Top Five Reasons Why the Wise Men Were Wise

Matthew 2:1-12 (Epiphany of the Lord, year b)

Nearly ten years ago, I attended World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany with a group of university students. The trip had a large impact on my life. While in Cologne we visited the famous gothic Cathedral which dominates the skyline of the city. An ornate, golden box within the Cathedral contains what is believed to be the remains of the Magi, or Wise Men, who we encountered in the Gospel. The Magi are enigmatic figures. Probably, much of what you think we know about them is inaccurate. For example, contrary to what the song We Three Kings would have us believe, the Gospel of Matthew - the only Gospel which speaks of the Magi - does not say that the Wise Men were kings or even that there were three of them! The Magi were probably from Persia, and members of the priestly caste. They were custodians of the religious and philosophical knowledge that had developed in the area. The Magi were also men of science, having particular interest and training in astronomy. One of the most memorable moments at World Youth Day in Cologne was the prayer vigil during which Pope Benedict spoke to my group (along one million others) about the need for us to imitate the Magi, becoming truly wise like them. To help us do this, I would like to share with you what I think are the “Top Five Reasons Why the Wise Men Were Wise”.

Reason #1: The Magi understood that all religions find fulfillment in Jesus

The Magi were not Jews. Though gentiles, they knew that God existed and that He was a gentle God. Perhaps they were aware of the prophecies of new king of the world to be born in Judea who would be intimately associated with God and work in His name. The Magi were pilgrims in search of God and true justice and peace. Their journey for truth, already kindled by the practice of their own religion, found its fulfilment in Jesus whom they worshipped as God and King. If we want to be wise, we need to understand that all religions find their fulfillment in Jesus. The Magi journeying to Jesus represents all religions of the world leading to Christ. Today more than ever, we need to maintain a balanced viewpoint. On the one hand, it is not correct to say that other religions have no value or are inherently evil. On the other hand, we cannot say that all religions are equally good and true and that we should not encourage people of other religions to come to know Jesus and become a part of the Church. As Catholics we profess that the “seeds of truth” are present and active in other religions. People in other religions can certainly have an authentic relationship with God. At the same time, we hold that all that is true and good in other religions points to and finds its completion in Jesus. For this reason we are called to evangelize all people, knowing that true human fulfillment comes from knowing Christ.

Reason #2: The Magi saw no contradiction between religion and science

The Magi were probably men well acquainted with the more advanced science of the time, specifically astronomy. The Magi were wise because their study of nature did not end with focusing solely on the stars but rather led them to seek out and ultimately worship the One who had created the stars. It is unfortunate that many people today think that science is somehow the enemy of religion. This is a pet peeve of mine. If we want to be wise, we do well to remember that “there is no insoluble contradiction between faith and reason because there is only one truth, to which both faith and reason refer”. God gave us a brain and He wants us to use it. Therefore, “Christian faith demands and promotes the (natural) sciences. Faith exists so that we might know things that are not apparent to reason yet are real above and beyond reason” (quotes from Youcat #23). From a Catholic perspective there is no reason why science and religion should be opposed. Period.

Reason #3: The Magi were able to see God’s presence where others could not

Certainly others saw the star and thought nothing of it. The Magi were wise because they recognized that God was active and speaking to them through the star. If we want to become wise, we must learn to appreciate how God is present and showing us His care and love in seemingly ordinary circumstances. Once Mother Teresa was searching to get a specific medication for a sick person. Unfortunately she was unable to find the medication in her region, in fact, it seemed it might be impossible to find in all of India. One day, just as the need for the medication was becoming severe, a package arrived from the United States. When Mother Teresa opened the package she found at the very top the medication that she was searching for. We might think, “now that is a lucky coincidence”. Mother Teresa, however, said “see the tender loving care of God, giving us what we need”. Mother Teresa was wise because she could recognize God’s presence and action where others could not.

Reason #4: The Magi took risks in order to follow God

In order to follow the star towards God, the Magi left their homes behind, much like Abraham did in response to God’s call. They travelled over 1000 km to visit Jesus. This entailed great risk and hardship. If we want to be wise we need to realize that following Jesus is not for the faint of heart. Being a Christian is a risky business.

Reason #5: The Magi knew that we cannot meet Jesus without changing our lives

Herod was incredibly threatened by Jesus and rejected Him because he did not want to give up his power or change his life. The Magi, on the other hand, were open to changing their lives. One large change they had to make was in the way they understood that God worked in the world. They expected the newborn King to be a powerful ruler, this is why they went to Jerusalem first. When they went and found Jesus in a humble, poor stable their preconceptions were shattered. They learned that true power does not consist in a king issuing decrees from his throne. True power is found when we offer our lives as a gift to others. The Magi were able to change what they thought able God as they worshipped Jesus, gave Him gifts and committed themselves to following His path. If we want to be wise we need to realize that we cannot follow Jesus without changing our way of thinking and acting.

As Pope Benedict reminded us, the Wise Men are models for us all. Let us pray that we may be wise as they were by becoming pilgrims who are ever restless seeking after Jesus Christ. Like the Magi, let us have the courage to change our lives as we encounter the Lord.

How we can put first things first

Luke 2:16-21 (Mary Mother of God, year b)

I have a messy desk. Over time it gets filled with things I need to pay attention to such as bills, letters I should respond to, and books I want to read. Having a messy desk is distracting; it makes me lose focus of the more important things that I should be working on. Our lives can become a lot like my desk. Over time our days build up with a lot “stuff”, some more important than others, like work responsibilities, tasks around the house, time with friends, email, Facebook, and watching TV. When our lives become messy we easily lose sight of what is most important: our relationship with God. New Year’s Day is a great time to organize our desk, literally and figuratively. It’s a chance to recenter our life around God.

If we want to make our relationship with God a priority in our life, it means that we need to devote some of our valuable time each day to nurturing this relationship. Time is a precious gift. When Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, God gave fallen humanity a new start. Each New Year reminds us of this fresh beginning. We are once again given more time. Who or what we choose to spend our time on tells us what we see as most important. I find this quote from Rick Warren very helpful:

Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can't make more time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you'll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time. It is not enough to just say relationships are important; we must prove it by investing time in them. Words alone are worthless … Relationships take time and effort, and the best way to spell love is T-I-M-E.

Do we give God the gift of our time each day? When asked if they pray, many people respond, “yes, right before I go to sleep”. Unfortunately, this normally translates to, “I make the sign of the cross and then fall asleep”. Do we spend a chunk of time five minutes or longer alone, in silence with God?

“Easy for you to say, Father”, you may be thinking. True, as a priest my life is set up so it is easier for me to spend time alone with God. I realize I am a bit out of touch with your experience. Sometimes I feel like the priest in this story. Years ago, in a small village in Ireland, Ireland, a newly ordained priest decided that he would devote his first homily to the subject of Christian marriage, since the Gospel passage for that Sunday was the Marriage feast at Cana. After Mass, two elderly ladies were discussing his homily. Bridget said, “Ah, didn't that fine young priest give a grand sermon today?” Nora replied, “Indeed, he did. I wish I knew as little about marriage as he does.” However, I am a young and foolish priest, so I will continue. I do so because it is important.

We need silent time each day alone with God. Mary, whose special feast we celebrate today, teaches us that this is a daily necessity not a luxury. In the Gospel we heard she took time to ponder and reflect on all the things that were happening around her. Like Mary, we need time in silence to understand what God is doing in our life, how He is showing us His love, how He would like us to act. Mother Theresa said, “in the silence of the heart God speaks”. Kierkegaard, the great 19th century Danish Christians put it this way:

If I were a physician, and if I were allowed to prescribe just one remedy for all the ills of the modern world, I would prescribe silence. For even if the Word of God were proclaimed in the modern world, how could one here it with so much noise? Therefore, create silence.

How much noisier has the world become since Kierkegaard wrote this nearly 200 years ago? If we want to live well, it is all the more important for us today to carve out some space of silence in our day.

As busy as we are, we find that if we make it a priority to spend time with God at the start of the day we still have time for other important things. When we prioritize God in our lives there’s still room for all good things. Imagine that you have in front of you a big, empty glass jar. Now imagine that you place one large rock into the jar. The rock is so big that when it is placed in the jar the top of the rock is level with the top of the jar. At first glance you may think that the jar is full, but then you take a bag of pebbles and begin pouring them into the jar.  The pebbles fill in all the spaces that separate the large rock from the sides of the jar. Again the jar seems full.  But Wait! Again you take another bag, this one filled with sand, and begin pouring the contents into the jar.  The sand fills up all the spaces between the pebbles.  This time the jar looks really full! But next you take a pitcher of water and pour it into the jar.  The water then fills all the gaps between the grains of sand.

Our life is like this glass jar.  Each of us fills our day with things of different importance; this is represented by the rock, the pebbles, the sand and the water.  The large rock is our relationship with God. It is meant to fill our lives.  What this analogy teaches us is that even when God fills our life, when we make time for Him first, there is still room for everything else.  There is room for the very important things, represented by the pebbles: family, friendships, work, and school.  There is still room for the things of lesser importance, represented by the sand, such as hobbies and good recreation. There is also still room for things of the least importance, represented by the water, such as playing games on our smart phones and watching videos on Youtube about cats doing funny things.  In fact, all these other things that fit in our jar of life along with Jesus are transformed for the good, they become “touched” by God, just as the pebbles, sand and water touch the large rock.  As long as we put the big rock in the jar first by making time for Him first, there is room for everything else.  But, if we put in other things into the jar first, then there is no room for the rock.  For example, if we tell ourselves that we will pray after we have finished everything else we need to do, it never happens.

Today let us clean off our desks by reprioritizing our relationship with God. As we enter the New Year, let us resolve to spend at least five minutes in silent prayer right when we wake up.

Never give up on your family

Luke 2:22 - 40 (Holy Family, year B)

Stop reading this if you have a perfect family.  If your family life has no challenges, broken relationships or skeleton’s in the closet, then the following is not meant for you. If your family situation is as perfect as those flawless looking family pictures you increasingly receive in Christmas cards, then this will not speak to you. Still reading? Good, it means you are honest and in touch with reality. No family is perfect and free from challenges. Perhaps your immediate or extended family has been affected by divorce. Maybe there are people in your family who no longer speak to each other. It could be that you are disappointed with certain aspects of your children’s lives, their careers or the fact they no longer practice their faith. Or perhaps your family is strained because of financial tensions or a serious health problem. Maybe the members of your family are so busy that simply finding the time to be together is a struggle. No family is free from difficulty.

Even the Holy Family, whose feast we celebrate today, experienced major struggles. Jesus, Mary and Joseph can relate and sympathize with the challenges your family has because they suffered as well. When you look at paintings of Jesus, Mary and Joseph it can be easy to forget this. Like those family pictures in Christmas cards in which everything looks perfect, the reality was a different story. Since Jesus is God, Mary is free from sin and Joseph is one of the greatest saints, these challenges were not caused by their sins. From the beginning, however, the Holy Family really suffered and experienced tensions and misunderstandings.  Mary conceived Jesus as a teenager. Recall the turmoil that Joseph experienced upon hearing the news that Mary was expecting. It nearly ripped apart their marriage as he contemplated divorce. The Holy Family struggled financially, otherwise Jesus certainly would not have been born in a stable with animals. As we heard in the Gospel, Mary was a mother whose heart grieved because of what happened to her child. After the birth of Jesus, the Holy Family had to flee and live the insecure and challenging life of refugees. Later, Mary and Joseph would often be confused and pained by the decisions of their Son. A clear example was when Jesus went missing in the Temple. Like us who are often embarrassed by members of our family, the Holy Family had relatives and ancestors that lived less than exemplary lives. In Jesus’ genealogy we find adulterers, murderers and prostitutes. The Holy Family knows from experience that family life is full of challenges and hardships.

In spite of these difficulties, the Holy Family reveals to us the incredible value and dignity of the family. Because they were a family completely engaged in God’s will, they show the ideal to which all families are called to aspire. Let’s look at three reasons why the family is something so precious in God’s plan for each of us. First, the family is the domestic church. This is because it is an image of God’s love in the world. In the family, the mission of Jesus is continued. Second, the family is the primary, vital cell - or building block - of society. Children are nurtured in a family. Society will be as strong or as weak as the families that make it up. A family which strives to root itself in Christ becomes an incredible leaven for the world around it. Third, a family is a school in which all people learn indispensable lessons. In the family we learn:

• To have a relationship of love with God. Children learn from their parents who God is, how to pray and how to follow His will.
• To have a relationship of love with other people. Family is where we receive unconditional love and acceptance. Family life is also full of opportunities to show love. Each day there are many chances to make sacrifices for others, to be patient, to forgive and show mercy.
• To have an appreciation for the great value of work. That Jesus spent the majority of His life working as a tradesman teaches us that work - no matter how humble or simple we consider it - is something that brings importance and dignity to our lives.

Because of its incredible role in God’s plan for our life, and inspite of the challenges, we should never lose hope in or stop devoting ourselves to our family. A number of years ago I attended a friend’s wedding. At the reception, his father gave a short speech that I will never forget. “Congratulations to both of you”, he began. “I want to give you the same advice that my father gave to me and my wife on our wedding day: never, never, never, never, never give up on your marriage.” With that, he sat down. I think the same advice applies to the family. All families will have struggles. We should never let this overly disturb us or lead us to despair. We can take comfort and courage in the fact Jesus, Mary and Joseph also faced many great challenges in their family life. They will walk with us. In spite of the challenges our families face, we should never lose sight of the ideal that families are called to and the irreplaceable role family plays in forming us as individuals and as a society. We should never give up on our family and stop trying to love one another. Last year Pope Francis gave some very practical advice in this regard. He encouraged all families to build each other up in love through the practice of common courtesy. He said that there are three key phrases that need to be heard often in a family if it is to live in peace and joy: “may I?”, “thank you” and “sorry”.

On this feast of the Holy Family, let us give thanks for the gift of our family, regardless of how imperfect it is. Remembering the great value of family, let us recommit ourselves to investing time and effort in our family relationships. Let us say often “may I?”, “thank you” and “sorry”. Most of all, let us never, never, never never, never give up on our families.