “At present, Christians are the religious group which suffers most from persecution.” This past week, five Christian churches were bombed: in Pakistan, Nigeria, the Philippines, and last night another one bombed in Egypt. Herod still wants to kill the child, and he knows where to find him: in the Church. Christians are not only persecuted by suicide bombers, the pope went on. “In other areas we see more subtle and sophisticated forms of prejudice and hostility toward believers and religious symbols.” He’s talking about Europe and America.
The Star shines brightly from our Catholic Church. Many are the Herods who fear that light. If you are a serious Catholic, you will have to pay the price for following the star. You must expect prejudice, misunderstanding, and persecution. It will grow more acute as the world grows more secular. Make it your New Year’s Resolution to follow the star, no matter what the cost. We have been given the stewardship of this light. We must carry it through the darkness. The world is depending on this Light, even as it mocks and persecutes it. Resolve in 2011 to never miss a Sunday Mass, to make your homes places of prayer, and to bring the love of God to all we meet this year.
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