Thursday 28 December
Commemoration of the Adoration of the Child Jesus by the Magi
Revelation of Saint John 21:9-10, 21-27
Brethren, one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke to me, saying: “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city coming down out of heaven from God.
The twelve gates are twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl; and the street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.
I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb.
The city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.
Its gates will never be shut by day, for there will be no night there.
People will bring into it the glory and the honour of the nations.
But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
Gospel of Saint Matthew 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
asking: “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the East and have come to worship him.”
When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
He gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Christ was to be born.
They told him: “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod secretly called the wise men and learned from them exactly when the star had appeared,
and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying: “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, so that I too may come and worship him.”
After hearing the king, they set out; and the star they had seen in the East went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another road.
Meditation:
“When King Herod heard this, he was troubled.”
Two thousand years ago Herod was troubled because he feared for his kingdom; and to this day the rulers of the nations are troubled and fear for their power before the King of peace, the Lord Jesus Christ.
To this day, arms dealers and warmongers fear those who seek peace and defend human rights;
traffickers in bodies and promoters of abortion, laboratory-made babies and genetic manipulation fear the defenders of human dignity and the right to life;
to this day, drug dealers and those who profit from the debauchery of nightclubs fear the defenders of Gospel values and morality;
followers of sects, heresies, escapist meditation techniques and quack therapies fear true science and right faith;
and to this day, those who hold power, positions and money fear for their interests and their seats before reformers and devoted servants.
For in every time and place
there is a Herod and those like him,
servants of the devil and his kingdom.
But the King of peace, Emmanuel, remains with us:
he supports us, strengthens us and guides us,
for the salvation of our souls and the glory of his name.
Christ is born, alleluia!
Gisèle Farah Tarabay
