Copartners in the Promise

January 4, 2009

Epiphany of the Lord

By Rev. Joe McCloskey, SJ

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, that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6

Piety

O God, give your judgment to our leaders and your justice to the people throughout the world. May our leaders govern your people with justice and provide your oppressed people with right judgment. May your Spirit be like rain coming down upon the fields, like showers watering the earth.

Justice shall flourish in Your days, great bounty, till the moon be no more. May God rule from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the Earth. May the nations and people bring tribute and offer gifts to God because God rescues the poor when they cry out, the oppressed who have no one to help. He shows pity to the needy and the poor and saves the lives of the poor. (From Psalm 72)

Study

Literally it means open to or appear to. We all claim epiphanies in our lives at one time or another. It was a magic moment in my life when I learned with enough application of my mind, heart and soul I would do almost everything I set my heart on.

The Epiphany Feast today has a number of meanings for us. It refers to the one Lord including everyone in his good news. But it also implies the gifts that are given at Epiphany. Gold, gift to kingship, frankincense, symbol of prayer and myrrh, the anointment for death, are gifts that are prophetic. How this plays out in the life of the community gives the community the right to its name.

We all are following some star. There is a light that shines in the darkness of our hearts that is the call to worship our God. We are created for that worship of God. God is love and we are called to be men and women of love. The best of ourselves is the gift of gold we bring on this feast day. Our coming to worship is the frankincense of our prayer. What we have dedicated our lives to is the myrrh of the offering of ourselves.

The prophet tells the world what is wrong. Even tells the community what it needs to do. All the social outreach programs of the community are how it exercises the role of prophet. When our leadership of the community opens up another task to be done the prophet role is being fulfilled.

Action

Christ is our king and we share his kingship. We are responsible for our world. We are the masters of our destiny. In the God who strengthens us we believe we can do all things. Epiphany starts our community because we are not waiting for someone to tell us what to do next. Our very lives give life to the community. We need each other even when we work alone. Our unity flows out of the kingship of Christ. We can call each other brothers and sisters in our relationship to Christ. Prophecy instills in our hearts the tasks of Christ and his kingship over our hearts is our right to act in his name.

The priest gets his definition from the community he serves. He is the funnel between the community and God. He takes the prayers of the community to God and brings back the blessings of God in the Eucharist which reenacts the great mystery of the priesthood of Christ. The one Sacrifice which is for ever gives us our contact point and puts us in the fullness of Christ’s priesthood by the giving of our lives which is celebrated together.

Epiphany in its fullest meaning is God opening himself to our world. We are his opening when we live the gifts of our community that give Christ flesh and blood in each other.