Jan 3, 2010: Epiphany of Our Lord

Most of the Christmas shopping is finished here in the United States, but elsewhere in the world, Christmas shopping is just starting. In Spain and Latin America, Christmas presents are not delivered by a big man in a red suit with white beard. On January 6, most of the Hispanic world celebrates El Dia De Reyes, the Epiphany, remembering the day when the Three Wise Men following the star to Bethlehem, arrived bearing their treasured gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the Baby Jesus. A couple of days before January 6th, the children write their letters to the Wise Men, or to their favorite Rey Mago: Melchor, Gaspar, or Baltasar, asking for the presents they would like to receive. On the night, of January 5, the figurines of the Three Wise Men are added to the nativity scene. Before going to bed the children place their old shoes under their bed or in the living room, where the Wise Men will leave them their presents. Some also place outside the house, some hay and a bucket with water for the animals, and even some cookies and milk for Melchor, Gaspar and Baltasar. Reluctantly children go off to bed. As soon as they wake up, which is earlier than any other day, they run to see the gifts that the Three Magi left for them. This is also the day when king cakes are baked and sold in the bakeries.

Have you ever wondered how many miles the three Kings from the 'east' had traveled to come to meet infant Jesus? Some say that the 'east' may be Persia or modern day Iran, which means around 800 to 900 miles of travel to the town of Bethlehem. Others say they came from Ethiopia or even as far as China. Can you think of a modern day equivalent of what these three Kings did, traveling far distance to see a spiritually significant person or event, to pay homage, and offer gifts and prayers? Doesn't it sound similar to a pilgrimage? In our spiritual life we take few steps to the left, sometimes few steps to the right, other times we make few steps back, but when we go on a pilgrimage we are walking toward God. We go to God, not perfect, but as we are- with all of our doubts, crisis, sickness, curiosity, adventure, faith, thanksgiving, to ask for favors and to offer ourselves completely. You can go as far as Jerusalem, but you can go as close to as our very own parish, Our Lady of Mercy to behold the Christ child in body, soul, and divinity here in the tabernacle. But when it is so close as our neighborhood parish, we don't feel like we're sacrificing anything. It's a great sacrifice to go on a pilgrimage to places like Jerusalem. First it costs a great deal of money, nearly $4,000. Second, you'll walk a lot and eat strange foods, and get very little sleep because of jet lag. But the rewards of such trip are great isn't it? You get to walk, touch, and kiss the very places where Jesus was born, suffered, died, and risen.

Yet, the distance and the cost may not be essential ingredient to a great pilgrimage experience. I realized this on the New Year's Eve this past Thursday night. At 10:45PM, three newly ordained priests, including myself and several seminarians gathered at St. Agnes Catholic Church at the chapel inside Missionaries of Charity's convent for a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament followed by a mass at midnight. As I knelt there praying the rosary with the Mother Teresa sisters, I was struck by their role as the Three Kings from the East. Most of these sisters were from Calcutta, India which is about 8,700 miles east of Baton Rouge. A Missionaries of Charity sister's possessions include: three saris (one to wear, one to wash, one to mend), a pair of sandals, flour sack underclothes, a crucifix and rosary. They also have a plate and metal spoon, a canvas bag, and prayer book. It took 9 years of formation for a young woman to become a Missionaries of Charity. The aim of each sister is to quench the infinite thirst of Jesus Christ on the Cross for love and souls by the living of the four vows in a spirit of loving trust, total surrender, and cheerfulness; she is to be a carrier of God's love especially to the poorest of the poor, setting all on fire with love for Him and one another, a healing touch of God that cures all diseases; a soothing smile of God that warms all hearts; God's own language of love that all hearts understand. Kneeling there in front of the Blessed Sacrament on that New Year's Eve, it dawned on me that like the Three Kings, these sisters made great sacrifice to come and worship the infant Jesus. They just made me realize that though I did not have to travel great distance to offer gift to infant Jesus, I had yet to give a gift worthy of this King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Certainly, I can take out my checkbook and write a check, but that wasn't enough for this King. We know when we receive a gift, we want to reciprocate with a gift of similar value. For example, if I received a $25 gift card, then later down the line, I want to reciprocate with something of a similar value. So, what gift did we receive from infant Jesus and how much did it cost Him? Our First Reading from Isaiah explains:

Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you...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...

And so upon receiving this gift of light in our hearts, we prostrate before Jesus like the Three Kings and open up our own treasures. So what is the gift that is worthy of reciprocating to Jesus? When the sisters, young priests, and seminarians were gazing at the Blessed Sacrament, we were gazing at the Heart of Jesus. That was God's greatest gift to us. Then nothing less than our own heart is worthy of reciprocating back to Him.

Today when we entered the church, the ushers should have given you a handout to keep. Fr. Miles prepared an explanation about consecrating ourselves to the Sacred Heart of Jesus in the bulletin as well as on this handout. As he wrote, "An act of consecrating oneself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is a personal decision, inspired by the Holy Spirit in a moment of spiritual and moral clarity, to surrender one's entire self (all that you are and all that you possess) to the living God through His Son. It is an act of surrendering your will, even though you may not be perfectly ready to do so, because you are motivated by a faith-filled desire to be conformed to Christ and to entrust yourself and your cares to Him." And Fr. Miles and I invite you as your New Year's Resolution to say this consecration weekly if not daily. So please take out your sheet, and we'll recite the first paragraph together:

O Lord Jesus Christ,

I give myself and consecrate myself to Your Sacred Heart, my person and my life, my actions, sufferings and pains, so that I may be willing to make use of my whole being to give You honor, glory, and praise. This is my unchanging desire, to be all Yours and to do all things for the love of You, at the same time to renounce with all my heart whatever is displeasing to You. I therefore take You, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, to be the only object of my love, the guardian of my life, the assurance of my salvation, the remedy for my weakness, the atonement for my sins, and my sure refuge at the hour of death. (St. Margaret Mary Alacoque)