January 3, 2021
The Epiphany of the Lord
“Where is that thing?” mumbled Bob as he searched frantically on his dimly lit desk for the current electric bill. “I know I put it right on top of these papers this morning!” Growing in frustration and bordering on anger, he flies stuff around, moves books and opines why simple tasks need to be so hard. Enter his wife, who calmly says, “Maybe it would help if you put the light on, dear.” The desk light goes on and lo and behold, there is the electric bill right where Bob left it earlier. All it took was a little light!
We stubbornly refuse to turn on the lights! Either we are distracted, determined, disinterested, preoccupied, stubborn, apprehensive, or all of the above. Or perhaps, we fail to do the obvious. We would rather live our lives with the dimmest of lights or even in total darkness. Why are we afraid to do something so that we can actually see? It might help us to find quicker and better answers to problems, the meaning of life, relationships, happiness, and what is ultimate truth. Yet, we stumble along, moving things from one side to the other, getting angry, feeling cheated, being unsettled, resigning ourselves to the agony of defeat once again.
“And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.” The light has come into the world in the person of Jesus Christ! We no longer have to fumble in the darkness. We have been gifted with the illumination we need to see our way through things and find what we really are looking for. All these years later, however, so many are still reluctant to accept him. Perhaps they are unconvinced, disinterested, preoccupied, stubborn, apprehensive, or all of the above. Everyone has their own reason for not wanting to turn on the switch.
But there are so many answers to so many of our problems in this humble Child of Nazareth. A simple birth teaches us about God’s tender wedded relationship with humanity. It speaks to the expanse of God’s salvation across the globe, and the incarnate Divine wonders and blessings that are a part of our life moment to moment. It calls us to understand the design of world order God intended as found in the Beatitudes, the sacredness of every human life and all of creation and the meaning of things we struggle with most, like suffering and death. We have a lot of Good News to share, not just with a privileged few but with all the world. All races and creeds can receive God’s healing word. God continues to manifest himself even now! Use the light to find what you are really looking for!
©LPi
MEDITACIÓN EVANGÉLICO (Gospel Meditation)
3 de enero 2021
La Epifanía del Señor
Hoy celebramos la universalidad del Señor, fiesta conocida como la Epifanía. Celebramos, también la luz de Cristo manifestada en una estrella que guiaba a los Magos de Oriente hasta llegar a su encuentro. “Al entrar en la casa vieron al niño con María su madre; se arrodillaron y le adoraron. Abrieron después sus cofres y le ofrecieron sus regalos de oro, incienso y mirra” (Mateo 2:11). Y, nosotros, ¿Qué podemos ofrecerte en este tiempo difícil que estamos pasando? Solo, nos resta decirte: ¡Señor, que tu estrella nos guie y nos ilumine a ser mejores personas, a integrarnos y ayudarnos en este tiempo tan duro que estamos pasando!
Las lecturas nos hablan cómo la luz, de diferentes maneras, nos orienta y marca el camino, que es Cristo. Jesús brilla en todas las personas de diferentes razas y estatus migratorio. El deseo de Jesús es esparcir su luz a toda persona, esa luz en otras palabras es su gracia, dada también en los Sacramentos. A pesar de todo lo que estamos viviendo actualmente, la invitación estriba en que el corazón palpite y desborde de alegría en el Señor. Muchas han sido nuestras experiencias en este tiempo de pandemia. Los momentos han sido difíciles, pero la luz de Cristo ha brillado de mil formas en medio de la oscuridad. Ni la oscuridad de la enfermedad, de perder a un ser querido, de la falta de trabajo, por mencionar algunos, ha matado la esperanza. Esa esperanza que nos hace ir más allá de nosotros mismos para dar ayuda a quien lo necesita. ¿Qué harás hoy para que la luz de Cristo ilumine la oscuridad de otros?
©LPi