VATICAN CITY, JAN. 7, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of Benedict XVI's homily for the solemnity of the Epiphany, delivered Wednesday in St. Peter's Basilica.
 
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Dear Brothers and Sisters!
 
Today, solemnity of the Epiphany, the great light that shines from the cave of Bethlehem inundates all of humanity, through the Magi who have come from the East. The first reading, taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah, and the passage we have just heard from Matthew's Gospel, bring together the promise and its fulfillment in that particular tension that is produced when reading successively passages of the Old and New Testament.

Therein appears before us the splendid vision of the prophet Isaiah, who, after the humiliations suffered by the people of Israel on the part of the powers of this world, sees the moment in which the great light of God, seemingly powerless and incapable of protecting his people, rises over the whole earth, so that the kings of the nations bow before him. They come from all the ends of the earth and deposit at his feet their most precious treasures. And the heart of the people vibrates with joy.
 
In face of this vision, the one presented to us by the Evangelist Matthew seems poor and ragged: It seems impossible to us to recognize there the fulfillment of the words of the prophet Isaiah. In fact, those who arrive in Bethlehem are not the powerful ones and the kings of the earth, but rather a few Magi. They are unknown figures, perhaps regarded with suspicion, and in any case unworthy of special attention. The inhabitants of Jerusalem are informed about what happened, but do not consider it necessary to be bothered. Not even in Bethlehem does it seem that there is someone who is concerned about the birth of this Child, called King of the Jews by the Magi, or about these men who came from the East to visit him.

Shortly after, in fact, when King Herod made it clear who effectively held power, obliging the Holy Family to flee to Egypt and giving proof of his cruelty with the massacre of the Innocents (cf. Matthew 2:13-18), the episode of the Magi seems to have been erased and forgotten. Hence, it is understandable that the heart and soul of believers of all centuries was more attracted by the vision of the prophet than by the sober account of the evangelist, as is attested by how the visit is reflected in our nativity scenes, where the camels and dromedaries appear, and the powerful kings of this world, who kneel before the Child and deposit at his feet their gifts in valuable chests. However, it is best to pay greater attention to what the two texts communicate to us.
 
In reality, what did Isaiah see with his prophetic vision? In a single moment, he perceived a reality destined to mark all of history. But also, the event that Matthew recounts to us is not a brief dispensable episode, which ends with the hasty return of the Magi to their country. On the contrary, it is a beginning.

These figures from the East are not the last, but rather the first of the great procession of those who, through all the periods of history, know how to recognize the message of the star, know how to follow the ways indicated by sacred Scripture, and thus are able to encounter him who is apparently weak and fragile, but who instead is able to give the greatest and most profound joy to man's heart.

Manifested in him, in fact, is the wonderful reality that God knows us and is close to us; that his greatness and power are not expressed in the logic of the world, but in the logic of a defenseless child, whose strength is only that of love entrusted to us. In the course of history, there have always been persons illuminated by the light of the star, who find the way and reach him. All of them live, in their own way, the same experience of the Magi.
 
They brought gold, incense and myrrh. They certainly are not gifts that respond to basic and daily needs. At that moment, the Holy Family certainly had need of something other than incense and myrrh, nor could gold be of immediate use to them. However, these gifts have a profound meaning: They are an act of justice.

In fact, according to the mentality prevailing at that time in the East, they represented the recognition of a person as God and king. In other words, they were an act of submission. It meant that from that moment the donors belong to the sovereign and acknowledged his authority. The consequence that followed from it was immediate. The Magi could no longer continue on their way, could no longer return to Herod, could no longer be allied with that powerful and cruel sovereign. They were led forever to the way of the child, which will make them have nothing to do with the great and the powerful of this world and will lead them to him who awaits us among the poor, the way of love that on its own can transform the world.
 
Not only did the Magi embark on that path, but since then something new has begun, a new way has been marked out, a new light has come down to the world which has not gone out. The vision of the prophet is fulfilled. That light can no longer be ignored in the world. Men will move toward that child and will be illuminated by the joy that only he can give. The light of Bethlehem continues to shine in the whole world. St. Augustine reminds all those who receive it: "We also, recognizing in Christ our king and priest who died for us, honor him as if we had offered him gold, incense and myrrh. We only need to give witness to him by taking a different way from that which we have followed" (Sermon 202. "In Epiphania Domini," 3, 4).
 
Hence, if we read together the promise of the prophet Isaiah and its fulfillment in Matthew's Gospel in the great context of all of history, it seems evident that what we are told, and what we try to reproduce in the nativity scene, is not a dream or a vain game of sensations and emotions, deprived of vigor and reality, but rather the Truth that shines in the world, despite Herod always seeming to be the strongest and the Child seeming to be able to be relegated among those who are of no importance, or even disregarded. However, only in that Child is manifested the strength of God, which gathers men of all times, so that under his lordship they follow the way of love, which transfigures the world.

Although the few of Bethlehem have become many, believers in Jesus Christ always seem to be few. Many have seen the star, but few have understood its message. Scripture scholars of Jesus' time knew the word of God perfectly. They were able to say without any difficulty what was to be found in Scripture regarding the place in which the Messiah would be born, but, as St. Augustine says, "as the milestones (that indicate the way), they remained inert and immovable" (Sermo 199. In Epiphania Domini, 1, 2).
 
Hence, we can ask ourselves: What is the reason that some see and others do not? What is it that opens the eyes and heart? What is missing in those who remain indifferent, from those who indicate the way but do not move? We can answer: the excessive certainty in themselves, the pretension of knowing reality perfectly, the presumption of already having formulated a definitive judgment on things, thus making their hearts closed and insensitive to the novelty of God. They are certain of the idea they have of the world and do not let themselves be moved in their deepest being by the adventure of a God who wants to meet them. They place more confidence in themselves than in him, and they do not consider it possible that God, being so great, can make himself small, that he can really come close to us.
 
In the end, what is missing is genuine humility, which is able to submit to what is greater, but also the genuine courage that leads one to believe what is really great, even if it is manifested in a defenseless child.

Lacking is the capacity to be children at heart, to be amazed, and to come out of oneself to undertake the way indicated by the star, the way of God. Nevertheless, the Lord has the power to make us able to see and to save us. Therefore, we want to ask him to give us a wise and innocent heart, which will allow us to see the star of his mercy, which will lead us on his way, to meet him and be inundated by the great light and the true joy that he has brought to this world. Amen.
 
[Translation by ZENIT]

 

 

 

 

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 6, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave today before and after praying the midday Angelus with those gathered in St. Peter's Square.

The Holy Father had just celebrated Mass for the feast of the Epiphany in St. Peter's Basilica.

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Dear brothers and sisters!
 
Today we celebrate the great feast of the Epiphany, the mystery of the Lord's manifestation to all peoples, represented by the Magi, who came from the East to adore the King of the Jews (cf. Matthew 2:1-2). The Evangelist Matthew, who recounts the event, stresses how the Magi arrived in Jerusalem following a star, seen at its rising and interpreted as a sign of the birth of the king proclaimed by the prophets, that is, of the Messiah.

Arriving in Jerusalem, however, the Magi were in need of the indications of the priests and scribes to know exactly the place where they should go, namely, Bethlehem, the city of David (cf. Matthew 2:5-6; Micah 5:1). The star and sacred Scriptures were the two lights that guided the way of the Magi, who appear to us as models of genuine seekers of truth.
 
They were wise men, who scrutinized the stars and knew the history of peoples. They were men of science in a broad sense, who observed the cosmos regarding it almost as a great book full of divine signs and messages for man. Their learning, however, far from making them self-sufficient, was open to further divine revelations and appeals. In fact, they were not ashamed to ask for instructions from the religious leaders of the Jews. They could have said: We can do it alone, we have no need of anyone, avoiding, according to our mentality today, every "contamination" between science and the Word of God.

Instead, the Magi listened to the prophecies and welcomed them and, no sooner were they on the way to Bethlehem, than they again saw the star, almost as a confirmation of the perfect harmony between human seeking and divine Truth, a harmony that filled the hearts of these genuine wise men with joy (cf. Matthew 2:10). The culmination of their search was when they found themselves before "the Child with Mary, his Mother" (Matthew 2:11).

The Gospel says that "prostrating themselves, they adored him." They could have remained disappointed, even scandalized. Instead, as true wise men, they were open to the mystery manifested in a surprising way, and with their symbolic gifts, demonstrated that they recognized in Jesus the King and Son of God. Precisely in that gesture were fulfilled the messianic prophecies that proclaimed the homage of nations to the God of Israel.
 
A final detail confirms, in the Magi, the unity between intelligence and faith: It is the fact that "warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way" (Matthew 2:12). It would have been natural to return to Jerusalem, to Herod's palace and the Temple, to proclaim their discovery. Instead, the Magi, who chose the Child as their sovereign, protected him in concealment, in keeping with Mary's style, or better, with that of God himself. And thus, as they appeared, they disappeared in silence, content, but also changed by the encounter with Truth. They had discovered a new face of God, a new royalty: that of love.

May the Virgin Mary, model of true wisdom, help us to be genuine seekers of the truth of God, capable of living always the profound harmony that exists between reason and faith, science and revelation.

[After the Angelus, the Holy Father added:]
 
I am happy to address my most cordial greeting to the brothers and sisters of the Eastern Churches who tomorrow celebrate Holy Christmas. May the mystery of light be a source of joy and peace for every family and community.
 
Observed on the Solemnity of the Epiphany is Children's Missionary Day, with the motto "Children Help Children." Promoted by the Venerable Pope Pius XII, this initiative educates children to be formed in a mentality open to the world and to be in solidarity with their poorest peers. I greet affectionately all the little missionaries present in the five continents and encourage them to be always witnesses of Jesus and heralds of his Gospel.

[Translation by ZENIT]
 
[He then greeted the people in several languages. In English, the Pope said:]
 
I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for this Angelus. Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Epiphany of our Lord. As the wise men of old followed a star and knelt before the Christ child, we too are called to welcome him who today reveals the loving face of God to the nations. May the example of the wise men encourage us to give our very best to God and to our neighbours. Upon each of you and your loved ones at home, I invoke God's abundant blessings!

 

 

 

 

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 1, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Peace begins when we look at one another as persons, regardless of race, nationality, language or religion, Benedict XVI says. But, he maintains, this is only possible when God dwells in our hearts.

The Holy Father reflected on how to achieve true and lasting peace during his homily today in a Mass at St. Peter's for the feast of Mary, Mother of God. Jan. 1 marks the annual celebration of the World Day of Peace.

"To meditate on the mystery of the face of God and man is a privileged path that leads to peace," the Pope suggested. "This [peace], in fact, begins by looking upon others with respect, recognizing in the face of the other a person, regardless of the color of his skin, his nationality, his language or his religion."

"But," he continued, "who, if not God, can guarantee [that we see] what we could call the 'depth' of the face of the person? In reality, only if we have God in our hearts are we in a condition to detect in the face of others a brother in humanity -- not a means, but an end, not a rival or an enemy, but another 'I,' a facet of the infinite mystery of the human being.

"Our perception of the world and, in particular, of our peers, essentially depends on the presence within us of the Spirit of God.

"It is a type of 'resonance': One who has an empty heart does not perceive anything more than flat images, lacking depth. But, the more we are inhabited by God, the more sensitive we are to his presence in those who surround us -- in all creatures, and especially in other people."

Nevertheless, the Pontiff acknowledged, the "human face, marked by the harshness of life and evil" sometimes struggles to be an "epiphany of God."

"Therefore," he continued, "in order to recognize and respect each other for what we truly are, that is, brothers, it is even more necessary to make reference to the face of a common Father, who loves us all, despite our limits and errors."

Unveiling God's face

Benedict XVI's homily was a reflection on the face of God and the faces of man, which he proposed as a key for understanding the issue of peace in the world.

"The face is the expression of the person, par excellence," he suggested. "It is what makes him recognizable and where he shows sentiments, thoughts and intentions of the heart."

"God," the Holy Father continued, "by nature, is invisible. Nevertheless, the Bible also applies this image to him. [...] The whole of biblical history can be read as a progressive unveiling of the face of God, up to the point of his full revelation in Jesus Christ."

Referring to Mary's title as Mother of God, the Pontiff explained that "the face of God has taken a human face, allowing himself to be seen and recognized in the son of the Virgin Mary."

"She who guarded in her heart the secret of divine maternity was the first to see the face of God made man in the tiny fruit of her womb," he reflected.

"A mother has a very special relationship -- unique and exclusive in every way -- with a newborn," the Pope continued. "The first face that a child sees is that of his mother, and this gaze is decisive for his relationship with life, with himself, with others, with God. It is decisive as well so that he can become a 'child of peace.'"

The Holy Father went on to offer a reflection on the Byzantine icon of the Virgin of Tenderness, which depicts the Child Jesus with his cheek against that of his mother: "The Child looks at the Mother, and she looks at us, almost as if reflecting to what she observes, and praying, the tenderness of God, descended in them from heaven and incarnated in this Son of Man that she carries in her arms.

"But this same icon also shows us in Mary the face of the Church, which reflects upon us and upon the entire world the light of Christ, the Church through which the Good News arrives to every person."

Laughing together

Benedict XVI maintained that it is important to be educated in respect for those who are different starting in childhood.

He renewed his call to "invest in education, establishing the objective -- beyond the necessary transmission of technical-scientific notions -- of a broader and deeper 'ecological responsibility,' based in respect for the person and his fundamental rights and duties."

"Only in this way can a commitment to the environment truly become education in peace and the construction of peace," he contended.

The Holy Father observed that "today it is ever more common to have the experience of classrooms made up of children of various nationalities, though also when this doesn't occur, their faces are a prophecy of the humanity that we are called to form: a family of families and peoples."

These children, he said, "despite their differences, cry and laugh in the same way; they have the same needs; they communicate spontaneously; they play together ..."

"The faces of children are like a reflection of the vision of God for the World," the Pontiff affirmed. "Why then wipe away their smiles? Why poison their hearts?

"Unfortunately, the icon of the Mother of God of Tenderness finds its tragic opposite in the sorrowful images of so many children and their mothers in the claws of war and violence: fugitives, refugees, forced immigrants."

The Bishop of Rome spoke of "faces eroded by hunger and sickness, faces disfigured by pain and desperation." And he declared: "The faces of innocent little ones are a silent call to us to take responsibility: Before their helplessness, all of the false justifications for war and violence come crashing down."

"We should," the Pope affirmed, "simply become designers of peace, lay down every class of weapons and commit ourselves together to building a world more worthy of the person."

A cosmic celebration

Benedict XVI contended that people are capable of respect to the degree that they "carry in their own spirits a full sense of life."

"Otherwise, [the person] will be led to despise himself and what is around him, to lack respect for the environment in which he lives, for that which is created," the Pope cautioned. But, "one who knows how to recognize in the cosmos the reflection of the invisible face of the Creator is led to have greater love for creatures, more sensitivity for their symbolic value."

"There exists, in fact, a very direct link between respect for the person and the safeguarding of creation," he contended. "The duty [to protect] the environment is derived from that to [protect] the person considered in himself and in relation to others."

"If the person is degraded, the environment in which he lives is degraded; if the culture tends to nihilism -- if not in theory, then in practice -- nature cannot fail to pay the consequences," the Holy Father affirmed.

And he reflected that there is a reciprocal influence between the face of the person and the "face" of the environment.

"When human ecology is respected in society," he said, "environmental ecology will also draw out benefits."

Finally, Benedict XVI emphasized that the "coming of God transfigures creation and creates a type of cosmic celebration."

"The celebration of faith becomes a celebration of the person and all that is created," he suggested. "The Church renews this mystery for people of every generation; she shows them the face of God so that, with his blessing, they can walk the path of peace."

 

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