Feast of the Epiphany

I once read in a science magazine an article about stars.  Specifically, it explained what happens when they get really really old (like billions of years old) and they get get ready to die.  What happens is they suddenly collapse and explode.  All of the "stuff" that make up the stars (the gasses and chemicals) that make the stars twinkle twinkle in the sky don't disappear.  As a matter of fact all of that stuff travels through space and eventually they come to Earth.  That stuff gets in into the air we breath, the soil in which we grow our fruits and vegetables and the water we drink.

Do you know what that means?  That means that we're all stardust!  We are all recycled stars!

Just think about what that means!  That means that there is a possibility that some of us were a few of the stars that Galileo saw when he built one of the first telescopes.  It means that some of us were once the stars that famous navigators like Magellan or Columbus used to navigate around the world to discover and explore new lands.

Or think about this...it means some of us could have been that most famous star that led the three Magi from the East carrying gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to Bethlehem to visit and worship the newborn King Jesus lying in the manger!

Now science says that there is a possibility that we could be that star or any of those stars.  But, our faith tells us that we become that star that led the magi to Bethlehem on the day of our baptism!

That's right!  On the day of our baptism when those waters were poured over our heads and the priest said, "I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit" we were given only one job to do for the rest of our lives and that is to lead others to Jesus.

As baptized stars we are empowered to use all that we have to bring others Jesus.  We may not have gold, frankincense and myrrh but we all have gifts that are much more practical and in fact more beautiful than gold, frankincense and myrrh to use.  We have our God-given talents and our very lives.  We have eyes to see people in need.  We have a heart to love as Christ loves.  We have feet to run to their aid.  We hands to give them what they need or to join with theirs and pray with them. 

The possibilities are endless!

The Eucharist that we are about to receive is the food for stars.  The Body and Blood of Jesus fuels our lives so that not only we shine (and TWINKLE!) before others but also energizes us so that we we can do the work of stars and lead all people to where we all should be headed...to the manger...to Jesus!

Merry Christmas everyone!


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