Selfishness creates world conflicts, but “I cannot flourish, unless all of us can flourish”
Epiphany
EPIPHANY means to reveal; to make something visible. For us it means we suddenly see and understand something clearly for the first time: God’s radical decision to become Emmanuel: God with us.
We take it for granted, but it’s so very important to everything good that has happened. In contrast, the Islamic Faith, with all due respect, is very different: it believes God is beyond us – a form of Arianism – where Jesus was created by the Father and is not equal to God.
That would be a huge change in our relationship with God: without the Trinity of Father, Son + Spirit, we would never know God as Loving Relationship, but more as a feared Policeman. In the first reading and the Gospel, there are themes of light breaking into the darkness, to bring new understanding, to lead people in the right direction.
The Epiphany reminds us that God wants to bring light into our darkness, peace into our confusion, joy into our sadness and love into our feelings of inadequacy.
The last 18 months of COVID-19 have been an interesting analogy for the struggle between love of self and love of neighbour. Several times, the Medical Director of WHO, has appealed to world leaders to ensure that poorer nations are assisted in getting vaccines.
Some countries purchased huge orders of vaccines – more than their whole population required, leaving others stranded with none available. Our fear of not having enough (desire for control), drives us to love SELF more than our neighbour. However, the COVID-19 twist has shown us that if we want to be free, we must help our neighbour.
Even, the late Desmond Tutu, was quoted by his daughter as saying (1st Jan, 2022): “there is no division in ‘flourishing’ – for me to flourish, all must flourish.”
There is a good story about helping the neighbour that might encourage us to see that our success in life, is dependent on the success of others. A gentleman was awarded the best wheat grain award for five years in a row. A reporter asked “what’s your secret?” He said, “it’s very simple, I sell my best grain to my neighbours close by, so that during the growing season, when the wind blows pollen and wheat dust from their properties onto mine, what mixes with my crop is the good grain that I sold to them. So, instead of being weakened by inferior wheat grain/crop, my crops are improved.”
It’s not uncommon to hear people say they’ll not have children because the world is not good at the moment. Perhaps it has pious sentiments of care for the future children, but it’s also selfish! If there are no new children, who will help the world become better? Someone else’s child? If something is bad, it will not heal by itself. It needs the influence of good for transformation.
In contrast, the poverty and conflict within which Christ was born, reminds us of God’s generosity to help transform the world, one person at a time, and involved great sacrifice.
The Gospel today reveals King Herod’s fear of Jesus – he fears losing power and privilege. When we look at this example, we see how often people who try to do good are “killed” in one way or another: publicity of past mistakes, presenting false evidence, physically killed, etc.
So, the example is given to us how Christ was protected from Herod. This encourages us to know that God will be helping us as we try. The three Wise Men/ Gentile Kings, bring three gifts: Gold (Kingship of Christ as servant), Frankincense (Christ’s worthiness to be praised/ followed) and Myrrh (Christ’s future death/ dying to self).
How do non-Christians see us Christians? Do they feel inspired to follow Christ because of us? And, do our children feel inspired by our Christian life to continue following Christ? Do they see something special in our behaviour?
For every bad example by Church members, we need to respond with good examples. Our 1st Reading reveals the joyful Israelites returning from Exile, and being assisted by the Gentiles to rebuild and re-establish Jerusalem. God came into the world not save only the Israelites, but to save all humanity. To find the light we must also reach out the hand of friendship for all.
Fr Henri Nouwen (Spiritual Writer), said: “Each day holds a surprise. But only if we expect it can we see, hear, or feel it when it comes to us. Let’s not be afraid to receive each day’s surprise, whether it comes to us as sorrow or as joy. It will open a new place in our hearts, a place where we can welcome new friends and celebrate more fully our shared humanity.”
The Epiphany reminds us that God wants to bring light into our darkness, peace into our confusion, joy into our sadness and love into our feelings of inadequacy.
Happy Christmas!
By Gerard Conlan, OMI
