GOSPEL COMMENTARY JAN. 8, MT 2:1-12
Today on the solemnity of the Epiphany, we hear of an extraordinary event. Magi were drawn from the East to make a journey to Christ the newborn king of the Jews. Curious minds might ask: what drew them to make that journey? We know that God drew the shepherds to the manger by sending an angel to them. But how did he draw the Magi from so far away? They say, “We saw his star at its rising.” But let’s say you see a star in the sky. How do you know what it means? How do you know where to go? And what made them want to see the newborn king of the Jews? Why was this so significant for them?
We might need to start looking about 500 or 600 years before the time of Christ to get a fuller picture of how God arranged this visit. That’s around the time when Jerusalem was besieged and the Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. The Babylonians had a particular strategy for dealing with the peoples they conquered. In order to bring them into subjugation, they wanted to crush any sense of their national identity. To do this, they would take the best and the brightest of the peoples they conquered away from their homelands and bring them to Babylon and educate (or indoctrinate) them there. They thought their advanced culture and science would be attractive and rub off on all these peoples, wiping away their sense of national identity and assimilating them into the Babylonian Empire. So, when the Jews were conquered, they too were deported to Babylon.
The Babylonians were conquered eventually by the Persians, and the Jews were allowed to return home to Jerusalem. But not all the Jews returned to the Holy Land. Some stayed in Babylonia (modern day Iraq). And their presence and faithful witness in a foreign land served as a light to the Gentiles through the centuries.
Now fast forward 500 years to the time of Christ. The Magi were some of the most educated men of their time. Their profession was to study the stars and try to make sense of things based on what they observed in the sky. As one theory goes, there was an astronomical event at the time of Christ’s birth involving the alignment of different planets and stars in just the right way so as to appear as an especially bright star. And this star was pointing to the constellation Leo. It’s possible that these particular Magi had contact with faithful Jews living in Babylon, still holding firm to their Messianic hope. And it’s possible that these Jews shared with them a prophecy from Genesis 49, which says, “Judah is a lion’s whelp,” and “The scepter shall not depart from Judah.” Thus, the constellation Leo, a lion, had come to be associated with the tribe of Judah. This is one way the Magi might have known what the star meant, and how they knew to go to Judah.
They didn’t know where exactly to go in Judah. But the natural place to go is Judah’s capital city of Jerusalem. And this is where we find them in the Gospel today. There, they ask Herod where the newborn king of the Jews is. He doesn’t know, so he consults the chief priests and scribes. Since they know the Scriptures well, they are able to recall the prophecy that says that the Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem of Judea.
And now, the Gospel tells us, “And behold, the star … ” They see the star again. And this time, it doesn’t just lead them to a general area; it leads them to the very place where the child was. They can at last worship this newborn king as their hearts have desired.
What a long journey. On this feast day, we can marvel at the great lengths God went through to arrange this meeting. Yes, the Magi went through great lengths to search for this newborn king. But even more, God went through great lengths to draw them and to arrange for them to find their way. More than 500 years of planning went into this meeting. In fact, God had it in mind for all eternity.
Isn’t this what the Christmas season is about? God has gone through such great lengths to show us his love, even taking on our nature, being born as an infant in a manger. And he has done this not just to meet a few Magi. He desires all people to know and love him, and he continues to draw people mysteriously to himself. Even before we have searched for him, he has already been searching for us. How can we not be convinced of his love?
Fr. Oetjen is studying canon law at Catholic University in Washington, with residence at St. Agnes Church in Arlington.
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GOSPEL COMMENTARY JAN. 8, MT 2:1-12
Today on the solemnity of the Epiphany, we hear of an extraordinary event. Magi were drawn from the East to make a journey to Christ the newborn king of the Jews. Curious minds might ask: what drew them to make that journey? We know that God drew the shepherds to the manger by sending an angel to them. But how did he draw the Magi from so far away? They say, “We saw his star at its rising.” But let’s say you see a star in the sky. How do you know what it means? How do you know where to go? And what made them want to see the newborn king of the Jews? Why was this so significant for them?
We might need to start looking about 500 or 600 years before the time of Christ to get a fuller picture of how God arranged this visit. That’s around the time when Jerusalem was besieged and the Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. The Babylonians had a particular strategy for dealing with the peoples they conquered. In order to bring them into subjugation, they wanted to crush any sense of their national identity. To do this, they would take the best and the brightest of the peoples they conquered away from their homelands and bring them to Babylon and educate (or indoctrinate) them there. They thought their advanced culture and science would be attractive and rub off on all these peoples, wiping away their sense of national identity and assimilating them into the Babylonian Empire. So, when the Jews were conquered, they too were deported to Babylon.
The Babylonians were conquered eventually by the Persians, and the Jews were allowed to return home to Jerusalem. But not all the Jews returned to the Holy Land. Some stayed in Babylonia (modern day Iraq). And their presence and faithful witness in a foreign land served as a light to the Gentiles through the centuries.
Now fast forward 500 years to the time of Christ. The Magi were some of the most educated men of their time. Their profession was to study the stars and try to make sense of things based on what they observed in the sky. As one theory goes, there was an astronomical event at the time of Christ’s birth involving the alignment of different planets and stars in just the right way so as to appear as an especially bright star. And this star was pointing to the constellation Leo. It’s possible that these particular Magi had contact with faithful Jews living in Babylon, still holding firm to their Messianic hope. And it’s possible that these Jews shared with them a prophecy from Genesis 49, which says, “Judah is a lion’s whelp,” and “The scepter shall not depart from Judah.” Thus, the constellation Leo, a lion, had come to be associated with the tribe of Judah. This is one way the Magi might have known what the star meant, and how they knew to go to Judah.
They didn’t know where exactly to go in Judah. But the natural place to go is Judah’s capital city of Jerusalem. And this is where we find them in the Gospel today. There, they ask Herod where the newborn king of the Jews is. He doesn’t know, so he consults the chief priests and scribes. Since they know the Scriptures well, they are able to recall the prophecy that says that the Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem of Judea.
And now, the Gospel tells us, “And behold, the star … ” They see the star again. And this time, it doesn’t just lead them to a general area; it leads them to the very place where the child was. They can at last worship this newborn king as their hearts have desired.
What a long journey. On this feast day, we can marvel at the great lengths God went through to arrange this meeting. Yes, the Magi went through great lengths to search for this newborn king. But even more, God went through great lengths to draw them and to arrange for them to find their way. More than 500 years of planning went into this meeting. In fact, God had it in mind for all eternity.
Isn’t this what the Christmas season is about? God has gone through such great lengths to show us his love, even taking on our nature, being born as an infant in a manger. And he has done this not just to meet a few Magi. He desires all people to know and love him, and he continues to draw people mysteriously to himself. Even before we have searched for him, he has already been searching for us. How can we not be convinced of his love?
Fr. Oetjen is studying canon law at Catholic University in Washington, with residence at St. Agnes Church in Arlington.
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