Gospel Lectio Divina for The Epiphany of the Lord - January 8, 2023
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
READ
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.
MEDITATE
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?”
The magi refer to Jesus as “the king of the Jews” and their visit to pay him homage is a recognition of his royal status. This is significant because it shows that even foreigners recognized Jesus as more than just another human being, in fact as a king, even before he performed any miracles or did any preaching, and long before his disciples recognized his divinity or kingship. There is a mystery to Jesus’ kingship. He is a divine figure who has been chosen by God to rule over his chosen people. No other king was prophesied about with such accuracy. Ironically, King Herod and the chief priests and scribes were troubled by the news of Jesus’ birth–not so much because he was the Son of God–but because he had a powerful claim to the throne and was therefore a legitimate threat to their own power. This story emphasizes the way heaven meets earth with Jesus’ birth. Earthly men are concerned about Jesus’ claim to an earthly throne, but those who see past that and see that he is divine and sent from heaven–they see Jesus’ birth as hope and salvation for all human beings.
“We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.”
The Magi were drawn to Jesus by the appearance of a star, a sign from God. This demonstrates that God is actively involved in the world and that he reveals himself to us through signs and wonders. Also, the magi’s journey to pay Jesus homage shows their willingness to follow God’s guidance, no matter how difficult or inconvenient it may be. The star that God gave as a sign is a powerful symbol of God’s love shining in the darkness, in our times of confusion and doubt. In addition, the magi respond to that love with great devotion. Their diehard commitment to follow the star is a beautiful example of seeking and following God’s will with perseverance. A wise prayer would be to follow God’s plan with the kind of devotion the wise men showed in following the Star of Bethlehem which shined as a symbol of God’s plan for salvation.
On entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.
The magi found Jesus in a house with his mother. First, it’s important to indicate that the Gospel passage does not say “manger” or “stable”. Even though our Nativity scenes have the magi visiting Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in the manger, that probably is not historically accurate. The magi probably came a few years later once the Holy Family had established themselves in a house in Bethlehem. There is no need to get caught up in that detail though, because the main theme of the Nativity is still true: This passage and Nativity sets highlight the central role that family played in the life of Jesus. Mary is the one who gives birth to Jesus; Mary and Joseph are the ones who raise him. This passage reminds us that family is a source of love, support, and nurture.
Also, the reading indicates that the magi “saw the child with Mary and his mother”, highlighting that they not only paid homage to Jesus, but also recognized and respected his mother. Mary is the only true blood relation to Jesus. She is his mother. Joseph is not his father; God the Father is his father. This is why it is important to maintain that Mary remained a virgin for her entire life. Jesus had no biological human family other than Mary. If he did, there probably would have been a long-lasting kingdom founded by his brothers and sisters lasting to this day. Instead, Jesus established a spiritual kingdom where his brothers and sisters are those who do the will of his Father in heaven. Clearly, Mary is also a member of that family and kingdom.
PRAY
Dear Lord and King,
You are the promised savior of the world and my life. Every day I need to be saved. Every day I need you to be born in my heart, and every day I need to have the epiphany that you are the Lord and savior who has come to save me from myself and my sins. With the dawning of a new year, remind me each dawn that I can start anew and live for you because of the newborn child who came to give hope for the world and every one of us. I don’t need to despair whenever I fail because you, Lord Jesus, have come into the world as God incarnate. Anything is possible because you have shown the way. All I need to do is follow your light as the magi did. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
LISTEN
The listening or contemplation part of lectio divina is like the commissioning part of Mass. At the end of Mass, the priest or deacon says, in some form or another, ‘Go forth and proclaim the gospel’. At the end of lectio divina, we are advised to go forth and listen for God. We ought to spend time listening to him after we meditate, but we also ought to continue listening for him throughout the day. Think of his will like the Star of Bethlehem. The magi most likely struggled, first to decipher what kind of sign it was. This is akin to us contemplating the Scripture after we read. They probably also struggled to follow the star once they started their journey. This is akin to our going forth after we read Scripture, starting the journey of our day, seeking God’s will. Every story of Scripture can be seen in this way. If we listen close enough, we will see how each story–especially in the Gospels–provides a valuable lesson for how we ought to seek God’s will in our own lives.
Kilby is a freelance writer from New Jersey and managing editor of Catholic World Report. He received his undergrad degree in humanities and Catholic culture from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. In addition to working with the Knights of the Holy Eucharist (knights.org), he has served as a journalist for Princeton Packet Publications, and the Trenton Monitor, the magazine for the Diocese of Trenton. Some of his published work can also be found in St. Anthony Messenger, Catholic Herald (UK), and Catholic World Report. For the latter he is managing editor. Find more of his writing at ramblingspirit.com.