Feast of the Epiphany

Is 60:1-6
Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6
Mt 2:1-12

Good news travels a long way. Even good news that we think is meant only for us, or for just a few people, if it’s really good news, it travels a long way. We really don’t have to do much to make it travel, good news takes on a life of its own. News that is really good, that really matters, shouldn’t be kept hidden anyway. It should be made known and shared with as many people as possible. When I was ordained the Archdiocesan newspaper had a story about my classmates and myself, talking about each of us as a group and individually, with pictures of each of us. After that story appeared, people I did not know at all began coming up to me to congratulate me and wish me well in my ministry. People in my parish, of course knew, but these were people from other parishes, other parts of the diocese. It brought home to me the idea that I was ordained to service in the whole archdiocese, not just my little part of it. Good news travels.
Jesus, born in Bethlehem, came as the Messiah, the Jewish Messiah. It was the Jewish people who lived in anticipation of the coming of a Savior, their Savior. But Good News Travels. This Good News was far too good to be kept quiet very long. The Good News of the birth of Jesus could not be kept quiet, wasn’t meant to be kept quiet. The Magi recognized that a great event had occurred, that the birth of a king in Judea was the birth of a King for all. They traveled far, and came to pay homage to the newborn king, the newborn Savior, the savior meant for all people, not just a few. Through these Magi Jesus is revealed to the world as its Savior, as the one sent by God to bring all people to God, all nations, all peoples, brought together by the coming into the world of this child. The Jewish people lived in anticipation of the birth of their Savior, but God had other plans. This Child, this Jesus, this Messiah came into the world for all people, to save all nations, to bring all people to God. This Child, this Jesus, this Messiah came for us, for you, for me, no matter who we are, to bring us to God. This Child, this Jesus, this Messiah, came for all people of all time. Thank God this Good News travels.
Deacon John
Feast of the Epiphany
Jan. 7, 2007