Epiphany 2020 January 5, 2020
Fr. Albert St. John the Evangelist, Jeanerette
Isn’t this gospel adventurous? Three kings from foreign lands who come to recognize the true king of Israel, all while undermining the false king Herod. A royal story that’s inspired many songs and poems. It’s fascinating to me that, in a society founded on equality and democracy, we are so attracted to the idea of kingship, of royalty. How many parents call their daughter “princess?” How many of our favorite movies and books are about kings and queens – stories like Frozen and Lion King. Doesn’t this fascination run against our goal of a fair society? Of a world where anyone can be anything? Royalty typically means wealth and power and privilege. Even worse, it’s not something you can earn; It’s inherited. How can that fit with the American ideal of equality?
And then there’s Christianity. Jesus constantly emphasized humility and love for the least among us. So why does his life on earth begin with this rather exclusive idea that royalty has to be inherited? Scripture makes it very clear that Jesus is not just God’s son, but also the direct heir to King David, that he has a claim to the throne because of who he is related to. King Herod, however, is not even fully Jewish. He is worried about his power because he knows he does not have the proper ancestry. That’s why he’s so threatened by this proclamation of the true king.
Yet this dynamic was willed by God. So, how is this idea of royalty and superiority compatible with the equality and dignity of every human person as created in the image of God? Well, because everyone gets to be royalty. At least, if they accept Christ and Baptism, they do. What’s great about this festival, this celebration of Epiphany is what it tells us about Jesus and about his desire to make all humanity coheirs, sharers in the royal dignity he has.
First, the fact that these pagan wise men from a foreign country come to adore him tells us that Jesus means for every nation to find salvation. Until now, God’s primary concern had been with the Jewish people. If you weren’t born into this chosen race, it was very difficult for you get access to the covenant and the promises it brings. This feast is called Epiphany because the world now has the epiphany, the revelation that God intends salvation to be universal, accessible to all.
Then there are the gifts that these wise men bring: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These point us mystically to the mission of Jesus Christ. Gold points to his kingship, his royalty. Frankincense, as the name implies, is a kind of incense. In the ancient world and still today, incense is used in sacred worship, symbolic of sacrifices and prayers rising up to God. This points us to the fact that Christ is the true priest. Myrrh had many uses. One of them was to anoint wounds and treat pain. On the cross Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh. So, receiving this gift as a child is a foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. As the true high priest, the sacrifice he offers is himself.
Now, Jesus doesn’t need any of these gifts to be King, Priest, and Sacrifice. They contribute to that mission, but they aren’t required. They are, in a sense, the way the wise men can recognize and participate Christ’s royal and priestly sacrifice. As representatives of the whole non-Jewish world, the mystical meaning of these Magi and their gifts is that the whole world is called to approach Christ, to recognize him as king and priest, and to unite themselves to his royal sacrifice on the Cross. All of humanity has the chance to participate in this dignity.
Which brings us back to our question about equality and royalty. Why do people in a supposedly egalitarian society love royalty so much? Because it is written into the way human beings are meant to work. We are meant to love and serve God, so we naturally seek a king, a leader, someone to whom we can pledge our loyalty, our obedience, our love. It truly must be God above all, but as with all things, God works through others too. So, we’ve always organized ourselves around some concept of leadership, some tangible expression of the invisible loyalty that ultimately belongs to God.
The problem is not that we seek out kings and queens, but that our sinful habits twist them into something they’re not meant to be. King Herod violently guarding his power is the perfect example. Though he felt threatened by Jesus, Jesus never had any intention of dethroning him. Later on, when crowds of people are on the verge of declaring him king, he escapes them and hides. He does not seek the perverted, worldly idea of royalty, the idea of power and domination and superiority.
No, Jesus is the one true king precisely because he uses that power to serve, to forgive, to sacrifice. Only a king has the authority necessary to direct his people away from disaster and sin. Only a king has the right, after his laws have been broken, to forgive the offender of their sin. Only a king has the ability to represent all of his people when he offers himself as a sacrifice for their good. Jesus Christ does just this. And while it’s true that royalty is passed down a bloodline, Christ inherits that bloodline precisely so he can open it up to others. By the power of baptism, every Christian is incorporated into the blood of Christ, into the royal family. By faith, every Christian has a share in Christ’s kingship.
So, claim your royal dignity. Do not fret about temporary rulers and political struggles because your dignity is beyond that. You have the ability to inherit so much more. Wealth, power, and luxury beyond anything this world can offer. The wealth of generosity and love, the power to forgive, the luxury of joy and peace. To claim this heritage though, you must first recognize the king and come to him. Like the Magi, pay careful attention to what God is doing in the world. Study the scriptures. Listen to the Holy Spirit as you read the signs of the times. Strive to always bring Christ the best of your life, the gold of letting him rule your life, the frankincense of prayer and the sacraments, the myrrh of death to sin and sacrificing pleasure for the good of someone else.
This is the story of how Christ became king, but, if you follow it closely, it can also be the story of how you become king. And who wouldn’t want that?