The Ever-New
Mystery
Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3a.5-6; Mt
2:1-12
(A)
The
Word of God, born once in the flesh, is always willing to be born spiritually
in those who desire him. In them, he is born as an infant as he fashions
himself in them by means of their virtues. He reveals himself to the extent
that he knows someone is capable of receiving him. He diminishes the revelation
of his glory not out of selfishness but because he recognizes the capacity and
resources of those who desire to see him. Yet, in the transcendence of mystery,
he always remains invisible to all. For this reason, the apostle Paul,
reflecting on the power of the mystery, said: “Jesus Christ, yesterday and
today: he remains the same forever” (Heb 13:8).
Christ
is God, for he had given all things their being out of nothing. Yet he is born
as a man by taking to himself our nature, flesh endowed with an intelligent
spirit. By becoming one of us, we might expect the Incarnate Word of God to
share the same emotions as ourselves, and indeed he did. He shared our
experience of distress. He could shed tears at times of loss and crisis. The
Gospels speak of how Jesus enjoyed social occasions and was a guest at so many
dinners that his critics called him a glutton and a drunkard. He felt a strong
empathy for people who suffered, and when they were hungry, he provided the
food that they needed.
Like
all of us, he needed companionship with others, so on several occasions he took
Peter, James, and John into his special confidence. When exhausted, he could
fall asleep, even in the stern of a boat being tossed by the wind and waves. He
felt intense fear just before his passion, and openly admitted to his followers
how troubled he felt in his soul. In his agony, he prayed, “Father, let his cup
pass me by” (Mt 26:39). When the Word became flesh, he joined us on so many
levels. He dwelt among us, fully, passionately. He didn’t just come to live a
quiet life. He “pitched his tent among us” (Jn 1:14) and shared the full range
of our human experience to draw us near to God. He spent most of his time among
those who needed him most, and they were welcome in his company.
To
know the invisible God, we must be with Jesus, think of him often, and identify
with him as children of God. The Magi discovered its meaning. And “to those who
did accept him, he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed
in his name who were born not of human stock or human desire or human will but
of God himself” (Jn 1:12-13).
Blessed are your eyes, for they see. Blessed are your ears, for they hear.
