Two competing worldviews in the Feast of Epiphany and in that Gospel. One worldview
would say that the great players of the world are the Herods, the Caesar
Augustuses. They're the real movers and the shakers of the world. But another
worldview would say that the real people who influence the world most are the
saints, the real players of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. It's those who strive to live
God's kingdom on earth, bring the moral order into the
universe.
And they say this, that there's a secondary, Pope John Paul II said that
there's a secondary history of the world, and that secondary history of the world
is written by men and accomplished by men. But he said the primary history of
the world is written by God and accomplished by God. The primary history
of the world is the history of God's grace in the world. So the first
we would say that the false view is that, you know, the politicians, the
Herods who think wealth and power are the most important thing. It's the economy
stupid. That's the idea of the first worldview. But again, like the true
history of the world is that those who strive, you know, to bring God's order
down to earth.
God's moral order into the universe. They're the real movers and the shakers, the saints.
It's not the politicians. And so in the gospel, we have the Magi and Herod. And Magi are ready
to leave behind respectability. They're often thought to be kings, the three kings, and
they leave it behind.
They leave behind their power, their respectability, and they come to bow down
before this king of kings. The title king of kings, Lord and Lords, is not mere
poetry, but it really means that every nation is subject to God's law. Every law
that we write should be a reflection of God's law in this world. And so the Magi seek this
alignment between God and His own people. So the Magi and Herod, they're the first
Between heaven and earth.
His kingdom.
Come down to earth.
Thy kingdom come.
As our Lord taught us.
And our richest efforts.
Are not to be given.
To the political order.
So much as to that moral order.
That deeper story.
To get up and follow the star.
The light of faith.
The tug of Christ.
That leads us to God.
Not the passing affairs of the world.
But that deeper story.
Like we say.
Even the.
The constitution.
Bows with the magi.
The declaration of independence.
Of our country.
Bows with the magi.
It says all men.
Are endowed by their creator.
With certain rights.
Among these the right to life.
Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Human laws.
Reflect God's laws.
Recognizing it's God who gives rights.
It's God who institutes.
Who makes institutions.
So the state does not give us.
The right to life.
As the constitution acknowledges.
It's given to us by God.
And so we live in a nation.
Founded on that principle.
That we're subject to a law.
Higher than our own laws.
Human laws.
Like Alexis de Tocqueville said.
That America is great.
Because America is good.
If America ceases to be good.
She will cease to be great.
So that.
That goodness means.
Living the moral order.
America is great.
Because America is good.
Because we seek.
Hopefully.
To live that moral order.
Herod on the other hand.
Refuses to.
Acknowledge any law.
Higher than his own law.
He refuses to acknowledge.
Any authority.
Greater than himself.
We say another example.
Like the state did not create marriage.
God created marriage.
As the permanent union.
Of a man and a woman.
And the state can only bow down.
Before that truth.
Or refuse to acknowledge it.
It can recognize.
That it's.
Subject to a higher law.
Than itself.
Or like Herod.
Choose not to reflect.
God's law.
And it's law.
Again Herod refused to acknowledge.
Anyone greater than himself.
The Magi on the other hand.
Fall down in adoration.
Before God.
That bowing of.
Themselves.
Is a symbol of bowing our wills to God.
Like.
The Magi.
Father John Hardin says.
That the highest form of adoration.
Is sacrifice.
And the highest form of sacrifice.
Is self-sacrifice.
And the highest form of self-sacrifice.
Is to sacrifice one's own will.
So to conform our wills.
To God's will.
To bow down our minds.
Our hearts.
Our wills to him.
To surrender to his truth.
Is the highest form of adoration.
And that's what the Magi.
Teach us.
The Magi are kings.
Who leave their countries.
To acknowledge the kingship of God.
And then they return to their countries.
To reflect that.
In their nations.
Back to today's gospel.
The Magi.
Enter the radar.
Of King Herod.
And they seek.
A newborn king.
Now Herod thinks.
This is a rival.
And under the pretense of piety.
He plots the murder.
Of this newborn king.
So he.
Calls the Magi to get the time.
And place coordinates.
When will this happen.
And where will it happen.
The stars in sacred scripture.
Are like the GPS system.
In the gospel today.
And.
Like we say.
These two visions.
Of life.
Herod does not seek.
The alignment of heaven and earth.
And.
Herod always.
The Herods of this world.
Always seek to oppose.
The ways of God.
To obstruct.
To persecute.
Magi.
Those who.
Seek to live the truth.
The Magi see with spiritual eyes.
And they expect opposition.
But they're overjoyed.
At seeing the star.
And.
That's the joy.
For which we were made.
And their response.
Is self-giving.
In the face of God's greatest gift.
The incarnation.
They prostrate themselves.
Herod on the other hand.
Is a hoarder.
He wants to have.
He wants to maintain.
Again.
The Magi.
They bow down.
They bring gifts of gold.
Because Jesus Christ is a king.
Actually the king of all kings.
For all time.
They bring him frankincense.
Because he's God.
And they bring him myrrh.
Because he's destined to die.
For the sins of the world.
And so too.
When we surrender to God.
When we follow that star.
Ultimately we too become.
Givers of gifts.
And the last line of the gospel says.
That the Magi went back to their own country.
By another route.
Fulton Sheen says of course.
No one ever comes to Christ.
And returns the same way that they came.
So we pray that this feast.
Of the epiphany.
Will transform us.
To follow more and more.
The light of the star.
And to surrender.
To that higher order.
And to find the peace.
The joy that God.
Intends for us.