by Sister Lynne Marie Simonich
Did you ever go on a journey not knowing the route? Today anyone can go online and check Mapquest or similar sites for guidance. Many people have GPS gadgets that promise to get them where they need to go. Maps are another option. Of course, one can always stop and ask for directions.
When I was a child, my dad would often pack us all into the car and take a journey. We would drive in the country and go on roads that we had never been on. We didn't know where we'd end up (neither did my dad) but it was always an adventure. Sometimes we would find some unexpected gift like a beautiful waterfall or a field full of wildflowers.
Our Gospel on the Feast of the Epiphany is all about three travelers on a journey to find the most wonderful gift given to us -- the Lord. All they had was a star to lead them. They left all that was familiar to them not knowing how long they would be gone or what they would meet on the way. They focused on the star and trusted it would guide them. They found the precious Gift they sought and were overcome with joy.
Reflection questions:
chapter 7
, US Catholic Catechism for Adults
by Sister Lynne Marie Simonich
God's promises made to us in the history of salvation are fulfilled in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The "Incarnation" is central to our Christian faith. We believe that Jesus is not only a great teacher, prophet, liberator and founder of the Christian faith but also the Incarnation of God, the "invisible made visible," true God and true man, God's only Son.
Christ is the model of love, forgiveness and holiness. To be his disciple is to love God and to imitate Jesus' actions as we follow his teachings of love, mercy and compassion for others. (Study Guide for the U.S. Adult Catholic Catechism, p. 24-25)
"The whole of Christ's life was a continual teaching: his silences, his miracles, his gestures, his prayer, his love for people, his special attention for the little and the poor, his acceptance of the total sacrifice on the Cross for the redemption of the world, and his Resurrection are the fulfillment of divine Revelation". (Catechism of the Catholic Church 561)