DAILY HOMILIES #Baby Jesus

It was out of love that Jesus opted to feed the multitude. Again, by asking them to sit down in small groups, Jesus taught us the power of small groups as places where we find love. After blessing the bread and fish, Jesus taught another powerful lesson on love by asking them to share. To love is to share; when we share what we have, it multiplies. As the crowd shared the pieces of the five loaves and two fish with love, it multiplied until all ate and were satisfied.

The wise men brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. This is Epiphany, a revelation of Jesus’ identity as KING, PRIEST, AND SAVIOUR of the world. Jesus had not yet begun to talk or walk when this occurred, yet it is clear to the world that He is God in human flesh. He rules as King with gold, sanctifies as a Priest with incense (which we still use today at Mass), and as Saviour of mankind. Jesus’ body was preserved with myrrh when he offered his life for our salvation.

Today’s feast is like a second Christmas, but slightly different. While we celebrated the birth of the baby Jesus on the 25th of December, we are celebrating today the realisation that God was born in human flesh. Today, we celebrate the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah as contained in our first reading: “Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” (Isaiah 60:3).

Herod’s action casts a dark shadow on Christmas. It raises many questions about God's power in failing to protect these innocent children, but it also reflects our human nature. The book of Jeremiah says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately corrupt; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Herod’s action shows the darkness of humanity in need of salvation. It explains what could have become of the world if God had not taken our flesh.

Repent. Let others shine. What belongs to you can never pass you by. Pulling others down, defaming people’s character, or blackmailing just to look good will not get you far.

There is a Herod that lives in us; it is called our “ego”. It wants to reign, to be number one, to pull others down. It wants to be worshipped by all means. It is ready to eliminate, to kill and destroy others so long as it advances our self-interest. How often have you felt threatened by the success of others to the extent of that you find yourself speaking ill of them, spreading false tales and even trying to eliminate them?

Today, there are many Christians who literally throw caution to the wind in the name of celebrating Christmas. By so doing and without realizing it, many of us actually celebrate the devil more than we celebrate Jesus Christ during Christmas. Let me ask, where are you planning to go and catch fun today? And why do you feel Christmas is empty without this “fun”?