Epiphany of the Lord
First Reading: Isa 60:1-6
Second Reading: Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6
Gospel Reading: Mt 2:1-12
“The Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God, and Saviour of the world,” says the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
“In the magi, representatives of the neighbouring pagan religions, the Gospel sees the first fruits of the nations” – that is, the Gentiles – “who welcome the good news of salvation through the Incarnation,” when God the Son became Man.
On this solemnity, we stress Jesus’ manifestation to the Gentiles. It is indeed something to celebrate, for Jesus was a Jew, the “Messiah of Israel.”
“The magi’s coming to Jerusalem in order to pay homage to the King of the Jews shows that they seek in Israel, in the messianic light of the star of David, the one who will be King of the nations,” says the Catechism.
“Their coming means that pagans can discover Jesus and worship him as Son of God and Saviour of the world,” but “only by turning toward the Jews and receiving from them the messianic promise as contained in the Old Testament.”
“Salvation is from the Jews,” Jesus reminded the Samaritan woman at the well.
“Christ died for all men without exception: there is not, never has been, and never will be a single human being for whom Christ did not suffer,” says the Catechism.
Nevertheless, when Jesus first sent out his apostles, he said, “Do not visit pagan territory and do not enter a Samaritan town. Go instead after the lost sheep of the House of Israel.”
When a Canaanite woman asked him to cure her daughter, he “gave her no word of response,” but told his disciples that he had been “sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel”; it was wrong to take the children’s food and “throw it to the dogs.”
Not until the end of his earthly life did Jesus tell his apostles to “go and teach all nations.”
God’s love “is an elective love,” said Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI: “among all the nations he chooses Israel and loves her.” However, “he does so precisely with a view to healing the whole human race.”
“The Epiphany shows that the full number of the nations now takes its place in the family of the patriarchs” – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – being accounted worthy of the heritage of Israel, says the Catechism.
Salvation is from the Jews.
The old covenant between God and his people Israel has never been revoked, the Catechism notes. In fact, as St. Paul wrote to the Romans, “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.” To the Israelites belonged “the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the lawgiving, the worship, and the promises; theirs were the patriarchs, and from them came the Messiah.”
St. Paul compares the Jews to an olive tree that God cultivated. “Time and again” he “offered them covenants and, through the prophets, taught them to look forward to salvation,” the Church says in her Fourth Eucharistic Prayer,
Then, addressing Gentiles, Paul says, “If some of the branches were cut off and you, a branch of the wild olive tree, have been grafted in among the others and have come to share in the rich root of the olive, do not boast against the branches. If you do boast, remember that you do not support the root; the root supports you.
“You will say, ‘Branches were cut off that I might be grafted in.’ Well and good. They were cut off because of unbelief and you are there because of faith. Do not be haughty on that account, but fearful. If God did not spare the natural branches, he will certainly not spare you.”
“Blindness has come upon part of Israel until the full number of Gentiles enter in,” he says, “and then all Israel will be saved.”
This Sunday, as we rejoice that Christ has saved us Gentiles, let us remember that salvation is from the Jews.
Father Hawkswell is again teaching The Catholic Faith in Plain English with new insights in both print and YouTube form at beholdvancouver.org/catholic-faith-course and in person on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. at the John Paul II Pastoral Centre (4885 St John Paul II Way, 33rd Avenue and Willow Street, Vancouver) and on Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon in St. Anthony’s Church hall, 2347 Inglewood Ave., West Vancouver). Next week’s topic is “Mary and Joseph.”