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Pope Benedict XVI- Angelus |
Angelus
Message
On the Epiphany
"The Wise Men Are the First Fruits of the Gentiles"
H.H. Benedict XVI
January 6, 2007
www.zenit.org
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
The solemnity of the Epiphany celebrates Christ's manifestation to
the Wise Men, an event to which St. Matthew attaches great
importance (cf. Matthew 2:1-12). He narrates in his Gospel that some
"Wise Men" -- probably Persian religious leaders -- arrived in
Jerusalem guided by a "star," a luminous heavenly phenomenon
interpreted by them as a sign of the birth of the new king of the
Jews.
No one in the city knew anything; what is more, Herod, the king on
the throne, was very disturbed by the news and conceived the tragic
plan of the "killing of the innocents" to eliminate the newly born
rival. The Wise Men, on the contrary, allowed themselves to be
guided by the sacred Scriptures, in particular, by Micah's prophecy,
according to which, the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, the
city of David, located some 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem (cf.
5:2). Following that direction, they saw the star again and, full of
joy, followed it until it paused above a hovel. They entered and saw
the Child with Mary; they prostrated themselves before him and, in
homage to his royal dignity, offered him gold, frankincense and
myrrh.
Why is this event so important? Because with it began the adherence
of the pagan peoples to faith in Christ, according to the promise
that God had made to Abraham, to which the book of Genesis makes
reference: "all the communities of the earth shall find blessing in
you" (Genesis 12:3). Just as Mary, Joseph and the shepherds of
Bethlehem represent the people of Israel that received the Lord, so
the Wise Men are the first fruits of the gentiles, also called to
form part of the Church, new people of God, which is no longer based
on ethnic, linguistic or cultural homogeneity, but only on common
faith in Jesus, Son of God.
For this reason, Christ's epiphany is at the same time, the Church's
epiphany, that is, the manifestation of her vocation and universal
mission. In this context, I joyfully address a cordial greeting to
the beloved brothers and sisters of the Eastern Churches that,
following the Julian Calendar, celebrate Holy Christmas tomorrow: I
affectionately wish them abundance of Christian peace and
prosperity.
I like to recall, moreover, that on the occasion of Epiphany, the
World Day of Missionary Children is observed. It is the feast of
Christian children who live joyfully the gift of faith and pray that
the light of Jesus will reach all the children of the world.
I thank the children of "Holy Childhood," present in 110 countries,
as they are precious cooperators of the Gospel and apostles of
Christian solidarity in favor of the neediest. I encourage educators
to cultivate in little ones the missionary spirit, so that
impassioned missionaries will arise among them, witnesses of God's
tenderness and proclaimers of his love.
We now turn to the Virgin Mary, star of evangelization: That through
her intercession Christians throughout the world may live as
children of the light and lead men to Christ, authentic light of the
world.
[Translation by ZENIT]
[At the end of the Angelus, the Holy Father greeted pilgrims in six
languages. In English, he said:]
I am happy to greet all the English-speaking visitors present at
this Angelus. The celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord invites us
to contemplate Jesus as the divine Savior, the light that guides us
on our journey to eternity. May Christians everywhere draw nearer to
Christ, pay homage to him in word and deed, and share joyfully with
others the saving light of the Gospel! I wish you all a pleasant
stay in Rome!
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