Epiphany!

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be kind, epiphany, Herod, Magi, silence, stars, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Epiphany is a Greek word meaning “appearance” or “manifestation” and in Christian circles it is used in recounting of the story of the Magi’s visit to Bethlehem. We loved that story when we were children – most of all, I would guess, if one happened to be a boy who had a great costume in the Christmas play, that of a king “from the East.” The real event was more complicated than just their arrival, which happened significantly later than the date of Christmas and caused a massacre of boys under two years old.

There were no television cameras to announce these visitors. As is frequent in Scripture, the details surrounding this event are few. What we can extrapolate from the story is that these men were attentive to a “message in the stars” as well as to their dreams which told them to avoid Herod as they were leaving. There is a component of intuition and trust necessary for such an “epiphany.” One has to be listening deeply not to miss the signals. Isaiah the prophet gave a hint long before the Magi began their trek. ” Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow…” (1 Is 60: 1-6)

Have you ever had an “epiphany” in your life? It’s not always a religious experience. I remember a day in my college days when my philosophy professor failed to help me understand something important and suddenly one of my study partners said it in a way that illuminated it perfectly – clearly an epiphany! But how much more meaningful are the days when something touches us in a way that manifests God’s love – like a flash of light or a kiss directly to our heart! We can’t force an epiphany but we can make ourselves ready. Stay awake. Practice silence. Be kind. And once in awhile, at least, look up at the stars.

Holy Innocents

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asylum, help, Herod, Matthew, migrants, refugees, suffering, The Holy Innocents, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today Christians mark the massacre of all boy babies in Bethlehem under the age of two years by King Herod. The story is told in Matthew’s gospel (2: 1-18). Herod was afraid of losing the power of his kingdom when he heard of the birth of Jesus from the astrologers from the East who came seeking “the newborn King.” His solution was the massacre, certain that Jesus would be among the slain children.

I cannot help seeing in my mind pictures of the southern border of the United States where in our day families are seeking asylum from the dangers in their own countries. The situation is dire, reminiscent of Matthew’s report that “a voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children.” (MT 2:18)

Let us pray for these “holy innocents” today and continue to call our government officials to right the wrong that has been done to them and their families. Each of us must ask ourselves: “What is one thing I can do in this crisis that will alleviate the suffering?” and then do it. We cannot all go to the border to work among the refugees, but we can and must do something to make our voices be heard. Let us not wait but rather act for those who have no means to help themselves.

One More Wake-up Call

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creation, defense, Genesis, hear, Herod, Jesus, Mark Divine, Noah, Pharisees, see, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, understand, voice

The lectionary readings for today are a little scary. In the first (from Genesis 6&7) God is lamenting that he created humans at all because of how wicked they have become. The only solution, God thinks, is destruction of all humans. animals and birds. “For I am sorry that I made them,” God says. Thank heaven that Noah showed up as the one shining creation, enough to save the world because “he did what God commanded him.”

In the gospel the disciples misinterpret a warning from Jesus to watch out for the leaven of Herod and the Pharisees. Because he used the word “leaven” to describe their wickedness, the disciples thought that Jesus was upset because they had forgotten to bring enough bread for all of them to eat. (MK 8:14-21) When Jesus realized their conclusion, he reacted with what sounds like uncharacteristic vehemence and frustration in a torrent of questions: Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? Do you still not understand?

Most of the time I do not consider God to depend on our strength or weakness, wickedness or upright behavior, perceptiveness or lack of understanding. I consider God (and Jesus while he lived among us) to be all knowing and loving, forgiving us everything. These readings have not changed my opinion but they do seem to have the effect this morning of making me want us to do better. It isn’t enough today for me to wring my hands at the political climate in our country and the world. And how many more “active shooters” will it take before I add my voice – not just in my home but to my Congressional representatives – about gun control? What is the purpose of reading these texts every morning if I simply put them aside and go on with my day? I don’t think it’s just up to me to save the world but if I’m not willing to make a little noise in God’s defense, how can I expect anything to change?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Cry Heard in Ramah

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children, Herod, jeremiah, massacre, Matthew, parents, prophecy, Ramah, sorrow, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, violence

Today is not a happy remembrance in the calendar of Church feasts. It is the commemoration of “the Holy Innocents,” the victims of Herod’s massacre of all the baby boys under two years old. Herod was determined to eliminate the possibility that someone – a “new-born” king (Jesus) – would usurp his power. Since he had no idea of where that child might be found, his rage prompted the terrible deed that left so many mothers bereft. It was a fruitless gesture, as violence always is, because Jesus and his parents were well on their way to Egypt when the massacre occurred.

This violence is replicated in our time whenever war and senseless killing happens around the world. I see in my mind’s eye faces of Syrian children in the bombed-out buildings in Aleppo. Closer to home are the images of Sandy Hook just five years ago this month. Although murder is always difficult to endure, the tragedy always seems more horrific when innocent children are killed almost before their lives have begun.

I am praying for parents today, especially for mothers who have lost a child for any reason or no reason at all. For those whose children die because of senseless violence, drug abuse, war, starvation, traffic or other accidents, suicide…so many causes that leave a gaping hole in the hearts of those left behind.

The poignant message of today’s gospel, which Matthew (MT 2:18) saw as
the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy, calls for our prayer for the sorrowing today. We cannot ignore the pain of his words that speak to the cry heard in our own day around the world: “A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be consoled, since they were no more.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Passion of the Prophet

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courage, Herod, Jesus, Mark, mirror, no greater prophet ever lived, Passion, speak truth to power, St. John the Baptist, suffering, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today my Church calendar is titled “Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist.” I believe the word passion here is used in two ways – primarily because John was innocent of any crime but prefigured the passion of Jesus by his suffering and death at the hands of his enemies. John was thrown in prison and subsequently beheaded for his willingness to speak truth to power, specifically in telling Herod it was unlawful for him to have his brother’s wife, Herodias (who then was the agent of his death in a scheme that Herod was too weak to resist – MK 6:17-29). Clearly John’s death was consistent with his life. He bursts onto the scene early in the gospels, coming from the desert clothed in animal skins and feeding on locusts and wild honey. His whole purpose, his passion, was to proclaim Jesus as “the one sent from God.” Jesus recognized him by saying that no greater prophet ever lived; he earned that title by being totally authentic in his entire life.

We also read in Scripture that a prophet is not generally accepted in his native place. The world still persecuting those who arise to call us to a more honest and truthful life. Our prophets are those who hold up a mirror, showing us what needs to be converted in society, and sometimes we fail to listen because transformation seems too difficult (“What can one person do?”) or we are too comfortable or too busy to be concerned. Today is a day to think about our willingness to change and not to dismiss the voices we hear calling us to more responsibility in our living. My question to myself is about the level of my passion for justice and my compassion for those who are suffering in my world. What am I called to do or be for them? What will it cost me? Where is my courage for speaking the truth?