Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
Is 60,1-6; Ps 71; Eph 3,2-3a.5-6; Mt 2,1-12
6 JANUARY
Jesus is the gift of grace, truth, life, salvation, redemption, blessing and light that God offers to every man. No one is excluded by him. He reveals it to all through mysterious ways, which often remain secret because books or memories or chronicles do not speak of it. In front of the Father’s offer there are many answers. The first is that of the Magi. These scholars see a prodigious sign in the sky, a star. According to their ancient prophecies its appearance reveals the birth of the king of the Jews, that is not only the king of a people, but of all peoples; he is the king that comes to bring peace and life on earth. He is a king whose origins are from antiquity. A king different from any other king. The star guides them up to Jerusalem. Here it disappears. Why does not it show up anymore? Because even Jerusalem must know that their king was born. This news must give them, the Magi, through their asking and their questions about the born king of the Jews. This reveals to us that every man for every other man, even for the one that already believes in Christ Jesus, must be a star that reveals the truth of Christ in its highest splendour. If those who seek Christ do not become a star for others, their search is vain.
The second answer is that of the doctors of the law. These have the prophetic Scriptures. They know how to move in them. They can cite them. But theirs is a pure academic exercise. For them, life is out of the Scriptures. So that there is this chasm that separates Scriptures and life. The Scriptures walk by themselves, according to their hermeneutical and exegetical rules and life follows its course. If the Scriptures are not brought down into life and life into the Scriptures, there is no salvation. This truth is also valid today for the Gospel. Gospel studies have by now become a pure method of critical analysis. We know words, sentences, points, commas and dashes of it. However, it remains a separate study. It was deprived of its relationship with life. It is also read in Church, in the liturgy, but then the Gospel remains the Gospel and life continues its course. In fact the Magi, having learned the news that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, take the road to that city. The scribes continue with their studies and their problems of hermeneutics. Whether the Messiah comes today, or tomorrow, or in a thousand years they do not care much. They expect nothing from Him. Their way is complete in the study of Scripture.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'” Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.” After their audience with the king they set out. 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. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.
The third answer is that of Herod. He sees Jesus as a danger to his kingdom and decides to kill him. Today Herod is the modern world, the modern atheistic culture, without any reference to transcendence, to revealed truth and to the Creator God and Lord. Today, since the Crucifix calls into question all the false rights of man, including those of the adoration of falsehood and idolatry, of immorality and depravity, He must be banished from the sight of men by law. These do not know that the Crucifix is the only source and spring of true hope, because He is the only one that teaches men how to stand on every cross. Darkness hates the light because its works are evil.
Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that every man becomes a true seeker of Christ Jesus.