WE ARE GOD SEARCHERS TOO!
Did you notice that in our Gospel reading for Epiphany, Matthew places the birth of Jesus not in a manger, but in a house? Only Luke has the manger scene so familiar to us. The truth of the story whether Matthew or Luke, house or manger, resides in the fact that an epiphany took place as God’s answer to prayers. An epiphany is a manifestation of God made real in our humanity. —those billions of prayers—thousands of years– in search of hope in our world, of evidence of God’s presence. That answer we know is Jesus born into time, place, and family.
Epiphany is the feast of searching and finding new beginnings in our spiritual journey. God has made us like the magi, to be God-searchers and God-finders. God is always new for the searcher—something we newly discover about God in us.
I am blessed to often hear such a discovery in persons that attend our adulted classes, retreats, and RCIA members as they search for God and their way in life and in our Church. God is always ready to be found by those who respond to the inner hunger God has set in each of us.
God is present in all creation and us—we say such things all the time. However, it is in the living of such statements that reflects our belief in His presence in our lives. When we seek to see God in all people—including ourselves, seek to respect God’s creative force in our planet and all of life; that is faith witness—not merely words of faith.
That is what we do together at Mass, come to find God together, and ask God to answer prayers for hope in our lives and in our world.
Pray for the grace not to be disappointed when God is not found in routine prayers; instead ask for courage to let go of the comfortable and familiar: ‘help me find you oh Lord.’
We pray to be able to put aside barriers that keep us apart to see all of humanity as children of God.
Or pray to shake off crustiness, hard edges and regain a sense of wonder and awe in life—the beauty of this Valley—the beauty in the many faces of God—the sanctity of all life from womb to natural death-how wondrous God is!
Or pray for the spirit of a searcher: to search out and risk new ways of prayer, add reading the Bible daily—not in its entirety of course,
Look for ways to make peace in a marriage that is troubled—ways that may need professional and spiritual help,
Seek out ways to talk to your children that is truly dialogue not lectures,
Search for ways to let go of old wounds and embrace a New Year in Christ—seek to offer the wounds to Him who came to carry our pain.
Look up in the starry night sky for God’s presence in the beauty of our planet and cosmos
Limitless ways we can seek God in daily life; find God in daily life, and so many ways to live God in daily life.
Entering the epiphany of Jesus—God made real to us–is a call for us to work to eliminate blinders of bigotry toward race, culture, gender orientation, or economic level,¾ for who chooses the circumstances of our birth. Who wants to be born into human categories that restrict, paralyze, and hurt people? Human barriers are contrary to Epiphany for they bring darkness to our world and lives, not the light of Christ. We need to be magi, witnesses of God’s loving presence starting at home, with one another, in our community, and out into the world.
All of us can find God and let in the light and accept the gift—a gift given is a gift to share!
Jesus is calling all of us to make his presence known outside the sweet images of the crib and into our daily lives. God seekers and God finders.
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God
Ask, and it shall be given unto you;
Seek, and you shall find
Knock, and it shall be opened unto you
Hallelu, Hallelujah!”
On behalf of your Parish Family Staff, and me, for God’s continued blessings, love, and peace be with you and your loved ones. Happy New Year! Fr. Gordon