A Cycle -Feast of Epiphany 26

Eph.3:2-3a,5-6

Where is this King of the Jews?  Of course, we know the answer to that question because we have lived in this age of enlightenment. Christ is risen and reigns over all creation as Lord and Savior.  He is alive and comes to us in the Eucharist and is present to us in the Word.  We acknowledge all these things but the issue for us is do we experience those things in a way that motivates us to acknowledge Christ by our words and deeds. Do we as we recite the creed, experience what we profess in a way that moves us to leave everything behind just to be in the presence of Christ?

That is what the shepherds did as they left their flocks just to see this newborn King.  They were willing to jeopardize everything to be in the presence of Christ.  That is what the Magi did, as they embarked on a hazardous journey just to pay Him homage.  What is going on inside us as we gather to celebrate the life, death, and resurrection of Christ? Just before we listened to the reading of the gospel, we sign ourselves with the cross of Jesus, on our foreheads, on our lips and over our hearts.  An automatic response during which we are to invite the Word of God to penetrate our minds, be on our lips and take root in our hearts. 

But our experience is often one where the words of the scriptures are familiar and often never reach our minds and hearts.  Often many of us are unable to remember what the first and second reading are.  The gospels around Christmas are familiar enough we can recall the gospel. But does the gospel offer us anything beyond a familiar story.  It should and the task of those who preach is to make them relevant and create a response.  But what do we have in common with the Magi, o the shepherds, or with those who at the time of Jesus longed for the Messiah to appear?

 If we would admit we have not allowed the Word of God to penetrate our minds, hearts that would be a huge step in how we respond to Christ.  It would drive to become seekers desiring to experience Christ. That experience would be transformative force motivating us to experience new revelations.  Like Paul we would become bold in our faith and witnesses to the gospel.  We would experience the gift of Christ and His gift of freeing us from the penalty of our sin and a new life guided by the Holy spirit.  We would be less inclined to remain complacent and instead begin to allow the promises of God to penetrate our hearts.  We would begin to proclaim the gospel of salvation to all we encounter.   Knowing about Christ and experiencing Christ are vastly different in motivating us to live our faith. Knowing gives us a sense of security because we are faithful. But experiencing Christ leads us to living boldly and giving witness to Christ in good times and bad.

We never hear the impact the sight of the baby Jesus had on the Magi or on the shepherds. We only know their motivation moved them to act on an impulse that led them to Christ.  Where is our impulse to experience the more God desires us to experience. Remember that automatic signing of yourself before the gospel is read.  What if you connected those words with a heartfelt desire to experience Christ as the Magi did. What quest would you need to begin to bring you to a confrontation with the Lord and Savior, sent by God.  Just you and Christ,

Would you have the same experience as Saul of Tarsus, who could not acknowledge Christ.  An experience that totally changed him, would you have the experience of Joseph who could not comprehend what was happening until it was revealed to him in a dream?  Would you have the same experience as the Magi, whose actions indicate their journey was worth the risk. Motivating you to begin your own journey to encounter Chrit.  

    What about using that simple signing on your forehead, lips, and heart to be the beginning of your own quest to invite the Holy Spirit to create a desire to experience the Word made flesh.