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Spirituality of the Readings
The Epiphany of the Lord
January 8, 2023
John Foley, SJ

King

The Wise Men, or “Magi,” cross into one more kingdom in their long journey.

Courteously they visit the monarch of that kingdom, not knowing he was the infamous Herod, whom they could have avoided. I suppose every amenity took place: formal welcome, diplomatic over-do, huge meals, fine drinks. Such excesses had to take place even in a commonplace kingdom.

Finally, when the moment arrives, they pose their question. “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have read the signs and know of his birth.” They trust Herod for truth, since, obviously, this infant will be the next in line from Herod.

What seems to them like a sincere question strikes terror into the Herodian heart. He maintains his diplomatic balance, temporizing, but with a promise to find the answer. He skillfully ends the meeting for that night. But, within him are the words, Newborn King? NO, NO, NO! I AM THE KING! My lineage is the answer to this menacing child. Herod’s insides shout for him to do something!

“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?" What seems to them like a sincere question strikes terror into the Herodian heart.

Do something!

He goes to the chief priests and scribes and charms them with what he presents as an idle interest, an “honest” question. Do you experts, busy studying day and night, do you know anything about the predicted Messiah figure we used to hope for? I wonder, if he were to be born today, where that would be?

“In Bethlehem of Judea, ”they respond, where the great King David was born. These experts know the scriptures well, as Herod does not. This Messiah will be David’s successor, shepherd of the people Israel, fulfillment of everything the Hebrew people had awaited for centuries.

The Herodian head swirls. At last he forms a plan. Find him and kill him.

Herod will designate the town for these Magi and they will search out and find the baby!

He makes his way across the halls and utters the words, “Bethlehem is the place! The child is in Bethlehem! All you have to do is find him. Oh, and of course, let me know where he is. Why? So that I too may do him homage.”

The homage Herod has in mind is death. His lust for power will banish the command of love in order for him to stay in control. He is most willing to compete directly even with God and with the newborn Christ. Notice, he is accepting the same deal Satan will offer to Jesus in the desert thirty years later. That offer was, "you can control the whole world if you will only fall down and worship me. Help me defeat God.” Satan too was a power-monger.

The funny thing is that, for Jesus, “power” is not at all the same thing Herod and Satan are grabbing for. For their part they want to become bigger and bigger, to stretch beyond infinity. His goal is to become less and less, to become transparent, just as love is.

Heavy selfish greed is being offered, but it cannot demolish this heavenly plan. It surely can seem to. To Herod it certainly seems to.

The child’s weakness shows what God has in mind as an answer to evil: tender, unfearing openness to love.

In our sinfulness, we scoff at such a plan. Mary, Joseph, and Jesus will never win, will they? Evil will triumph in the end, won’t it? The cross will do what Herod could not, but that Satan could.

Will it?

Maybe Christmas is our down-payment on the cross!

John Foley, SJ

Father Foley can be reached at:
Fr. John Foley, SJ

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Fr. John Foley, SJ, is a composer and scholar at Saint Louis University.


Art by Martin Erspamer, OSB
from Religious Clip Art for the Liturgical Year (A, B, and C). This art may be reproduced only by parishes who purchase the collection in book or CD-ROM form. For more information go http://www.ltp.org

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