My friends, this feast officially marks the end of the 12 Days of Christmas, and it officially came on Friday of this past week.  Our Church wisely, I believe, usually moves significant feasts to Sundays so as us common folk don’t miss their significance, being that most of “the faithful” don’t attend Mass on a weekday, as a rule.  So, we might ask, what is so special about the Feast of the Epiphany so as to raise it to the importance of a Sunday?  Sit back and I will tell you! 

   The word, “epiphany” comes from the Greek, meaning, “manifestation.”  In everyday parlance, we might say, “Epiphany,” or as most of us think of this feast, “The Coming of the Three Kings,” is an “aha” moment.  Further, we might say, “aha” moments are about when, “we finally get it!”  But we can leave that idea for a moment and see what the Scriptures tell us. 

   Isaiah gives us the familiar words that we hear each year at this time, “Arise, shine, your light has come!”  We all know from our earliest religious training that the “light” Isaiah speaks of, is our brother and companion for our human journey, Jesus, who became the “Christ” for all believers—across the board.  It is important for us the understand that “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name, but a concept much bigger for a God who includes us all, beyond religion. 

   Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, basically tells them the very message that we at All Are One believe, and proclaim by our very name, that, “everyone is welcome!”  Paul’s exact words are, “the Gentiles are heirs, as are we!”

   The gospel from Matthew tells the story of three, apparently, “wise men,” who traveled a great distance and ultimately had an “aha” moment in the stable in Bethlehem.  We don’t know by anything definite in the written Scriptures, why these men set out on such a journey, but we have to believe that they were people of faith, much like each of us as we say our own “yeses” to things that we don’t totally understand.  Besides being astrologers, they may have also been students of Scripture in whatever ways holy texts were available at the time and from within, simply heard that, “they should arise.”  They seemed too, to have a sense that, “manifestations in the heavens” (the Star) often had a counter part on earth (the birth of Jesus). 

   But, for whatever reason, they did arise and go, thinking perhaps, as we do today, “we need to check this out!”  Earlier, I spoke of these wise men having an “aha” moment in the stable in Bethlehem—they went looking for a king and found one—only what they found, caused them to reconsider what “kingliness” is really all about.  They found that a true king, queen, or leader shows that character not in the “who”—their lineage, but in the “how” they act in the world.  What an “aha” moment this must have been for them!

   In the first reading today from Isaiah the prophet, after encouraging the people to “arise,” gives them a second command, Scripture scholar, Diane Bergant says.  That second command was to “shine,” or in other words, act upon what you have come to know.  Prophetically, Isaiah gives us our marching words, “though night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples…

   My friends, Jesus our light has come, has shown us the way—how we must act so as to dispel the “night” and the “darkness.”  In this New Year, 2023, so new—so young, we only need listen to the news to agree that the “night” and the “darkness” haven’t yet been dispelled.  Just as the Wise Men witnessed something so great, so astounding at the simple, lowly crib in Bethlehem, we too must, through our attention to Scripture and in our own personal prayer, discover that our life here is about so very many, “aha” moments if we can open our eyes and ears wide enough to recognize them.  Some of the “aha” moments for me this past week are the following:

• The International Group of Roman Catholic Women Bishops, placed an ad in the New York Times decrying recent comments in the America magazine by Pope Francis, that basically, “the door to women’s ordination is closed.”  We can applaud these women for acting on their well-formed consciences (something the Church tells us to do) to speak truth to a blatant lie formulated by men seeking power instead of love within our Church.  Pope Francis needs an “aha” moment in this regard. 
• The condition of a young, 24-year-old Buffalo Bills football player, by the name of, Damar Hamlin, is being watched and prayed for by many in our nation.  This past week, during a game, he collapsed on the field suffering a cardiac arrest.  He had to be resuscitated then and there and has been fighting for his life ever since.  After several days of being totally sedated so that his body could mend, he is now making steady progress.  My reason for mentioning him here is not because of his prowess on the field, but for his good work off the field, using his status and position to assist the lives of children who have less, as was once his case.  Damar apparently had an “aha” moment on his way to fame. 

• For nearly a week the new 118^th Congress, have struggled to elect a new speaker. It has been contentious and has blocked the work of the people because a small, but significant number of the members have forgotten, if they ever knew, why the people sent them there in the first place.  The group that was blocking action, while finally electing their speaker after 15 unprecedented votes, are, in my mind, still in need of a collective, “aha” moment in order to truly do the work of the people, going forward. 
• This past week also marked the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.  I believe he was on the cusp of his “aha” moment during the years of the Second Vatican Council when he was known for his more liberal thinking with regard to proposed changes within the Church.  Unfortunately, he got “lost in the weeds” in the shadow of the long pontificate of John Paul II. 

   My purpose here friends, is not to speak against others, but to remind us all that, being a Christian is no, as they say, “walk in the park.”  Following Jesus will take the best we have to give—and no doubt, many “aha” moments throughout our lives.

   So, as we officially close the Christmas Season with our liturgy here today, it would be good to spend some moments, “at the crib” in our personal lives, contemplating its true messages.  Primarily, we “should get” the concept of our loving God wanting “to be one-with-us—wanting to be close.  As we then, in future liturgies move through this new Church Year, let us strive to keep our eyes on the one, Jesus, our brother, for whom being a “Christian” is really all about!  Each new Church Year calls us again to this one task and this one task alone—trying to emulate his life in our own.

   We shouldn’t allow ourselves “to get lost in the weeds” as the holdouts in Congress demonstrated so well this past week, and as Pope Benedict XVI too, demonstrated in his papacy.  We all, must keep going back to the source, our brother Jesus, trying to model our lives after his. 

   There are those in our Church, if they could have their way, would have us go back to pre-Vatican II times, to a time when much of Church life was pretty, “black and white”—do 1-2-3 and heaven would be assured.  Sister Joan Chittister, a prophet in our times, is known for proclaiming— “we need to go back further” [past the rules and regulations] “to the memory of Jesus of Nazareth.”  Now that would be a collective, “aha” moment!  Amen? Amen!

   My friends, with each new year, we are blessed with a fresh opportunity to look at our lives, being as honest as we can, admitting what has worked, what has not, and then deciding what we may want to change, by way of course correction, toward becoming our best selves –someone who will make our own personal life better as well as the lives of all that we touch in 2023.

   In my younger years, I called these proposed changes, as you probably did too, “New Year’s resolutions,” and in those years, I often times, let them go by the wayside before January was over. 

   At this point in my life, the changes that I am talking about are smaller, more doable ones, perhaps.  They are about “focus”—trying to be present to the moment –where I am and who I am with.  They are about respecting others and their opinions—working on being more kind, having more mercy in regard to others and their feelings, being conscious of truth and truth-telling, and being aware of the consequences when I am not. 

   I think most of us have been in the situation of “the elephant in the living room,” the topic we are all aware of, but no one wants to bring up for fear of hurting others, friends, and family, yet it is a constant, unwelcome guest.  Maybe 2023 might be the year that we can address this issue with the idea of bringing in more “light” as Michelle Obama speaks of in her new memoir, The Light We Carry.

   The readings for this first Sunday in the New Year, 2023 are encouraging in this regard.  We are told in both of the first two readings from Numbers and Galatians that we are “children of [our loving] God,” who wants an intimate relationship with us. 

   Paul instructs us to call God, “Abba,” meaning, “Loving Parent.”  This loving God is understanding and merciful toward our human condition, the psalmist says.  This God is all about “blessing” us, giving us a second chance, to become all that each of us was meant to be— “a light in our world.” 

   Often times, we are like Mary, Jesus’ mother, and ours, by extension, if we choose.  She calls us “to treasure all things and reflect on them, in our hearts.”  In our busy lives, we can sometimes get, “too busy” and miss opportunities to be that unique “light” that only we can be in any situation, the light that our brother Jesus asks us to be.

   The older I get, the more I realize that life is short, and thus, so precious.  I am compelled to “speak the truth,” as kindly, but firmly, as I can, especially to “considered,” powers-that-be.  It is the very least that can be expected of “God’s children,” of followers of our brother, Jesus.  Will this always be easy?  No, it will not! –but it is still the right thing to do! 

   Today’s feast is of Mary, Jesus’ mother.  She can be our mother too, or our sister, whichever relationship we might choose.  She has much to teach us about resiliency, and patience in dealing with what life brings.  Her “yes” in faith to a life which she had no actual idea about, going in, and all that it would bring, mirrors our lives too.  The Scriptures tell us that, “she treasured all… [that she didn’t understand] and reflected on [these things] in her heart.” 

   If we were to resolve in the New Year, to “reflect” in our hearts, all that is going on around us, at least, some of the time, this would be a great step toward becoming our best selves—toward “shining” our own, particular light. 

   As I said above, we might also consider our relationship with Mary, as a sister—a good, big sister who has had many wonderful, life experiences to share with us, if we are truly willing to delve into her life.  We can then take what we have learned from her and apply it to our own lives, pondering perhaps the wisdom of the elders among us, while they are still here. 

   Unfortunately, our knowledge of this strong woman of faith, may have been watered down over the years, by Church fathers who apparently have no need for, nor desire, for women who are strong, and who have been gifted by our God, with ideas and abilities to make our Church better, stronger, and something that the next generation truly wants to be part of! I believe Roy Bourgeois said this best, “Who are we, as men, to say that our call from God is authentic, but God’s call to women is not?” (Roy was a member of Maryknoll and served as a priest for 40 years until he was expelled for participating in a woman’s ordination). 

   Thus my friends, we have a new year upon us, a bright and shining opportunity to see and hear and ponder life as it comes to us—always keeping the examples of Mary and her son Jesus in the foreground so as to be the best we can be, for ourselves, and for others.  Amen? Amen!

   My friends, in the nearly 15 years of my priestly ministry, I have come each year to the Christmas Season wanting to share a story that uplifts and makes very plain the true meaning of this miraculous season—the great action of our God for each of us.  Only twice have I come across stories that are spot-on in depicting what Emmanuel, “God- with-us” really means. 

   I’ve shared both stories several times over the years, because a really, good story can be heard and appreciated more than once! Both stories that I am referring to are about men who learned God’s true intention in the Incarnation through the experience of their own lives. 

   One man had the job of shining shoes on a street corner of his hometown and always wished for more of this world’s material goods.  Through what we might call, “a Christmas miracle,” he had the opportunity to obtain several wishes granted him to experience not only material riches, but power and control over others—over everything really, or so he thought. 

   Not a believer in any higher power, nor a praying man, he discovered one day, as he was seemingly “ruling over everything,” that many of his subjects were praying “to God,” and not wanting anyone to be higher than himself, he made his final wish and that was to be like God if God were to appear on earth, and “miraculously” found himself back at his shoe-shine-stand. Not in power, but in lowliness the Scriptures say. 

   The other story is similar in that an unbelieving man who could never quite get his “head around” the Christmas story—that of God coming to earth, “to be one-with-us,” discovered one night, as he tried to save a flock of geese who got lost in a storm, and get them to shelter, the true meaning of the Incarnation. It seems that the geese were afraid of the man trying to shoo them into the safety of his barn, and only when he disguised himself and took on the “look” of the geese, walking as they did, flapping his made-up wings, would the geese begin to follow him to safety. 

   Too many times friends, over the span of our lives, well-meaning tellers of the Christmas story have tried to explain it from their heads—theologically, instead of from the heart, where the message originated in the first place, and have caused the message, the story, to stop there.  An angry God, needing to be appeased, sent his own son to die for the failings of humankind.  Such a story I think leads us all to “beat our breasts,” feeling guilty and not really very joyful. 

   Yet the Scriptures throughout Advent and Christmas time speak of joy—the joy of a young woman, Mary, who said her “yes” in faith to the God of Love in her heart.  The joy, no doubt, of her partner, Joseph when he learned that he too was called to be part of the Incarnation.  The joy of an older woman, Elizabeth, who recognized the presence of God within her younger relative and proclaimed that joy, “How [is it] that this should happen to me…that the mother of my [God] should come to me?” 

   And yes, there are those Scripture passages, like the reading from Titus that Elliot did for us tonight so wonderfully, that still cling to the idea of Jesus’ coming being all about “salvation…to redeem us.”  It is important when we hear such readings to go that step deeper that I always encourage for us to get to Jesus’ true message.  The “salvation” that has always been offered is NOT about “redeeming us,” but “showing us the way,” to be our best selves.  “A light,” Scriptures say, “shining in [our] darkness.”

   Jesus was incarnated among us, looking, and acting like us, just as in the story of the geese, so that we could more easily, and clearly, hear and trust and believe how much God loves us. 

   Even though Church fathers try to lift up Jesus’ “kingliness,” his “sacrificing” for us, which cuts into the joy of this blessed season; we would do well to listen to the words of the “mothers” in this season instead, who exult in the “fruit” of their wombs and their ability to share this simple, yet so precious gift of life with our world.  And incidentally, this is the work of Christmas—sharing the Good News that God is, truly, “with us.” 

   That our God would love us so much to become poor, simple, and one-with-us, in order that we could have a clear example of how best to live our one, amazing life, is cause for the greatest joy, really, in my mind.  The power and control that the shoe-shine man sought in his life, only to find out in the end, were not what would make him happy, no doubt caused a “sea-change” in him if he was able to wrap his heart, rather than his head around the concept. 

   The Christmas story, friends, if we really delve into it, asks us too, like the shoe-shine man, to consider a God, not of power and control over us, but one who loves us in an over-the-top way, simply because, WE ARE, and for no other reason.  Choosing to become one-with-us in our simple, poor, and imperfect humanity so that we would not miss this point—of God’s profound love, or ever be afraid of this life force within us, is a cause for great joy! 

   The joy that we instinctively feel at this time of year, as we reach out to others, within our families and among our friends, is the true mark of “God-with-us,” whether we be Christians or of any other religious group.  Our God, who is love, is always, “chasing after us,” as one Scripture translation tells us, wanting to be part of our lives, in all the rejoicing and sorrowing times, and asks us to reach out in the same way in order that people could truly see the face of our loving God and in that way, know that they are loved and cared for too.  The truth of it is friends, most of us only know that we have a God of love, if they experience that love through us.  This is the work of Christmas and should continue all throughout the year.  May we each know God’s wonderful love now and always—and that is our challenge, to make sure that anyone and everyone we encounter knows that they are loved—through us! Amen?  Amen!