The Third Epiphany - Cana

Jesus did this, the first of his signs in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believe in him. The seven signs John lists are: 1.       Changing water into wine at Cana in John 2:1-11 - "the first of the signs" 2.       Healing the royal official's son in Capernaum in John 4:46-54 3.       Healing the paralytic at Bethesda in John 5:1-15 4.       Feeding the 5000 in John 6:5-14 5.       Jesus walking on water in John 6:16-24 6.       Healing the man blind from birth in John 9:1-7 7.       The raising of Lazarus in John 11:1-45 The seven signs are seen by some scholars and theologians as evidence of new creation theology in the Gospel of John, the resurrection of Jesus being the implied eighth sign, indicating a week of creation and then a new creation beginning with the resurrection. So why are these signs important – what are signs anyway? Simply, they are visible markers pointing the way. For example, as you drive around this area of the mountain, you see signs pointing the way to the airport. These signs are important to those wishing to board a plane and fly away. But first they must get to the airport. But to others who have no plans to fly – they are of no interest. John is writing his gospel account for people who are searching for direction for their lives – there must be more to life – how will I find it – who can help me get there? The miracles of Jesus are clear and dramatic signs. Here is One who has control over the natural world surely, he is able to lead us to the fullness of life. When we are onboard with Jesus we will fly away home to heaven. Now the signs John sights are dramatic, they have to be. They must be clear and convincing. As John’s gospel unfolds it demonstrates who are the true seekers and who are not, those who stubbornly refuse to see – I am perfectly fine thank you, just as I am. So how about us – are we seekers or stay-at-homer’s? The fact that we here in this place or worship suggests we are seekers. Yet we must always examine the motives of our hearts. There are so many distractions, so many misleading signs, redirecting our hearts to seek other ways – shortcuts to happiness. Spiritual writers call this discernment and the prayer of examine where we ask the Holy Spirit to point out if we have taken any wrong turns alone the way. So the three Epiphanies have been manifested, and the signs laid out. Let us take up the gospels anew and follow him who is the Way, the Truth and Life eternal. + + +  For more on the Prayer of Examine go to:  . . . LINK . . .

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The Second Epiphany - Baptism of Jesus

We commonly think of the Epiphany as that one event in Christ's life where the Magi, led by a star, make their way to see him and offer him gifts fitting a new king. However, the Catholic liturgy considers the Epiphany to be threefold; 1. the visit by the Magi, 2. the baptism of Jesus by John, and 3. the miracle of the wine at the wedding feast of Cana. The Greek word, “epiphaneia”, was used to signify the coming of a king or emperor. It was also used for the self-manifestation of a god or for his miraculous intervention; this later, likely the original use of the word. St. Paul used the word "epiphany" three times. The first was in reference to Jesus first coming; He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest through the appearance (epiphaneias) of our Savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Tim. 1:9-10. The other two uses refer to Jesus second coming; (Titus 2:13) and (2 Thess. 2:8) “. . . not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began.”  What an extraordinary statement Paul is making here. We need to unpack it and ponder it. “. . . not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace”. Last Sunday in his homily for the feast of the Epiphany, Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire) identified a trend that is becoming more and more common in society today. People are leaving the tradition practice of their Christian Faith and embracing what they call “spirituality”. They describe themselves as no long religious but spiritual. Being spiritual is their seeking to attain an inner peace by their own efforts using things like meditation, yoga, communing with nature and the like. The opposite to this, Bishop Barron points out, is Faith, faith in divine revelation. It is not us seeking God bur God seeking us. A Voice outside of ourselves is calling us to go outside of ourselves to hear and embrace truth and wisdom being taught by the very voice of God. A person of faith recognizes that Jesus is the very Voice of God incarnate, speaking and teaching. A person of faith also realizes that if God did not reveal Himself, did not come down to us and teach us by his very own word, we could never arrive at such truth on our own. This is why these days of Epiphany, days of making him visible are so important. “And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are My Son the beloved; with You I am well pleased’. Later in Mark’s gospel in the Transfiguration, “Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: ‘This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!’ Mk. 9:7 So the question for today is, am I listening? And a further question as well, to whom am I listening? There is a great competition happening today for our attention, made so by the rapid advances of electronic communication: radio, T.V., internet etc. So many voices speaking at us. But which voices are speaking the true Word of God? Jesus warned us this challenge. “See to it that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and rebellions, do not be alarmed. These things must happen first, but the end is not imminent.” Lk. 21:8-9 The responsibility of discerning and protecting us was given to the Church which Jesus founded on Peter, promising that He would remain with his church in every age. That is why we are not surprised when we see Satan waging vicious attacks against the church. So now we are entering a new period of Ordinary Time, Year C in the liturgical cycle. This year we take up Luke’s gospel as our main focus, our main instrument for hearing the voice of God speaking, teaching us and protecting us from the deceiver. * * * * * * For this blog I thought it appropriate not only to behold these wondrous appearances but also to listen to the voices of those who were the first to see. THE MAGI "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." Prayer: O Lord, where in my heart is such wonder and awe, such hunger to find you, that I might surrender my whole heart to your kingship? My eyes are no longer fixed heaven ward, but rather on the empty and passing things that surround me, like dark clouds covering my view of the stars. Let the brilliance of your true presence break through my darkness and lead me once again in search of you. JESUS BAPTISM BY JOHN "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Prayer: O Lord, is there a day, soon to come, when a new fire will burn in my heart. Has my baptism become but a single ember, barely glowing? Fan into flame once again, that fire of faith I was given. Baptize me anew in your Holy Spirit and awaken in me the fire of your Love. Let me hear once again, in my heart, your voice speaking to me, "You are my child, my beloved; with you I am well pleased." CANA Mary said, "They have no wine." ... "Do whatever he tells you." Prayer: Mary, these words you speak are now about me. The wine of my faith and the wine of my hope and the wine of my love have surely run out. I am but a clay pot, idle and empty. Where would I be now, if your motherly love for me was not speaking to me these words of wisdom. I will do what your Son now tells me. I will take the water of my humble prayers, the water of my study of his word, the water of my examination of mind and heart to fill my idleness and emptiness, while I await his transforming grace of renewal.

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Epiphany - 2019

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Mary Mother of God

Today is the oldest feast honoring Mary. The gospel passage for this feast is same as the Christmas Mass at Dawn, which tells of the visit of the shepherds to Mary's new born son, Jesus. For this feast, the verses telling of Jesus being brought to the temple on the eighth day to be circumcised and given the name Jesus is added. Until recently, this day was called the feast of the Circumcision of Jesus. Today the focus for this feast is on Mary as Mother of God and has the importance of a solemnity. In the first centuries, the Church struggled with the question of the true nature of Jesus. Was he merely a man, albeit, the greatest of all the prophets that God had raised up. Or was he much more, indeed, did he share in the very divinity of God? The First Council of Nicaea in 325, declared that the Son was true God, co-eternal with the Father and begotten from His same substance, arguing that such a doctrine best codified the Scriptural presentation of the Son as well as traditional Christian belief about him handed down from the Apostles. This belief was expressed by the bishops in the Creed of Nicaea, which would form the basis of what has since been known as the Nicene Creed. The Church quickly realized that since Jesus is both man and God, and since Mary in her womb and gave birth to Jesus, it is right to call her, Mother of God - Theotokos - the womb that held within it the one who is both human and divine. This is a great mystery of faith. In the 2nd Reading, Paul sees in this mystery God's wonderful plan for our humanity. Jesus came from the divine to enter into our lowly humanity. He leads us back through our communion in his humanity to share in his divinity. So in baptism, we mere humans are born again and now we share in the divinity of Jesus. By our rebirth in Jesus, it is right to speak of Mary, mother of Jesus, as our mother as well. As we begin a new calendar year - which reminds us that we are moving ever closer to our ultimate destiny, let us keep these things foremost in our thoughts: Jesus the son of God is our brother, dear to us as we are to him. That Mary is our heavenly mother, caring for us with the love and protection of a devoted and loving Mother. Think of ourselves, not as some weak and failing piece of humanity, headed for the grave, but as a royal child of God the FATHER, beloved as Jesus is loved, protected in the arms of Mary our mother, destined to live in this family for all eternity.

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