Matthew 2:1-12; The Epiphany of the Lord. We have come from the East to worship the King

Sharing Guidelines
*Sharing is not a time for teaching or debate; it is a time to sense the marvelous work of the Holy Spirit who leads the gathering.
*Reflection sharing is not meant to teach others but to share the meaning you personally have discovered. Therefore, do not criticize or debate another person’s sharing. Avoid boasting of your own understanding or knowledge.
*Respect the grace of the Holy Spirit, who reveals the meaning of the Word while dwelling among us, and listen attentively to others’ sharing, holding it in your heart.
*Keep confidential any personal reflections or stories shared in the group; practicing brotherly love means not passing along private matters outside the meeting.
*When speaking, always use the first person singular (“I”). Be careful not to distance or generalize your story by using the third person (“he,” “they”) or the first person plural (“we”).
*Keep it short.

Reading 1
Isaiah 60:1-6
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
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Reading 2
Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Gospel
Matthew 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,

“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him,

“In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:

And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”

Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.

Today’s Reflection

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a very small and poor town.
He was born in a stable, which is hard to believe because He is the light of the world.
The chief priests and teachers of the law, who waited so long for the Messiah, did not recognize His birth.
King Herod was afraid of losing his power, so he even made plans to kill Jesus.

In contrast, the Wise Men came from the East after seeing a star.
Through them, we see that God’s salvation is not only for the Jewish people, but for all humanity.
Even in a world filled with war, violence, death, sin, and suffering, the Wise Men longed for the true light who saves the world.
Guided by the star, they heard the words of the prophet Isaiah:
“Arise, shine, for your light has come.”
They heard this message before the people of Judah.
At last, they met the baby Jesus, worshiped Him, and offered their gifts.
They must have been filled with great joy, feeling that their lives were complete.

Each of our hearts also holds a star.
Even in a world full of injustice, poverty, hatred, jealousy, sickness, and guilt, we still long for a shining light that brightens our souls and overcomes darkness.
Christianity began with disciples who experienced this saving light.
Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they became the Gospel themselves and witnessed to it together as one body, sharing in God’s salvation.
If our faith is trapped only in traditions and systems, and not guided and supported by the Holy Spirit,
we should ask ourselves how the Church is truly different from the rest of the world. (송용민 사도 요한 신부)

Sharing

1. Share a word or sentence that touched your heart or reflect on the Bible reading from these viewpoints:
–   From the Wise Men’s point of view
–   From the teachers of the law and chief priests’ point of view
–   From King Herod’s point of view

2. Let’s talk about where the Lord’s heart is. How do we find it, and how do we keep it in our hearts and in our daily lives?
(Examples: the manger, light, low places, love…)

3. The Wise Men traveled a long distance to Jesus because worshiping Him was their greatest purpose and joy. Let’s think about what is most important to us and talk about what keeps our hearts from turning toward Jesus.

4. Make a resolution based on today’s reading, how should I live my daily life?