Sunday Reflections

A saying that I have used a few times in homilies, and which has come to mean a lot to me, is ‘what you look for will determine what you find’.  This means to me that we all make decisions about what is important to us, and usually we receive the fruit of that quest.  So, if I seek wealth, I will engage in activities that will bring me great financial success.  If I want a healthier and more trim body, I will engage in activities that ensure my health and fitness.  If I want sincere friendships, I will represent myself and communicate in a way that will bring about that quality of friendship.  At the same time, if I want a deeper spiritual life, a closer walk with Jesus, then I will engage in activities that bring about that new and renewed life in Christ.

On this Feast of Epiphany, we hear of the quest of the Magi to find the “King of the Jews”, whose birth was announced to them by a star. It is obvious that, by following that star, they were seeking something beyond themselves, someone or something that was important enough in the history of the world to be announced by a star.  Whatever was happening, they wanted to be a part of it!  And so, they set out and followed the star.  Indeed, ‘what they looked for determined what they found’.  They found Jesus!  Their homage of him is significant in terms of revelation, because they were pagans.  The Old Testament prophesied that a Messiah would come, but for the chosen people, the Israelites.  Now, the coming of the Magi, and their homage to Jesus, breaks that train of thought and introduces the truth that God sent His Son for all people.

Our challenge today, in this Feast, is to ask ourselves “What am I looking for?”  “What do I hope to find?”  That is the heart of it all, because, in truth, many people are not looking for Christ or a spiritual life.  Although they may have a Baptismal Certificate and photos of their First Communion, they are not sincerely looking for Jesus where He can be found. They hold Him off at a distance, only calling on Him when they decide, and not really intent upon living a life that reflects their faith in Jesus.  Jesus is calling all of us to an ever deeper and more sincere life with Him, and we – by our presence in the Eucharist – are showing that we are not only looking for someone or something, but that we have found it in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

And so, if we are looking for Jesus, where do we find him?  Once again, I have come to share with you four realities that lead us closer to Jesus, that give witness that we have found what we were looking for.  They are – prayer, the Word of God, the Sacraments, and sharing in the life of the Community.  In the Eucharist we unite all four, which shows the importance and supremacy of this act of worship found in the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

As we celebrate this Feast of the Epiphany, let us renew our desire to follow the star and deepen our life with Jesus, and to share the light of Christ with others.