THE story is told about a new kid on the block who ran into an argument with three boys twice his size. You know what he did? He drew a line in the dirt, and to the amazement of the crowd that gathered, dared the three to cross over. When the three did, the little boy just smiled and said: “Good. Now you’re on my side!”
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In today’s Gospel (Mt. 2, 1-12), we hear of the Epiphany, the “revelation” of the Baby Jesus to the Gentiles represented by the Magi from the East. From the very start, God has always been a God who “crossed over,” a God who reached out to the world and revealed Himself, a revelation that reached its peak when He sent His only Son into the world out of love.
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Message sent, message received. Epiphany is not a one-way process. It must be received and responded to. We too must “search diligently for the child.” God continues to send out His message and His love, but if we do not listen, do not respond, then Epiphany is not complete.
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Epiphany is ongoing. The Magi were led by the star to the house where they saw the Child and did Him homage. But it did not end there. They left the place, and went back to their own country, and themselves became guiding stars for others so that they too will get to know and respond to the story about a God who got involved in our world. And the story goes on, told and re-told in this our present day and age. Are you a part of the story? Or are you just a passive listener and bystander? Wanted: Men and women of goodwill who make the WORD known again and again, disciples who are willing to “cross over” to tell the world of His love. Yes, witnesses of the WORD, to the world!
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It’s a new year, and hopefully a new start for all of us. Yes, let us start again, leaving behind all the baggage that prevents us from becoming better persons, a better nation and a better world. We must let go of greed which corrupts us and imprisons us. There can be no real revelation as long as there are people who not only hide, but even persecute the truth. Remember, without the truth, there can be no real moving on.
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The Magi encountered the child, and they went back to their country by another way. It is my special prayer that our leaders really encounter God, and change their ways. They did not report back to King Herod. Praying that we turn our backs on our “King Herods” and follow Christ our King instead. Think about it: The kings and queens whom you serve in this life—are they worth working for? Are they worth dying for?
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In line with the centennial celebrations of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) in the Philippines, we will be including regularly in our column “Philippine SVD Centennial Moments” to highlight personalities and events to make us remember, rejoice and renew our commitment to make the Divine Word incarnate and alive in our midst.
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Fr. Luis Beckert, SVD and Fr. John Scheiermann, SVD, both from Germany, were the first Divine Word Missionaries who arrived in the Philippines on Aug. 15, 1909, Feast of the Assumption. On Aug. 19, they departed for Vigan, and on Aug. 22, they arrived in Bangued, Abra, on a bamboo raft. Imagine the sacrifices of these two young pioneers, traveling on horseback in their black woolen cassocks, braving deprivation, loneliness and even persecution. Barely five months later, Father Scheiermann was downed with typhoid fever and died on Jan. 4, 1910. Until 1911, Father Luis had to survive alone in Cagutungan, Pilar, Abra to carry on the mission. He himself died on Nov. 4, 1913, willingly submitting prior to that to an operation that lasted one and a half hours without anesthesia. He always wore a cross around his neck, offering it all to Him, His Lord and Savior. “Unless the grain of wheat fall to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (John 12, 24)
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The late Fr. Leonardo Estioko, SVD, writes about the living conditions of our first two missionaries in Cagutungan, which is now San Isidro, that used to be a part of Pilar, Abra: “The two missionaries were left all alone in a rented bamboo house. The church was in a lamentable condition, nothing but a dilapidated shed with a grass roof. No doubt, it was a rough and hard beginning. In spite of that, the two fathers were filled with a truly missionary optimism. During their first months they had to learn Ilocano which they did not find too difficult to master.”
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By the way, the Philippine SVD Mission was one of the last mission territories that was personally approved and accepted by SVD Founder Arnold Janssen, who was canonized in October 2003. His favorite prayer was: “May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the Light of the WORD, and the Spirit of Grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all. Amen.”
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A moment with the Lord:
Lord, let Epiphany continue to happen to me and through me. Amen.
