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PDF versionA God for all peoples
by Patricia Datchuck Sánchez on Jan. 08, 2012
Through the centuries, a variety of interesting legends have grown up around this feast of the Epiphany. Although the Magi from the east are not named, described or numbered in the scriptures, most legends agree that there were three of them. One particular legend, told to world explorer Marco Polo on a trip to Persia (Iran), described Balthazar as a young man, Caspar as middle-aged and Melchior as a senior citizen (The Travels of Marco Polo, or, the Description of the World, 1298).
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Based on this legend, we can imagine the three travelers arriving in Bethlehem, each going separately into the cave to visit the holy family. When Melchior, the eldest, enters, he sees no one but an old man like himself, with whom he is quite at ease. They speak together, sharing memories. When the middle-aged Balthazar enters, he meets a middle-aged teacher with whom he talks passionately of leadership and responsibility. Finally, young Caspar enters and he meets a young prophet with whom he shares his thoughts on reform and promise.
After each visits separately, the Magi take their gifts and go back to the cave together. When they enter, they see no one but a 13-day-old infant.
(Illustration by Mark Bartholomew)Jesus understands and speaks to every human being at every stage of life. Those with the maturity of old age hear the call to integrity and wisdom. The middle-aged hear the call to responsibility and service. The young hear the call to find their way toward intimacy with God and to find the unique identity that will shape and direct their lives.
And you? Who do you meet as you come bearing the gift of yourself to offer to God this day? To what is God calling you? How will you use the gift of the new year that lies ahead? Like the Magi of old, we too are on a continuing journey, searching at every juncture along the way for some manifestation of God and of grace.
Sunday commentaries by Patricia Sánchez appear in full in Celebration, the worship and homiletic resource of the National Catholic Reporter. Learn more about Celebration.
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In their individual and collective travels, the ancient Israelites (first reading, Trito-Isaiah) gradually learned that God had chosen them to reflect light and truth in the world. They also came to understand that they were privileged to be part of God’s universal plan of salvation. This required them to include, rather than discount, the value of others. Since we have inherited the same privileges and responsibilities as our ancestors in the faith, we, like them, are challenged to be kind and welcoming to everyone, even those who might seem to have little value in society’s eyes. During his public ministry, Jesus would repeatedly affirm the all-inclusive love of God by seeking out those whom the righteous had deemed unworthy or useless. Trito-Isaiah’s vision of a cavalcade of nations coming home to God began to be realized in Jesus. The continued realization of this universal vision is up to those who know the privilege of believing in God and in Jesus.
This privilege is celebrated by the author of today’s second reading, who assures the Ephesians (and us) that it has been God’s plan all along to embrace all humankind with the gift of salvation. We might think, “Surely tyrants and despots are excluded” or “Surely there’s no place for atheists or agnostics” or “Surely God did not intend for the chosen ones to rub shoulders with the disreputable and the depraved.” But despite our provincial attitudes and our ever-narrowing ideas of who belongs to the people of God, this feast enunciates without equivocation that God wants all to be included in the loving and gracious embrace of salvation.
What will we talk about when we enter the “cave” of our hearts to encounter there the God of Epiphany? Will our conversation actually be a monologue? Or might God be able to get in a few words edgewise?
[Patricia Sánchez holds a master’s degree in literature and religion of the Bible from a joint degree program at Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary in New York.]
Than you Patricia, for your
Than you Patricia, for your great reflection on the Epiphany Sunday Readings.
I had not heard of the legend you described. It has given me a new perspective to open my mind and heart to the message of the readings.
The questions you pose are challenging:
Who do you meet as you come bearing the gift of yourself to offer to God this day?
To what is God calling you?
How will you use the gift of the new year that lies ahead?
What will we talk about when we enter the “cave” of our hearts to encounter there the God of Epiphany?
Will our conversation actually be a monologue?
Or might God be able to get in a few words edgewise?
Keep challenging us!
LIGHT is “WHAT YOU THINK” and
LIGHT is “WHAT YOU THINK” and a whole lot more.
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Light is universal food, the grist and the mill of photosynthesis. “All flesh is grass” (Isaiah 40) birthing in the “after-ripening” of grain. Light is life-birthing, the labor of consciousness in well-being of other. All substance is light’s doing. Transformed light is substance and consciousness. Pregnancy isn’t a biological happening only of women, nor is pregnancy passive experience. Quite otherwise, pregnancy is very much the doing of intentional consciousness in ongoing evolution. Light is the mindfulness of life called “insight”. GOD IS LIGHT.
In her fiat, Mary wasn’t merely passive in giving in to God’s expectation, she made God’s Expectation her own, and committed every fiber of her being to Him. Maternal intentionality has everything to do with the health and consciousness of the conceptus aborning in her body and outside.
Pregnant women today share with nature in the same psychic energy of the “Beatrix Femina”; and by so doing impact the physical/ psychical development of their unborn and common wellbeing. The feminine side of male reflectivity is obliged no less in the same birthing purpose. LIGHT IS THE MINDFULNESS OF LIFE CALLED “INSIGHT” — faith expectantly formed and informed by reason. www.WordUnlimited.com
JOY, another Word for
JOY, another Word for God
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We all grow up couched in cultures of exclusionist self-affirmation and belief that somehow our personal sense of God is truer than others. As I age I get the sense that the self-preferred image of God we culturally cling to and pass on from generation to generation is a narrative searching for joy. It really takes Godlike openness to admit that another person's sense of God may be as authentic as mine.
The continuous purifying of faith and reason, each requiring fine-tunig of the other and with the common objective of joyfulness, is I think, probably as good an approximation of understanding God as is possible in this flesh-enshrouded existence.
Be a source of joy to one another and you will discover the God of Joy. If we know how to be a source of joy to others, we can't be far from knowing God. www.WordUnlimited.com
Thank you Patricia....your
Thank you Patricia....your article revealed to us the beauty of the message of the Epiphany and our responsibility to use our time in the New Year in opening our hearts to all..
This is a very incisive
This is a very incisive reflection on the Magi story. It offers practical insights for everyone.
Last Sunday, in my now UCC
Last Sunday, in my now UCC church the minister had a children's (and adult's) message concerning the Wise Men.
He asked the gathered up front small children what someone knew about the "story" of the Wise Men. A boy (not very quicky) volunteered and told the basic story as most of us would tell it. Others thought that more people would have been on the trip, some volunteered that they would need shelter, food, a map or a guide - like the star on their travels.
The minister switched to what we need on our trips - they quickly volunteered the similar things needed.
Yes, then he changed to going on our journeys to the spiritual side of our lives. (He did not use these words, but truthfully, something like that and meaning that. My mind jumped ahead to where he was going with the children - and thought, what a great way to give the meaning of the message. Community of people & friends, taking care of ourselves, God, our gifts. Yes, everything was included, the children and the adults were all paying very careful attention -
Sermons and/or homilies influence and teach - whether a review, a new look, or all new as for some of the children. There were certainly some "funny" responses along the way - none of the gathered children or anyone sitting in the pews really knew what the message was or how it was to be presented.
Along with the posting on this wonderful NCR site, I will never forget the meaning of the Three Wise Men.... Except for a child remembering, the names of the Biblical people or from where they came from never came up.....
Beautiful reflection. I
Beautiful reflection. I agree, keep helping us break open the word of God in our daily life. Mil Gracias!Bendiciones
Thanks, Patricia, for your
Thanks, Patricia, for your insightful story about the epiphany. The liturgical coordinator at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in my hometown sent me your article. As a cradle Catholic who couldn't relate to any of the kings you describe in your story while going through my teenage years, I now see the wisdom of the gifts you describe. It only took five decades and a lot of prayer, however, the gift of the Magi is now living in my heart and I will use my gifts to help others, many in my circles who are agnostics and atheists. My prayer is that they unwrap all the presents Jesus has for them just as it was done on the epiphany for those first visitors.
I look forward to reading more of your words of wisdom in the new year. Thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you for a wonderful,
Thank you for a wonderful, thought provoking reflection. I especially loved the focus on inclusion of all. May our lives reflect that "widening embrace", a phrase used by Carolyn McDade and Friends on their latest Music CD.
Patricia. Thank you for your
Patricia. Thank you for your superb reflection on our life's journey to offer our gifts to the King of Kings. I have been reading your exegesis in "Celebration" for the past 30 years, and I have saved every one of them. They take up an entire shelf on my bookcase. You have provided so many excellent insights into the Scriptures, not only for me, but for countless other preachers of the Word. You can''t imagine how many churches you, as a woman of faith and Scriptural competence, have "preached" in these many years. May you continue your great ministry to the Word for many more years to come. - Rev Denis Meier
I love the reminder that God
I love the reminder that God meets us where we are. I also need to remember to see God in everyone that I meet every day-- sometimes I get so caught up in my life that I forget. Thank-you, Patricia!
"But despite our provincial
"But despite our provincial attitudes and our ever-narrowing ideas of who belongs to the people of God, this feast enunciates without equivocation that God wants all to be included in the loving and gracious embrace of salvation."
While it's true that God invites all, not all will accept the invitation. Like the king who invited everyone to the wedding feast but had to cast out those who refused to dress for the occasion, so too does God invite all but some prefer to be clothed in the cloak of their sins, and will find themselves cast out.
The universe is 13 billion
The universe is 13 billion years old. The earth is 4.5 billion years old. Humankind has been here, in one form or another, for at least a million years. When you've got that factored into your theology, you'll have a God for all peoples. Till then, you have a tribal god who makes you feel good.
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