We Are Called!

Blessed are those who have been called! And, we Are Called! This is a
powerful message found in the scripture readings of this Sunday (the 3rd
Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A).

This Sunday, the 3^rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A, the scripture readings (Isaiah 8:23-9:3; 1 Corinthians 10-13, 17; Matthew 4:12-23) come with a two-fold theme: Calling and Unity. Calling is emphasized in the Gospel reading, echoing the first reading, while unity is emphasized in the second reading. In a way, we are called to bring unity, which is one of Christ’s ultimate missions. 

It is sin, an influence of demon, which literally means “divider” ( stemming from the Greek word, “δαίω”(daio)). So, what demons (devil, Satan) doe is to divide us and separate us from God and disperse us, like sheep scattered without a shepherd. That’s what our sins do, not helping God but only helping demons. Divisions have been a problem ever since Adam and Eve had committed Original Sin, losing the Paradise. Ever since the division wedged in between God and the humans, resulting in the eviction of Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden, the humans have been suffering from consequences of sins. Stories in the Old Testament describe the struggles with sins over many generations before the arrival of Jesus. 

In response to sins of the humans, suffering of divisions, God sent many prophets to help the humans repent and turn back to God. Yet, even repented and returned to God, the humans drifted away from God soon, until facing another judgement by God. So, finally, God decided to send Godself, to the humans. And, that’s how God came into this world in the human flesh, as Jesus the Christ. His mission to incarnate in the Son, Jesus the Christ, is, of course, to shepherd us back to Him through penance, through Jesus the Christ, for the restoration of the God-human unity. This  unity to be achieved is, indeed, salvation. The world salvation comes from the Latin word, “salus”, which means “safety”, “welfare”,  “health”. Figuratively, salvation indicates the fullness – the state in which nothing is lacking or separated. So, you can get an image of the fullness and unity – everything is all together – in salvation. 

God bring us back to the fullness and unity of salvation, where there is true safety and wellness, while God’s enemy, demons try to put divisions not only among us but also between God and the humans, through our sins, tapping into our weaknesses. 

With this mission-oriented message of this Sunday’s scripture readings, let’s also review the readings in light of liturgical calendar spectrum since its beginning with Advent through Christmastide, which ended with the 1^st Sunday of Advent, in commemorating the Baptism of Jesus. Let’s also look into the theme of “calling” not only in light of the first reading but also the historical context, as well.

If you follow the Sunday Gospel readings since the beginning of this liturgical year (Advent), calling makes sense at this point in the liturgical calendar.  Because it is about time that Jesus starts calling for collaborators of his ministry, as he was already commissioned through his own baptism (Gospel reading theme for the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, Matthew 3:13-17), and as his identity, as the Lamb of God, was identified (Gospel reading theme for the 2^nd Sunday of Ordinary Time, John 1:29-34). 

In case you have wondered, if I have forgotten to mention the 1^st Sunday of Ordinary Time, please know that the 1^st Sunday of Ordinary Time coincides with the feast Sunday of the Baptism of the Lord, because this feast Sunday is the Sunday after the feast of Epiphany, which marks the end of Christmastide (the 12 days of Christmas).  As I mentioned in my previous blog entry, the Roman Rite, since 1970, has extended the Christmastide until the feast Sunday of the Baptism of the Lord (the 1^st Sunday of Ordinary Time). 

Following Jesus’ life span, we understand that, through his baptism, Jesus became ready to take action on his own calling, embarking on the salvific ministry the Father in heaven has commissioned to him. To indicate the commissioning, the Father opened the heaven and sent the Holy Spirit upon His beloved Son, Jesus (Matthew 3:16) and claiming that Jesus is His beloved and expressing His joy in commissioning to execute His salvific plan (Matthew 3:17). Reading this on the feast Sunday of the Baptism of the Lord , we read John the Baptist’s identification of Jesus as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29) last Sunday (the 2^nd Sunday of Ordinary Time).

In a way, this Sunday’s first reading invokes an anticipatory sense of Advent. In the first reading, Prophet Isaiah says that a great new light will be seen by the people who walk in darkness, poetically and metaphorically prophesizing the coming of the Messiah in the areas where darkness was for more than 600 years after the Assyrian invasion – the land of Zubulun and the land of Naphtali.

Though we are no longer in Christmas mode now, it is helpful to approach this Sunday’s scripture readings theme in the spectrum from Advent through Christmastide. 

When the new liturgical year (Year A)  started with Advent, spending four Sundays, following the Christ the King week, which ended the previous liturgical year (Year C), we prepared for the coming of Christ, the Messiah, saying “Maranatha!”, and repenting our sins, as inspired by John the Baptist.

For the first three Sundays, the Advent Gospel readings were about how John the Baptist was anticipating the coming of Christ, as we prepared his arrival. On the fourth Sunday of Advent, the Gospel reading’s focus shifted more on Jesus in relation to Mary and Joseph, rather than inn relation to John the Baptist, as it was about how Mary conceived Jesus and how Joseph at first struggled with Mary being pregnant before their nuptial union, to signal that the arrival of the Messiah is very near.

And, indeed, the Nativity of the Lord, Christmas, comes during the week of the 4^th Sunday of Advent, affirming a theme of the 4^th Sunday of Advent Gospel reading: a coming of the Lord is very near!

Jesus is the light (John 8:12). And, it was dark when he came into this world – out of Mary’s womb in the cold stable near Bethlehem. Besides the darkness of dawn, it was the spiritual and moral darkness that plagued Jerusalem and the entire Judea, the great new light broke into, when Jesus was born. Of course, the great new light is Jesus the Christ. 

Now, with this review of the scriptural themes from Advent to Christmas – how we have longed for the great new light, the Messiah, in the spiritual and moral darkness, saying “Maranatha” and repenting, we can better appreciate how the first reading (Isaiah 8:23-9:3) supports the Gospel reading (Matthew 4:12-23). 

So, the first reading begins with the tone of darkness, as it opens with these words: First the Lord degraded the land of Zubulun and the land of Naphtali. The land of Zubulun and the land of Naphtali were originally given to the 6^th son of Jacob (Israel), Naphtali, while the land of Zubulun was given to the 10^th son of Jacob. But, these lands suffered greatly due to the Assyrian attacks more than 700 years before the birth of Christ. The Israelites living in these lands were deported far into the Assyrian Empire and became wondering people. These tragic invasions and deportations took place more than 100 years before the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem. Biblically, these events are considered as God’s judgements upon unrepentant Israelites’ sinfulness and defilement. 

By the time Jesus was born, the Assyrians were long gone, the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali had never been to the level of prosperity that Jacob, who gave these lands to Zebulun and Naphtali, suffering from the Assyrian assaults. 

On the banks of the Jordan River, John the Baptist preached to repent in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Now, after his baptism (Matthew 3:13-17) in the Jordan River, having been tested by Satan in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11), and upon John the Baptist’s arrest by King Herod (Matthew 4:12), Jesus came to a small fishing town by the Sea of Galilee, Capernum, to preach to repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand (Matthew 4:13-17). The Luke’s Gospel also describes that Jesus went to  Nazareth in the land of Zebulun to preach out of the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah (believed to be Isaiah 61:1-2 on the Messiah) in the synagogue but was furiously rejected by the people there , following his baptism and desert experience (Luke 4:14-30). Then, Jesus went to Capernum in the land of Naphtali on Sabbath, teaching, driving out evil spirit, and surprising the people there (Luke 4:31-37).

So, the Advent was to anticipate the coming of the Messiah, preparing for his arrival, with John the Baptist’s advice of penance. This anticipatory sense near the coming of Jesus to this world (Advent theme) has been echoed in the Gospel readings for the fest Sunday of the Baptism of the Lord (Matthew 3:13-17) and the first reading for the 3^rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Isaiah 8:23-9:3), as Jesus is coming to the Jordan River for his own baptism to begin his salvific ministry from the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. What used to be these lands of Jacobs’s sons, Zebulun and Naphtali, become the region of Galilee, at the time of Jesus.  

Until Jesus was baptized and began his ministry, it was when baptism by water was only mean for penitential cleansing. 

Following the Advent weeks of anticipating, on the first day of Christmastide (the 12 days of Christmas), the Messiah, whom we were waiting for, finally came in Bethlehem of the land of Judah, south of the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali. This is how the light first appeared, witnessed by shepherd, who saw the bright star, on Christmas morning and later witnessed by the Magi on Epiphany, who were led by the star to find Jesus. Basically, after spending some time in Egypt for safety from King Herod’s massacre of male babies, Jesus grew up in Nazareth in the land of Zebulun rather quietly, during the period reflected in the rest of the Christmastide Gospel readings. 

Then, when he was about 30, he came to the Jordan River, where his cousin, John the Baptist was baptizing many for repentance, and was baptized, not because he had sin but to be commissioned to begin his ministry – to bring the fresh new light to the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, beginning to reveal his Messianic identity, as the Lamb of God, through his teaching and actions. So, these the themes for the Gospel readings for the Baptism of the Lord Sunday and the 2^nd Sunday of Ordinary time to prepare us to the 3^rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Gospel reading. 

And, this is the historical and social background behind Jesus’ arrival to these lands in the Gospel narrative for the 3^rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (Matthew 4:12-23).

To look at this background of the 3^rd Sunday of Ordinary Time with the Advent-Christmastide spectrum, the light, Jesus, first appeared in Bethlehem of the land of Judah, the 4^th son of Jacob. The land of Judah is located in the south of the land of Zebulun and in the land of Naphtali, as Bethlehem is south of Nazareth and Capernum. This was Christmas, the very first day of the Christmastide (the 12 days of Christmas).

Nazareth, where Jesus grew up with Mary and Joseph, after being born in Nazareth and returned from Egypt to avoid King Herod’s massacre, is in the land of Naphtali, and Capernum, where Jesus begins his public ministry by calling Peter, Andrew, James and John, to follow him. And, upon recruiting his Apostles, Jesus will also return to Nazareth to preach and to be rejected.  So, this is the setting of the 3^rd Sunday Gospel story.

It helps us to understand this historical and social background for this Sunday’s Gospel story, in connection with the First reading, as well as the Advent-Christmastide spectrum. This way, we can really appreciate many historical and social, as well as metaphorical factors, behind this Sunday’s scripture readings. 

Now, it is also important to reflect the scripture readings themes upon our own life circumstances.

There is a very powerful message from this Sunday’s scripture readings to put on us: We are also called to follow Jesus, just as Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John in the land of Naphtali, to start bringing the light from Galilee, which was the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, moving southward, into the land of Judah, to Jerusalem.  Toward Easter, we will follow Jesus’ journey with his disciples from Galilee to Jerusalem. 

Again, we are called, just as Jesus’ disciples, such as Peter, Andrew, James and John, were called in Galilee.  

What have we been called for by our commander, Jesus? 

One sure thing is for unity, which Paul, whom Jesus called to serve him in a very unique way, different from the way he called the Twelve Apostles.  So, some of us may find Jesus’ calling very unconventional ways. 

Whatever the way Jesus is calling, we must pay attention to what he is calling us for and follow him by following his commands. 

The most important command of Jesus is to love, and to love is to saw seeds of unity, which leads to salvation – the safety and welfare in the fullness, like the state where all sheep are in with the shepherd, being in full light.

いのちの二面性 ー 仏教的にみたいのちの意義深さとありがたさ

久しぶりに日本語でのブログです。いのちについてです。

近年の日本、バブルによって物を大切にしなくなっただけでなく、ついには、いのちまでも粗末にするようになった感じがして、懸念されます。そこで、改めて、いのちについてちょっと思索してみたいと思います。

浄土真宗、大谷派、東本願寺、の新聞、“南御堂”、平成２６年一月号の第四面に“いのち輝け！今、いのちがあなたを生きている”というコーナーがあり、その第４６回目の連載に、“ふたつのいのち”という記事があります。大阪教区、竹中慈祥　先生による執筆です。

この記事は竹中先生ご自身が、かつて、信國淳先生が“世界は呼んでいる”（難波別院刊）において“寿命”について、ふたつのいのちがあると表現されていることを改めて指摘しておられます。

“寿命”という、日本人にとってはありふれた日本語による言語表現にあるこの言葉で、広辞苑には、“いのち、よわい、生命。転じて、物がいたまずに保つ期間”とあります。つまり、物質的ないのちを示唆しております。まあ、これが普通、私たちが意識している“寿命”という言葉の意味であり、それは“よわい”（齢）の積み重ねであり、その積み重ねがいのちであり、それがいたまずに継続するのが寿命であると考えます。そして、こうした意味にはどこか限りがあるということを示唆しています。

仏教的に“寿命”という言葉を解釈すれば、これは単に、齢（よわい）の積み重ねであり、限りのある生物学的、物質的ないのちだけでなく、無量寿という仏教において大変重要な意味を持つ、人間の意識や価値観に左右されないという超越的ないのちをも含んでいると言えましょう。

仏教おいて“無量”という考えは、計り知れない、という意味であり、転じて、永久性、恒久性をも示唆しています。仏教において、無量という言葉は、阿弥陀如来仏からの十二の光のひとつで、無限の恵みの光明であり、無量無辺光のことです。

正信偈には、“帰命無量寿如来、南無不可思議光”　（むりょうじゅにょらいにきみょうし、ふかしぎこうになむしてたてまつる）、いう言葉があります。これは、無量寿如来に帰命し、ということを更に、不可思議光に南無したてまつる、ということで言い換え、強調していると考えられます。というのは、帰命と南無という言葉は同じ意味だからです。つまり、“南無阿弥陀仏”という念仏に集約される、阿弥陀如来の無量の光の恵みにすべてをゆだねますという私たちの素直な心、癒しや救いへの望み、を表現したものと他なりません。

つまり、“寿命”の“寿”は正信偈の“帰命無量寿如来、南無不可思議光”という念仏（南無阿弥陀仏）の本質をついた無量寿という超越的で計り知れない阿弥陀如来の永遠の光とつながっているということです。

キリスト教信者が洗礼により主イエスキリストを救世主（メシア）として受け入れることで、単なる生物学的で限りある命だけでなく、イエス様を介して与えられる父なる神からの永遠の命の恵みに預かるということのように、仏教では、“寿命”という解釈から、素直な心で仏の道を修行しながら歩むものは、阿弥陀如来の無量寿の光の恵みをも授かることができるとも考えられるでしょう。しかも、仏教の教えは主イエスキリストの教えと食い違うものでもなく、むしろ、イエス様の教えはお釈迦様の教えと共通するところが多々あるので、仏教的な修行を通して主イエスキリストの教えの道を歩むこともできます。そうであれば、人間の命はただ限りある生物学的、物質的なものだけでなく、スピリチュアルで超越的な恒久性のある命をも含んでいると考えることができます。これは、とてもうれしいことです。ただ、限りある命をこの世でいきていて、それが終われば、もうおしまい、というのではなく、生物学上、物質的ないのちの終わりを越えて、永遠に続くいのちもあるということです。そして、この恒久性を帯びた、無量のいのちをより実感することで、私たち人間は阿弥陀如来仏や父なる神からの恩恵を深く感じ取り、ありがたく思うものです。そして、信じる人はこうした恩恵を通して、より深い生きがいを体験できます。

竹中先生は、信國先生の、“私を私としてそのまま生かしているいのち”こそ“寿”である、という教えに沿って、寿命の“命”という字の背景には、長い短い、多い少ない、損得、といったような価値を量って生きる姿であり、やがては自分自身をも思い量り、見棄ててしまうこともあるということであると説いています。一方、“寿”という字の背景には、無量寿の名が示すように、前者にあるような人間の価値観（特に、齢にまつわるような物質的、計量的価値観）に左右されることなく独立した、しかも、人間の意識を超えたレベルから、自分自身を見棄てることなく常に、“これでいいのか？”と問いかける本来のいのちの姿そのものであると諭しておられます。

つまり、人間の意識を超えたところ、人間には到底計り知れない、つまり、人間にとって無量である、無量寿とつながる、自分を自分としてあるがままに生かしているいのちが、齢で量れる、物質的、計量的で限りのあるいのちと共存しているのが、いのちの二面性であり、ふたつのいのちなのです。

更に、興味深いことに、竹中先生はこう述べられています。

“今、いのちがあなたを生きている”とは、“今まさに‘我がものと執着している概念の命’の奥底から無量寿が生きてはたらいてくださっている”ことでしょう。人間の理解では量れません。いのちはそもそも輝いているものです。その輝きを曇らせ続けている“いたずらもの”がどうやら私であったと、改めて載されます。（引用ここまで）

な～るほど、実は、“寿命”の“寿”という字はどうやら“正信偈にある”無量寿“のほか、密教的な唯識心理にある”四無量心“の智慧とつながっている感じがします。

竹中先生がいう“いたずらもの”とは唯識でいう“阿頼耶識”という一番深いレベルの心のすぐ上にある“末那識”という自我執着心という“曲者”に相応すると考えられます。そして、この末那識による“いたずら”がもたらす“幻想”を“現実”と混乱しがちな凡夫の精神的な弱み、盲点を克服するすべが、慈無量心、悲無量心、喜無量心、捨無量心、といった四つの良き心からなる四無量心なだと考えられます。

唯識では、眼識・耳識・鼻識・舌識・身識・意識・末那識、阿頼耶識の八つの識があり、特に、末那識という自我執着が作用し、現実を、森田療法でいうような“あるがまま”の状態で受け入れることが困難になります。そうであれば、“寿命”のうち、齢で計り知れるレベルの生物的、物質的な“命”のレベルにとどまって、煩悩に苛まれます。しかし、”寿命“というふたつのいのちのうち、”命“の上にある”寿“といった無量寿の恵みをありがたく認識し体験しはじめることで、私たちのいのちはより四無量心によるものとなり、末那識の”いたずら“に影響されがちな識のレベルを超えたものとなっていくいことでしょう。そして、それが無の境地へと私たちのいのちを導いてくれるのでしょう。

こうした二面性を持ついのちを与えられ、生かしていただいている今、それだけでありがたいことです。たとえ、末那識の“いたずら”により、思ったより長く生きられなくても、たとえ、願っていたほど齢を重ねられなくても。。。今、生きているというより、生かされていることを悔いなく、よりしっかりと体験しておきたいものです。そして、こうした体験と感謝の心が“寿命”の中の、“寿”にある無量寿へつながり、四無量心へと心は成長し、無の境地に至り、開眼できるのですから。

合掌

The Six Wise Persons Gather for the Feast of the Three Wise Men

As temperature was plummeting toward -27C on the eve of Epiphany, our prayer and bible study group still held a Sunday evening meeting as scheduled. 

A polar vortex, a massive polar low pressure frigid air cyclone, was fast approaching the Midwest region of the United States on that evening.  We already had more than a foot of snow by that evening. So, it was challenging to come to the meeting.  Because of that situation, I was not sure if anyone would ever show up.

But, 6 members showed up, in spite of difficult weather condition – frigid temperature, icy road and snow!  Surely, their love to be with and serve the Lord overrode whatever that could have kept them in cozy homes. 

As the meeting touched upon Epiphany, especially in the part of the scripture study, I could not help but juxtapose those 6 members who came with the three wise men (the magi) (Matthew 2:1-12). 

In concluding the Christmastide, we commemorate that the three wise men from the Orient  finally arrived at the house where the newborn King – Jesus –was and presented gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  The Western tradition holds that these three were Melchior, Casper, and Balthazar – though the Matthew’s Gospel narrative does not name. 

Biblical and theological discussion on the names of the magi aside, in place of Melchior, Casper, and Balthazar, our group had Eugene, Reggie, John, Marciano, Susan, and myself.   

From a pastoral perspective, what is more important than discussing nitty-gritty theological stuff about the biblical text is how we discern meaning of Epiphany – how we draw personal meaning from the biblical narrative on Epiphany – the magi from the east finding the baby Jesus and overjoying. 

As I was also leading the group that evening, besides teaching the scriptures,  I emphasized that “the 6 wise persons” present at that evening’s meeting can reflect their commitment to the Lord, strong enough to overcome adversarial weather condition,  in light of the magi’s determination to find the newborn King, Jesus, God incarnate, that endured them to complete their mission in spite of a long challenging journey through mountains and marshlands (moors), besides arid desert.  

In this reflection, I also suggested “the six wise persons” to think of what gift they are to bring to the Lord we love and serve this year, making it our new year’s resolutions.  

What gifts are we to offer to the Lord Jesus Christ in our service to him this year?  Gold, frankincense, and myrrh were what the magi offered. Now, what are we going to bring?

For this reflection, it is important that we get to know ourselves in light of our relationship with the Lord. Namely, this reflective exercise requires a critical self-reflection in faith. 

From a pastoral psychological perspective, what helps this reflection is understanding ourselves not only from a developmental  psychological perspective but also from an anthropocentric theological perspective.  The anthropocentric theological perspective is a theological perspective based on Genesis 1:27: we are created in an image and light of God. Therefore, the direction of our growth is the fullness in the mystery of Christ, who is God incarnate.  

With this perspective in mind, we can explore within ourselves in terms of our unique abilities and potentials, in light of gifts and talent that the creator God have bestowed upon us, in addition to external gifts – grace. 

We are called not only to discover our own unique gifts, talents, abilities, and potentials, but also to cultivate and utilize them for the sake of our mission for the Lord, partaking in God’s evolving salvific plan. 

Of course, we also need to consider the importance of the Holy Spirit in this reflective exercise, because the Holy Spirit is the power (Acts 1:8) that drives our mission.  This is also true to Jesus himself, as there was the Holy Spirit present, when Jesus was baptized, marking the beginning of his public ministry (Matthew 3:16).  And, the Holy Spirit is always present with the Sacrament of Baptism,  because it is indispensable in appointing and commissioning. 

“The Six Wise Persons”, who attended the cold snowy Sunday evening meeting, are all baptized. And, they are renewing their baptismal commitment, by tapping into the gifts that they can offer in their service to the Lord. 

While engaging in self-reflective and introspective exercise, we also recognize and appreciate the presence of the Holy Spirit to empower us and God’s grace to turn our gifts into wonderful fruits.

For this, it is also important that we look into the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4-11), as well as the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). 

Another important thing to reflect is what is our guiding star as we go on our mission. The magi faithfully follow the guiding star to find and pay homage to baby Jesus - to complete their mission.  What is our guiding star - so that we will not go astray or drop out of our mission ?

As we move from this Epiphany week into the feast of the Baptism of the Lord this coming Sunday, let us be like the magi – three wise men, who endured challenging mission trip, not only to find and adore the King of all kings, the Messiah, but also to served him with gifts. For this, let us explore within ourselves and discover more of our unique gifts so that we can offer them in our service to the Lord, empowered and guided by the Holy Spirit, supported by grace, and fueled by the Eucharist, renewing our baptismal commitment.

The Year of the Horse – But, Camels for the Seekers with Endurance

The year 2014 has kicked off! Happy New Year! 

As it is the year of the horse, according to the Chinese zodiac calendar,  may this year bring the strengths to complete missions that we must carry on respectively.  The Chinese zodiac believes that the horse symbolizes the power to fuel unremitting efforts. 

By the time we exchange new year’s greetings, we tend to feel Christmas is over. But, it is still Christmastide. Therefore, Merry Christmas, again! 

In this first blog article of the year 2014, I want to touch a bit of Christmas as the Christmas season, rather than the Christmas day. Then, I would like to put horses in light of the feast of Epiphany, which is an important component of Christmas.

As the celebratory season, Christmas lasts 12 days. Yes, there is a popular song, “12 Day of Christmas”. And, there are actually 12 days in Christmas.  These 12 days are called Christmastide, between Christmas day (December 25) and the feast of Epiphany (January 6).  But, in the Roman Rite, Christmastide ends with the feast Sunday of the Baptism of the Lord, which is the Sunday after Epiphany. 

Now, the feast Sunday of Epiphany (Theophany) is just upon us to suggest that this Christmastide is about to end, signaling to the feast Sunday of the Baptism of the Lord, which is the Sunday after the feast of Epiphany (January 6 – making the 12 days of Christmas). Since 1970, the Roman Catholic Rite celebrates the feast of Epiphany on Sunday that falls between January 2 and January 8. So, this year, according to the Roman Rite, Epiphany is celebrated on Sunday, January 5, 2014. 

The 8 days between Christmas (December 25) and January 1, the fest of Mary, the Holy Mother of God (Theotokos), are called the Christmas Octave – the eight festive days of Christmas. That is why January 1, the New Year’s Day is also called the Octave of the Nativity of the Lord in the liturgical calendar, also commemorating Jesus being presented in the Temple for circumcision (Genesis 17:12, Leviticus 12:3). In Judaism, which Jesus was brought up with, the 8^th-day circumcision is called the brit milah , meaning, "covenant of circumcision". Given the nature of covenant establishment with God, the Jewish circumcision is like the Sacrament of Baptism in the Catholic tradition. In fact, it was Cyprian of Carthage in the 3^rd century who paralleled the Jewish brit milah and infant baptism in his Epistle 64. 

So, the Octave of Christmas celebration make up the first 8 days of the Christmastide, the 12 days of Christmas – until the feast of Epiphany. 

Now, the coming Sunday, the Epiphany Sunday, is also commemorating the magi (three wise men, three kings) paying tribute to baby Jesus, because he is the King of all kings. 

The word, “epiphany” is derived from the Greek word, ἐπιφάνεια (epiphaneia), meaning “manifestation”, “revelation”, and “appearance”.  It is to celebrate when God appeared in the human flesh of Jesus also to the magi, who are foreigners (non Jew).  The magi have a connotation to Zoroastrianism, meaning “fire keepers”. Zoroastrianism is an ancient Persian (Iranian) religion, which worshiped Ahura Mazda, the creator god. 

The magi are plural of magus, which means a magician or astrology scholar, in the Zoroastrianism.  In this ancient religion, fire is the symbol of divine purity. Thus, in keeping the fire, the magi were also considered to have played priestly roles in this ancient religion of Persia. Thus, it makes sense to consider the magi in the Matthew’s Gospel narrative as “wise men”.  Also, given the priestly role and Melchizedek’s identity as a priest and king in Genesis 14:18-20, the magi can be understood as kings. 

So, if the magi were kings, then, they should ride on kingly animals, which are usually horses. But, given the geographical nature of the route that they had to take to seek the baby Jesus, the King that they pay tribute to, their transportation animals were likely to be camels.  However, King Cyrus of Persia, who preceded the magi, came to liberate Jerusalem from the hands of the Babylonians with his great chariots. So, a possibility of horses to be the magi’s kingly transportation cannot be denied. 

Given not only that this is the year of the horse, but also that I was born in the year of the fire horse, I prefer to stretch my biblical interpretation of Matthew’s Gospel account on the magi and imagine that the magi were riding on their horses in search of the Jesus, the King. 

The Matthew’s original biblical text does not specify what animals the magi were riding.  It has been popularly assumed that they were riding on camels.  But, they can be horses!

Now, I invite you to sing this popular Epiphany carol – We Three Kings of Orient Are.

We three kings of Orient are

Bearing gifts we travel afar.

Field and fountain, moor and mountain,

Following yonder star.

O star of wonder, star of night,

Star with royal beauty bright,

Westward leading, still proceeding,

Guide us to thy perfect Light.

Born a king on Bethlehem's plain,

Gold I bring to crown Him again,

King forever, ceasing never

Over us all to reign.

O star of wonder, star of night,

Star with royal beauty bright,

Westward leading, still proceeding,

Guide us to thy perfect Light.

Frankincense to offer have I.

Incense owns a Deity nigh.

Prayer and praising all men raising,

Worship Him, God on high.

O star of wonder, star of night,

Star with royal beauty bright,

Westward leading, still proceeding,

Guide us to thy perfect Light.

Myrrh is mine: Its bitter perfume

Breaths a life of gathering gloom.

Sorrow, sighing, bleeding dying,

Sealed in a stone-cold tomb.

O star of wonder, star of night,

Star with royal beauty bright,

Westward leading, still proceeding,

Guide us to thy perfect Light.

Glorious now behold Him arise,

King and God and Sacrifice.

Alleluia, alleluia!

Sounds through the earth and skies.

O star of wonder, star of night,

Star with royal beauty bright,

Westward leading, still proceeding,

Guide us to thy perfect Light

The magi traveled very for in their search of the King they wanted to pay homage to. For this mission, they journeyed through field, fountain, moor, and mountains. The kept on going and going – still going and going, as long as the star guides. 

This carol depicts that the journey of search that the magi took was really of endurance.

Now, I must rethink that the magi could have actually ridden on camels, rather than horses, because camels are known to have more endurance than horses – though they are not as powerful and fast as horses.

Yes, this is the year of the horse. And, the horse is really great as it is fast and strong. But, as the seekers and searchers in faith, let us also know that there is a time to ride on camels, as probably the magi did in search of baby Jesus.

Starting the new year, the year of the horse, and celebrating the feast of Epiphany, let us be as strong as horse and as enduring as camel in our search for the truth, wherever it manifests and is revealed.

As the star guided the magi on their long challenging journey of search, let our faith and the Holy Spirit continue to guide our journey of seeking and searching – including our search of meaning.