Jan. 5, 2024
Dear Parishioners,
Today we celebrate the feast of Epiphany. Epiphany means manisfestation of God’s
glory. St Matthew recounts the mysterious holiness of God that was revealed to the astrologers from the East. These astrologers or magi were Eastern scientists, specializing in astronomy, medicine and metallurgy. In their research, they certainly asked many important questions and sought exciting discoveries.
Similar for us, life is a long series of searches. And of course, no one searches for evil or unhappiness. We search for peace, prosperity, love, joy, success, etc. In general, we search for true happiness. When we have not found it, we continue to search. When we have found it, there are other things for us to keep pursuing. And so it goes until death, still searching and pursuing.
Our lives always seem to lack something, something so important that no matter how prosperous we are, we still feel lacking. The picture of each of our lives is never complete until death, whether we have high positions, a lot of money, or prestigious degrees. Realizing the shortcomings of our lives, we always search to make that picture more perfect and complete.
This constant search is inherently good, but it can easily become suffering and a trap when we are not aware of what we are looking for or when we pursue a wrong or useless goal. When we do not know what we are looking for, we just reach out and grab everything, but nothing can fill us up. When we do not know what we lack, we just let life drift wherever it goes.
When we search for something useless or wrong, not only does our lack not decrease, but it becomes bigger; sometimes we even trade the good things we have. So on this Epiphany day, let us reflect on the question: what is the most noble and valuable quest worth pursuing for the rest of our lives?
What were the astrologers looking for? They had knowledge, wealth, and prestige. So what were they looking for? They were not looking for a star that would be the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe, an elixir of youth, nor a special metal that would turn everything into gold and silver.
The astrologers were looking for a person. Their question was, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews?” This question, though simple, contains a key that opens the door to all human searches for happiness. That key is: if we seek anything other than people, we will surely be disappointed. What does money, fame, education, or health mean when our hearts are lonely and withered? What is the meaning of success, prosperity or wealth if we have no one to share them with? On the contrary, having someone to love and share with, to comfort and caress, to support and protect, all other things will increase our happiness and enrich the meaning of our life. Therefore, in our own search, people must be the center of that search, if we want our lives to be more peaceful and complete each day.
We must seek people first. And of course, no human being can satisfy our deepest and most legitimate longings, except God. St. Augustine said, “Our heart will be restless until we find God.” The Gospel reminds us, “Seek God first, and all these things will be added to you.”After a lifetime of searching, the wise men finally concluded that only Jesus, the King of the Jews, could satisfy their longings. So, they left everything and set out. They set out without knowing where they were going, but they set out anyway. Life of faith is always a journey of adventure, with many trials and obstacles along the way. The wise men had to face the tyrant Herod. This king had killed his own sons because he suspected them of trying to usurp his throne. He did not even spare his own son, so what would he not dare to do? Yet, for their purposes, the three astrologers had to rely on the cruel king.
Accepting loss, hardship, and deception was not enough, the wise men also believed in the guidance of the star. The guiding star in our lives is the Bible, the teachings of the saints in the church, and the witness of the saints, among whom are the Vietnamese Martyrs.
Every journey of faith is arduous, but the harvest is also very rich. The Gospel tells of the wise men being extremely happy when they saw the baby Jesus. Right before their eyes was the ultimate destination, the wonderful discovery, the perfect result of that journey of faith. Therefore, they looked, they worshiped, and especially they offered their most precious treasures to the baby Jesus. And when they returned to their homeland, they were still the same Magi, but their minds were brighter because they had seen the truth, their hearts were more joyful because they had seen the beauty of God, and their steps were lighter because they had penetrated the holiness of the Most High.
May every Sunday Mass be a journey of faith for each of us. We come here to seek the person of Jesus. We overcome the difficulties of laziness, of work, of weariness and disappointment. We are touched by the truth of God’s Word. We witness the beauty of the Eucharist. We offer a part of our precious inheritance. We receive the holiness of salvation. At some point, God will give us the last piece of the wonderful picture of life that we have been searching for.
In the Most Holy Trinity and in solidarity with you all,
Fr. Duc
