OT III [C]  Neh 8:2-4, 5-6, 8-10; I Cor 12:12-30; Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21

The Scriptures for today focus our attention on the importance and power of the Word of God and its challenge for us today.   In today’s First Reading, the priest Ezra, as part of a liturgical assembly in honor of the dedication of the newly rebuilt Temple in Israel, reads the law for hours to the people to help them to renew the covenant and understand how to live it. Listening to the Word they realized the many ways in which they failed to keep God’s Commandments in their lives. Hence, with tears of repentance in their eyes and joy in their hearts, the people responded with a great "Amen!"   

Today’s gospel describes how Jesus participated in the Sabbath prayer of the synagogue in his native place in Nazareth with a band of his disciples. The synagogue Liturgy of the Word was based on seven readings. The first four were from the Law (the Torah or the Pentateuch) followed by explanations given by the rabbi who was the teacher of the Law. The second set of readings, taken from the prophets, could be read and interpreted by any circumcised male over thirty years of age.  It was in this second capacity that Jesus read and preached on the passage from Isaiah (61:1-2a).  Naturally, the people of his native place were curious to hear from this carpenter-turned-prophet who had grown up among them, and who had worked miracles throughout Galilee. 

Jesus rooted and grounded his mission and ministry in the written word of Isaiah, particularly in the passage in which the Spirit sends the prophet to bring glad tidings to the poor, liberation to captives, recovery of sight to the blind and freedom for the oppressed—language that reflects the Biblical year of Jubilee. These words had long since been seen as applying to the coming Messiah. To the great amazement and disbelief of his own townsmen, Jesus declared that Isaiah’s prophecy was being fulfilled in him at that very moment because the prophet was foretelling and describing Jesus’ mission and ministry. Jesus’ mission would be to give liberation to everyone who would listen to his “Good News,” accept it and put it into practice.

As members of Christ’s Mystical Body, we share in the freeing, saving mission of Jesus.   However, even after we have chosen to believe in him, to accept his teachings and to live them out in our lives, we are still in bondage.   We are captives of sin, and only Christ can set us free. We are often blinded by our evil habits, addictions and need for financial security.  Pride and prejudice can make us blind to the needs of the less-fortunate, prompting us to fear and avoid them, rather than to love and help them. We can also be blind to the presence of God within ourselves and others.  We are often not free to listen to a lonely, heart-broken neighbor.  We can be prisoners of materialism and consumerism, chained to pleasure, power, money and control of everyone and everything in our world.

There was a beautiful article about Mother Theresa in Time magazine. She was asked about the materialism of the West. "The more you have, the more you are occupied," she contends. "But the less you have, the more free you are. Poverty for us is a freedom. It is a joyful freedom. There is no television here, no this, no that. This is the only fan in the whole house...and it is for the guests. But we are happy. I find the rich poorer," she continues. "Sometimes they are more lonely inside...The hunger for love is much more difficult to fill than the hunger for bread...The real poor knows what is joy." When asked about her plans for the future, she replied, "I just take one day. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not come. We have only today to love Jesus."

Jesus told his disciples that you will know the Truth and the truth will set you free. What is this truth? It is the word of Jesus. It is the Bible. The word of God is a two-edged sword (Heb.4:12). It helps us to fight the evil coming out against us on the one hand and also chip away the bad tendencies in us on the other. The Word of God is called "sacramental,” in the sense that when it is spoken, read or heard, God becomes present in our midst.  Therefore, we need to make Bible reading and study a part of our daily Christian life.  Bible reading enables us to know Jesus more and to love him better. That is why we should set apart a time in the morning and in the evening to read a part of the Bible, giving priority to the Gospels and the Epistles. This reading should be an integral part of the evening family prayer. Children should be encouraged to read the Bible with the adults explaining to them what they read. We need to read the Scriptures as books inspired by God that teach us about God and how we should live our lives. And need to pray to God to give us inspiration so that we may understand the text and apply its lessons fruitfully to our lives. Let’s make a decision today to honor and live the word of God in our families.

O T II [C] Is 62: 1-5; I Cor 12: 4-11, John 2: 1-11

Little Tommy was so impressed by his oldest sister’s wedding that he announced. “I want to have a wedding just like Linda had.” “That sounds great,” said his father. “But whom will you marry?” Tommy announced: “I want to marry grandma because she loves me and I love her.” “You can’t marry grandma,” his father said. “Why not?” Tommy protested. “Because she is my mother.” ”Well,” reasoned Tommy. “Then why did you marry my mother?”

This week we are at a wedding where Jesus reveals his Divine power by his first miracle. Pope St. John Paul II gave us a beautiful gift when he introduced the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. The second mystery is the subject of today’s Gospel, the Wedding Feast at Cana where Jesus changed water into wine. The miracle at Cana is the first of seven “signs” in John’s Gospel - miraculous events by which Jesus showed forth his Divinity.

The Bible begins with one wedding, that of Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 2:23-24), and ends with another, the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9, 21:9, 22:17). Throughout the Bible, marriage is the symbol of the Covenant relationship between God and His chosen people.  God is the Groom and humanity is His beloved bride.  We see this beautifully reflected in today's first reading, where Isaiah uses the metaphor of spousal love to describe God’s love for Israel. God’s fidelity to his people is compared to a husband’s fidelity to his wife. The prophet reminds his people that their God rejoices in them as a Bridegroom rejoices in His Bride and that He will rebuild Israel, if they will be reconciled to Him and repair their strained relationship with Him.     By our Baptism, each of us has been betrothed to Christ as a bride to her Groom (II Cor. 11:2).  And we are called to live a life loyal to the bridegroom.

These jars at the wedding feast were empty. The servants have to fill them with water before the miracle occurs. Jesus is not transforming the purification water that was in the jars into the wine; but he is transforming new water that has been placed in the old containers. "New wine is created in the 'old' vessels of the Jewish purification rites, symbolizing that the old forms are given new content."

 We need to do what the servants did. The servants at Cana experienced God's omnipotence, but they also experienced his closeness. The omnipotence was only unleashed through their cooperation. There would have been no miracle if they had not obeyed him. 

We were created to experience an abundance of life, wisdom, and joy that sin has made impossible; only Jesus can redeem us. To experience that redemption, all we need to do is "Do whatever he tells you."

And he tells us what to do in so many simple ways: in our conscience, in the teaching of the Church, in our normal responsibilities, in the Bible, in his example...

During this Mass, listen for his voice. And when you receive him in Holy Communion, tell him you will do it. Whatever it is.  Promise him.  Don't be afraid.  He is all-powerful.  He will make his glory shine in our lives. We can count on him.

BAPTISM OF THE LORD [C] (Jan 13): (Is 40:1-5, 9-11; Ti 2:11-14, 3:4-7; Lk 3:15-16, 21-22)

The Christmas season comes to an end with the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. The Baptism of the Lord Jesus is the great event celebrated by the Eastern churches on the feast of Epiphany because it is the occasion of the first public revelation of all the Three Persons in the Holy Trinity, and the official revelation of Jesus as the Son of God to the world by God the Father.  It is also an event described by all four Gospels, and it marks the beginning of Jesus' public ministry.  The liturgical season of Christmas comes to a conclusion this Sunday with the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord.  Jesus’ baptism by John was a very important event in the life of Jesus.  It marked the end of Jesus' private life, which had prepared him for his public ministry.  It summarizes the mission of Jesus: to reunite each one of us with our heavenly Father, now and for all eternity.

" Our Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit and the door which gives access to the other Sacraments" (CCC #1213). 

Most of us dipped the fingers of our right hand into the holy water font and blessed ourselves when we came into Church today.  Why?  This blessing is supposed to remind us of our Baptism.  And so when I bless myself with Holy Water, I should be thinking of the fact that I am a child of God; that I have been redeemed by the Cross of Christ; that I have been made a member of God’s family; and that I have been washed, forgiven, cleansed and purified by the Blood of the Lamb. 

The 13th century king of France, St. Louis IX (1226-70), insisted that the grand celebration of his birthday should be held on the day of his Baptism, and not on his birthday proper.  His argument was that Baptism was the beginning of a life that would continue for eternity in the everlasting glory of Heaven. We also need to value and appreciate the sacrament of Baptism we received that gave us the dignity of God’s children.

Our baptism is supposed to transform us. Those who are baptized in Jesus have already attained new life through dying with Christ. But we need to nurture that new life so it can grow and mature. That's what church is for. That's what Bible study is for. That's what prayer is for. It is like the Parable of the Sower. Many of those seeds sprouted up, but only a few grew into maturity. The rest withered and died.

There was a multimillionaire businessman, known for his extravagance, who hosted an elaborate, spectacular summer party. Part of his decorations and part of the uniqueness of his party was that he had filled his swimming pool with sharks, barracuda and other assorted dangerous fish.

After cocktails and dinner had been served and everyone was just standing around looking at the assortment of dangerous sea life. The business man announced to his guests that he would like to challenge any of them to try swimming across the pool. And to sweeten the challenge he offered a first prize of either a new home in the mountains, a trip around the world for two or a piece of his business.

No sooner had he made the announcement than there was a splash and a man swam rapidly across the infested waters and bounded up out on the other side. The millionaire turned to the sputtering young man, shaking water off of himself and said: "That was an absolutely stunning performance. What prize do you want?"

With a growl and a scowl the swimmer said: "Right now I really don't care about the prize. All I want is the name of the turkey who pushed me in."

There are a lot of Christians like this man who was pushed into Catholic faith; maybe they were baptized when they were children. But now grown up they don’t appreciate their faith. They do not want to identify themselves as Christians. They do not want to grow with the restrictions and rules of normal Christians. They stop going to Church and practicing their faith. And they go in a different direction than the one they promised to walk.

A man was traveling down the country one day. His journey brought him along some by-roads, where the signposts were few and far between. After a while, he was unsure whether he was on the right road, so he decided to ask the first person he saw. Eventually he came across a farmer driving his cows home for milking. He stopped the car, and asked him if he was on the right road to .. he mentioned the place name. The farmer told him that he certainly was on the right road. The man said thanks, and was about to move forward when the farmer added, in a very nonchalant way, "You're on the right road, but you're going in the wrong direction!" Today’s reflection on Jesus’ baptism challenges us to examine whether we are on the right road and moving in the right direction for our eternal destiny.

This is also a day for us to renew our Baptismal promises, consecrating ourselves to the Holy Trinity and “rejecting Satan and all his empty promises," which our profane world is constantly offering us through its mass-media of communication.  Let us ask Our Lord today to make us faithful to our Baptismal promises.  Let us thank Him for the privilege of being joined to His mission of preaching the "Good News" by our transparent Christian lives of love, mercy, service and forgiveness.  

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

The Battle of Milvian Bridge was fought between Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius in AD 312. On the evening of October 27, with the armies preparing for battle, Constantine had a vision. A most marvellous sign appeared to him from heaven. The famous sign in the sky was a cross of light, with the inscription, Conquer by this. At this sight he himself was struck with amazement, and his whole army also, which followed him on this expedition, and witnessed the miracle. Constantine delineated the sign on the shields of his soldiers, and proceeded to battle, and his troops stood to arms. Maxentius was defeated in the battle, and Constantine was acknowledged as emperor by the senate and people of Rome. Constantine’s victory brought relief to the Christians by ending persecution. 300 years before Constantine, God’s sign appeared on the sky as a luminous star. It announced the Good News that a Saviour was born to emancipate humanity from the clutches of evil. This sign was read by the simple shepherds and wise men. It led the wise men to Bethlehem.

Christmas, from the Christian perspective isn't truly over until January 6th or Epiphany, the day we traditionally celebrate the visit by the Wise Men. The Greek word Epiphany means appearance or manifestation.  The feast commemorates the coming of the Magi as the occasion for the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles in the Western Church.  In the Eastern Church, the feast also commemorates   the baptism of Christ, which we will celebrate next Sunday. The angels revealed Jesus to the shepherds, and the star revealed him to the Magi. (That is why our Christmas tree tops have either star or angel, leading shepherds or magi to the crib). Some thirty years later, God the Father revealed   Jesus' identity to Israel at his baptism in the Jordan.  In the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus revealed himself as the promised Messiah, reading from the book of Isaiah’s prophecy that the Spirit of the Lord was upon him and he was anointed me to bring good news to the poor and so forth.   Finally, Jesus revealed himself as a miracle worker at the wedding of Cana, revealing his Divinity. These multiple revelations are all suggested by the Feast of the Epiphany. Actually the final epiphany is mentioned by Mark, when under the cross the Centurian exclaimed : truly this man was the son of God.   

"God so loved the world ..." says John 3:16. He didn’t love only one small corner of the world. He didn’t love only one little race, one tiny tribe in the world. God loved the world! He loved Jews and Gentiles alike. He loved a man and a woman named Joseph and Mary. He loved some shepherds. He loved some Wise Men living way off in the East someplace, nobody knows exactly where. God loved the world, even nasty, murderous, old King Herod, who tried to kill his only-begotten, just-born Son. "

 "God wants all people to be saved and to come to know the truth," Saint Paul wrote (1 Timothy 2:4). To that end, God is active in our lives, in all people’s lives, in a personal, intimate, and individual way.

God has a number of ways of working in our lives. One way in which he is active is through wonderful signs that he gives us to draw us to himself. Some signs are more majestic than others. Some signs are very hard to see, to be aware of. But in each life there are signs - signs that, when followed, lead to the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he sent.

Look at the sign that God worked in the lives of the Wise Men: The Star!. God didn’t send out cute little hospital cards with a picture of a wrinkled-prune-looking baby on it. God put a brilliant Star in the sky to announce the birth of his Son. It was a special Star that God created to announce the most wonderful news ever: the birth of his only Son, the Savior of the world.

There is a story about king of Balkh (now northern Afghanistan), named Ebrahim ibn Adam. Ebrahim was wealthy according to every earthly measure. At the same time, however, he sincerely and restlessly strove to be wealthy spiritually as well.

"One night the king was roused from sleep by a fearful stumping on the roof above his bed. Alarmed, he shouted: 'Who's there?' 'A friend,' came the reply from the roof. 'I've lost my camel.' Perturbed by such stupidity, Ebrahim screamed: 'You fool! Are you looking for a camel on the roof?' 'You fool!' the voice from the roof answered. 'Are you looking for God in silk clothing, and lying on a golden bed?' These simple words filled the king with such terror that he arose from his sleep to become a most remarkable saint.

The camel on the roof raises the Epiphany question, Where are we looking for God? This compelling question of life properly stands at the beginning of a new year, just as Where have we found God? If we haven’t found him, we may have reached king Herod’s palace. Then we need to change our course right now.

Though King Herod ordered the wise men to report to him where they found the newborn king, they were directed not to go back to Herod, but to go home another way. When a person comes to worship Christ, he/she experiences, or should experience, a change in life. Let us choose a better way of life, abstaining from proud and impure thoughts, evil habits and selfish behavior. May this feast of Epiphany lead us to the manger and worship him in spirit and truth.