Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we gather today, our hearts can still glimmer with the light of the Epiphany we celebrated just a few days ago. The Epiphany, a revelation of Christ to the world, highlights the moment when the Magi followed the star to find the infant Jesus, acknowledging His kingship and divinity. This event marks the unveiling of God's love and the call to recognize Christ as the Saviour not just of a select few but of all humanity. It is the first indication that he comes not just for his own people, but for the entire world.
In the First Letter of John, we hear, “Beloved, we love God because he first loved us.” This declaration isn’t merely a warm sentiment but a profound truth that underscores the nature of our relationship with God. The love we receive from God compels us to love others. The commandment is clear: if we say we love God, we must also love our brothers and sisters.
This act of loving is so pertinent to who we are as Christians because it transcends mere words; it is in our deeds, in how we interact with one another, that we truly express our love for God. The Magi, upon witnessing the star and seeking the Christ child, demonstrate this principle—they journeyed, they sacrificed, and they honored Jesus with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Their actions reflect a deep acknowledgment of God’s love, moved to seek, to honor, and to worship Jesus.
As we shift to the Gospel of Luke, we find Jesus in Nazareth, reading from the prophet Isaiah. He announces His mission of being anointed by the Holy Spirit: to bring glad tidings to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives, and to bring sight to the blind. "Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing," He boldly declares. Jesus embodies the fulfillment of God's promises, revealing the depths of divine love through His actions and words.
The connection to our own lives emerges clearly here. Just as the Magi came to Jesus bearing gifts, and just as Jesus revealed His mission openly, we too are called to bring our gifts to the table of the world. The gifts of love, service, compassion, and justice are what God desires from us. Each act of kindness we extend to others reflects our understanding of God's love for us and for all of creation. The greatest gift of love we bring to the world however, is the gift of Jesus himself and his truth.
As we anticipate the Feast of the Lord's Baptism, we are reminded of our own baptism, a pivotal moment where we were marked by Christ and initiated into a life of faith. In baptism, we receive the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus did, enabling us to go forth and become instruments of His love and peace. Jesus, the Light of the World, must be shared with the world so as to liberate it from the shackles that often hold people bound.
Thus, as we reflect on these readings in this transitional moment in our liturgical year, let us embrace our calling as beloved children of God. Let us be mindful that love is the foundation of our faith and the lens through which we view our interactions with the world. May we, too, rise to proclaim God's love in our actions, filling our lives and the lives of others with hope and compassion.
In this season of new beginnings, let us go forth, empowered by the love we have and continually receive from God, ready to demonstrate to those he places on our path the extraordinary nature of that love. Striving to make our charity more tangible in our lives, Christ can become more clearly revealed. We are all a work in progress, beloved by God, and called to rejoice always. Amen.
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