UPON YOU THE LORD SHINES

The Epiphany of the Lord
Lectionary: 20

L-Epifanija tal-Mulej

 

Reading 1                                                                                                                                 ISaiah 60:1-6

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.  Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the LORD. This is the Word of the Lord.

Qari I  

mill-Ktieb tal-Profeta Isaija 

Qum! Ħa jiddi wiċċek! Id-dawl tiegħek wasal! Jiddi fuqek sebħ il-Mulej! Ara d-dlamijiet jiksu l-art, u sħab iswed il-popli: iżda fuqek jiddi l-Mulej, u s-sebħ tiegħu jfiġġ fuqek. Il-ġnus għad jimxu fid-dawl tiegħek, u s-slaten fid-dija tas-sebħ tiegħek. Għolli u dawwar għajnejk madwarek u ara: ilkoll miġbura ġejjin għandek. Uliedek ġejjin mill-bogħod, u bnietek iġorruhom fuq id-dirgħajn. Imbagħad tħares u wiċċek jiddi, u tħabbat u timtela qalbek, għax fuqek taqa’ l-kotra tal-ġid tal-ibħra, u l-għana tal-ġnus jiġi għandek. Imrieħel ta’ iġmla għad jgħattuk, l-iġmla żgħar ta’ Midjan u Għefa; ilkoll minn Seba jiġu, mgħobbija bid-deheb u l-inċens, u jxandru t-tifħir tal-Mulej. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm                                                                                                                         PSalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13.

O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Salm Responsorjali

Salm 71 (72), 1-2.7-8.10-11,12-13

 R/. (ara 11): Il-ġnus kollha tal-art jagħtuk qima, Mulej

 O Alla, agħti lis-sultan il-ħaqq tiegħek, 

l-ġustizzja tiegħek lil bin is-sultan,  

biex jiġġudika l-poplu tiegħek bil-ġustizzja,  

u bil-ħaqq l-imsejknin tiegħek.            R/.

Tħaddar f’jiemu l-ġustizzja,

u sliem kotran sa ma jintemm il-qamar.

Isaltan minn baħar sa baħar,

u mix-xmara sa truf l-art.                    R/.

Is-slaten ta’ Tarsis u tal-gżejjer jagħtuh ir-rigali,

is-slaten ta’ Seba u ta’ Saba għotjiet iġibulu.

Iqimuh is-slaten kollha,

il-ġnus kollha lilu jaqdu.                       R/.

Għax hu jeħles lill-fqir li jsejjaħlu,

u lill-imsejken li m’għandux min jgħinu.

Iħenn għad-dgħajjef u għall-fqajjar;

il-ħajja tal-fqajrin isalva.                       R/.

Reading 2                                                                                                                                       

1 EPHesians 3:2-3A, 5-6                                                                                         

Brothers and sisters: You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace  that was given to me for your benefit,  namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation. It was not made known to people in other generations  as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:  that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. This is the Word of the Lord.

Qari II

Qari mill-Ittra ta’ San Pawl Appostlu lill-Efesin

 Ħuti, intom smajtu bil-pjan tal-grazzja li Alla tani għall-ġid tagħkom, jiġifieri, li permezz ta’ rivelazzjoni għarrafni l-misteru. Dan hu l-misteru li fil-ġenerazzjonijiet l-imgħoddija ma kienx mgħarraf lill-bnedmin bħalma issa ġie rrivelat lill-appostli qaddisa tiegħu u lill-profeti fl-Ispirtu, jiġifieri, li l-pagani huma msejħa biex ikollhom sehem mill-istess wirt, ikunu membri tal-istess ġisem, ikollhom sehem mill-istess wegħda, fi Kristu Ġesù permezz tal-Evanġelju. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel                                                                                                               MatThew 2:1-12                                                                                                                

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod,  behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,  "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled,  and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,  He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea,  for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel." Then Herod called the magi secretly  and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said,  "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word,  that I too may go and do him homage."  After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,  until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star,  and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures  and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,  they departed for their country by another way. This is the Word of the Lord. 

Evanġelju

Qari skont San Mattew

Meta twieled Ġesù f’Betlehem tal-Lhudija, fi żmien is-sultan Erodi, xi maġi mil-Lvant ġew Ġerusalemm jistaqsu: “Fejn hu dak li twieled sultan tal-Lhud? Għax rajna l-kewkba tiegħu tielgħa, u ġejna nqimuh”. Is-sultan Erodi sama’ bihom, u tħawwad hu u Ġerusalemm kollha miegħu. Ġabar flimkien il-qassisin il-kbar u l-kittieba kollha tal-poplu, u ried jaf mingħandhom fejn kellu jitwieled il-Messija. U huma qalulu: “F’Betlehem tal-Lhudija, għax hekk inkiteb mill-profeta: “U int, Betlehem, art ta’ Ġuda, le, m’intix l-iżgħar fost il-bliet il-kbar ta’ Ġuda, għax minnek joħroġ mexxej li jirgħa l-poplu tiegħi Iżrael”. Erodi mbagħad sejjaħ lill-maġi bil-moħbi, u tkixxef bir-reqqa kollha mingħandhom iż-żmien li fih dehritilhom il-kewkba; bagħathom Betlehem u qalilhom: “Morru, staqsu sewwa għat-tifel, u meta ssibuh ejjew għiduli, ħalli jien ukoll niġi nqimu”. Dawk, wara li semgħu lis-sultan, telqu, u ara, il-kewkba li kienu raw tielgħa bdiet miexja quddiemhom sakemm waslet u waqfet fuq il-post fejn kien hemm it-tifel. Kif raw il-kewkba mtlew b’ferħ kbir tassew. Meta mbagħad daħlu d-dar u raw lit-tifel ma’ ommu Marija, inxteħtu fl-art iqimuh; fetħu t-teżori tagħhom u offrewlu rigali deheb, inċens u mirra. Imbagħad, billi kienu mwissijin f’ħolma biex ma jerġgħux imorru għand Erodi, telqu lura lejn arthom minn triq oħra. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

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Nations Will Come to Your Light

Commentary by Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB

What "stirring" readings we hear in the Epiphany liturgy! Consider the scene from Isaiah's prophecy (60:1-6). Gentiles come from distant places, attracted by the splendor of Jerusalem, bringing gifts and tenderly carrying the sons and daughters of the Holy City! Though darkness may have surrounded the people, the glory of the Lord allows the light to burst forth and shine like a bright new dawn. What a fitting way to describe what we have just celebrated at Christmas!

Matthew's Gospel story of the magi [2:1-12] reveals to us the inevitable struggle that God's manifestation in Christ implies for the world. If we read the story carefully, we realize that far from being a children's tale, it is a tragic adult story. The battle lines are drawn and the forces are being marshaled. A child is born at the same time as a death-dealing power rules. Jesus was a threat to Herod and to them: to the throne of one, to the religious empire of the others.

At home in their distant, foreign lands, the magi had all the comfort of princely living, but something was missing -- they were restless and unsatisfied. They were willing to risk everything to find the reality their vision promised. Unlike the poor shepherds, the magi had to travel a long road; they had to face adversity to reach their goal. The shepherds also knew adversity, and it had prepared them to accept the angels' message. But once they overcame their fright, they simply "crossed over to Bethlehem" to meet the Christ Child.

The magi, on the other hand, had a much more difficult journey to Bethlehem. It was anything but a romantic, sentimental pilgrimage that we often see in our manger scenes! The magi were not just holy visionaries or whimsical religious figures; they were willing to wager their money, their time and their energy, and perhaps even their lives to seek out someone who would bring true peace.

The magi were not completely lost upon their arrival in Jerusalem -- the city did not stop their pilgrimage. In fact, in Jerusalem, they were redirected to Bethlehem. These men of the East, foreigners in every sense of the word, were guided not only by their own wisdom and knowledge of the stars, but were aided by the Hebrew Scriptures that now form the Old Testament. The meaning of this is important -- Christ calls all peoples of all nations, Gentiles as well as Jews, to follow him. We could say that Jerusalem and the Old Testament serve as a new starting point for these Gentile pilgrims on their road to faith in Jesus. The people of the big city, indeed even Herod himself, were instrumental in leading the magi to Christ.

What could this mean for our own pilgrimages to the truth today? More than the obvious fact that the Old Testament must be a central part of our path to Christ, might it not also mean that our own cities, with all of their confusion and ambiguity, might also serve as a starting point for our journey of faith?

At the center of this whole Gospel story of striking contrasts lies a Baby, Jesus of Bethlehem, who is joy. Herod is afraid of this "great joy for all the people." From Matthew's Gospel, we do not know what happened to the magi when they returned to their native lands, but we can be sure that they were changed men. They discovered in Jerusalem and in Bethlehem that there is no longer a God of this or that country, nor an oracle uttered in some distant place, but a God and Savior who has become flesh and blood for of all humanity. And the Savior is joy.

In the end, the magi went their own way, and because they refused to be seduced by cynicism, because they allowed themselves to be surprised by this great joy, the star to which they had committed themselves appeared again. This is not only the description of the times into which Jesus was born, but also our times. When we have found our lasting joy in the midst of the encircling gloom, cynicism, despair, indifference and meaninglessness, the only thing to do is to kneel and adore.

Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar, bless our hearts and our homes with your peace and humility! When we hear the voices of old kings of death and fear and cynicism, may we have the courage to go our own way ... rejoicing, because we, too, have seen and experienced the glory of the coming of the Lord.

I conclude with the words of St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), that great Carmelite mystic and lover of the cross, who wrote so beautifully about the Christmas mysteries:

"Those kneeling around the crib are figures of light: the tender innocent children, the trustful shepherds, the humble kings, Stephen, the enthusiastic disciple, and John the apostle of love, all those who have followed the call of the Lord. They are opposed by the night of incomprehensible obstinacy and blindness: the scribes, who know indeed when and where the Saviour of the world is to be born, but who will not draw the conclusion: "Let us go to Bethlehem." King Herod, who would kill the Lord of Life. Ways part before the Child in the manger ... "

Some will choose the path of life, others will choose the path of death. Today as we move away from the manger of our newborn King and Lord, let us recommit ourselves to the cause of life that is the heart and the joy of Christmas.

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