Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
He Shines His Light Upon All
Today the Church celebrates the manifestation of Christ’s divinity upon all people. The visit of the Magi to Jesus, bearing gifts, in fulfillment of the oracle of Prophet Isaiah 60:1-6, is a sacred moment that celebrates not only the incarnation of Christ but also the extension of the Light of Redemption to the gentiles, that is, all nations other than Israel. All peoples are now part of God’s covenant of love.
Prophet Isaiah sees into the future when the light of grace will shine upon all God’s children, Jews, and all nations alike. All distant peoples, represented in the Astrologers from the East are now sharers in the grace from the Creator of all. As Psalm 72 says, “every nation on earth will adore” the Lord. St. Paul in his letter to Ephesians makes a similar proclamation that the mystery of God’s grace has now been “made known to people in other generations,” “Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3: 5-6). The Magi, following a special star, are led to the place where the child Jesus was and on seeing him “prostrated themselves and did him homage” (Matthew 2:11).
In the spirit of the Magi, let us be filled with joy that we have been invited to share in the grace of God. We have been called to be sharers of the Good News, we have been called to be sons and daughters of God, and we have been called to use all our treasures, our time, talents, and wealth to serve and worship him. Let us be more driven this new year in our worship of the Lord of Lords. Like the Magi, let us joyfully offer ourselves to Jesus, making him the reason for our existence. Whatever God has in store for us in this new year we should accept with gratitude and trust in his love for us. Love of God is communicated to us in the divine word, let us embrace that love and allow the love to inform our worship and adoration of God in this new year.
May the Light of Christ which shone upon the entire world at his birth spread into the heart and soul of every one of us as we begin the new year 2022. It will be a year of Divine Light that will scatter all forms of darkness that exist.
May you have the Merriest of Christmas and a joyous New Year!
Fr. Bernard, OP
He Shines His Light Upon All
Today the Church celebrates the manifestation of Christ’s divinity upon all people. The visit of the Magi to Jesus, bearing gifts, in fulfillment of the oracle of Prophet Isaiah 60:1-6, is a sacred moment that celebrates not only the incarnation of Christ but also the extension of the Light of Redemption to the gentiles, that is, all nations other than Israel. All peoples are now part of God’s covenant of love.
Prophet Isaiah sees into the future when the light of grace will shine upon all God’s children, Jews, and all nations alike. All distant peoples, represented in the Astrologers from the East are now sharers in the grace from the Creator of all. As Psalm 72 says, “every nation on earth will adore” the Lord. St. Paul in his letter to Ephesians makes a similar proclamation that the mystery of God’s grace has now been “made known to people in other generations,” “Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Ephesians 3: 5-6). The Magi, following a special star, are led to the place where the child Jesus was and on seeing him “prostrated themselves and did him homage” (Matthew 2:11).
In the spirit of the Magi, let us be filled with joy that we have been invited to share in the grace of God. We have been called to be sharers of the Good News, we have been called to be sons and daughters of God, and we have been called to use all our treasures, our time, talents, and wealth to serve and worship him. Let us be more driven this new year in our worship of the Lord of Lords. Like the Magi, let us joyfully offer ourselves to Jesus, making him the reason for our existence. Whatever God has in store for us in this new year we should accept with gratitude and trust in his love for us. Love of God is communicated to us in the divine word, let us embrace that love and allow the love to inform our worship and adoration of God in this new year.
May the Light of Christ which shone upon the entire world at his birth spread into the heart and soul of every one of us as we begin the new year 2022. It will be a year of Divine Light that will scatter all forms of darkness that exist.
May you have the Merriest of Christmas and a joyous New Year!
Fr. Bernard, OP
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