The Week of January 6th, 2008 – The Solemity of Epiphany
Sent Not Alone
The Epiphany: Nativity scenes often portray this event with the scene of three kings bearing rich treasures, knelt in rapt adoration at the christmas cresche of Christ. With the Solemnity of Epiphany, we focus on the journey of the Magi going to the manger scene. But what about the Magi’s journey home, after they had found the Lord? On their journey to the nativity, the Magi equipped themselves with gifts to present to the Holy Family. But on and throughout their journey home, God equipped the Magi with an even more precious gift – Himself. They were sent, not alone. God was with them.
Sent Not Alone
In the Sunday Bulletin over the past 52 weeks we’ve featured a weekly one page reflection on the National Directory of Catechesis - entitled – “Sent Not Alone”. We now come to the final installment in this series. The National Directory of Catechesis (NDC) is a document that the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops compiled about two years ago; that reflects on the relationship of catechesis with evangelization and worship. I think this is an important relationship to ponder.
Too often, catechesis gets shelved in the “CCD” memory of our brain. For some of us, we think of CCD, or memorizing a catechesim, as something we enjoyed or endured in our past. The NDC reminds us that Catechesis is not a distant memory or a fossiled faith. The work of catecheis, which is evangelization, is something we do throughout our whole lifetime. We are lifelong faith learners. Catechesis in the sacred Liturgy, and in our families, calls each of us to action to evangelize and be evangelized. Catechesis both strengthens us to hear the Word of God, and then equips us to proclaim that Word and live it with our lives. Catechesis is a living and vibrant act of faith, and act of witness; and that’s what the NDC, and “Sent Not Alone” series gets at. We are all evangelizers.
In these days of the Christmas season, we celebrate the gift of God with us. We remember how God manifests Himself to us in many mysterious, ordinary, and wonderful ways. I think the enduring gift of Christmas…the enduring gift of Epiphany, is that God is with us always. We receive the gift of faith to believe in Jesus; and just as God gives us Himself, he sends us forth like the Magi to be witnesses to His light and presence in our world. Let’s call that to mind wherever we go this week. God is with us. We are sent, not alone!
May God’s Grace and Peace be Yours,
Fr. David