God continues to touch all humanity

January 4, 2004 -- Feast of The Epiphany of the Lord

By Fr. Richard Ver Bust

	Fr. Richard Ver Bust

Our celebration focuses on the mystery of God's love for all and how the plan of salvation history touches all humanity. The reality of star or wisemen is unimportant.

What is significant is the message of our readings: God, who is Love, has and continues to reach out to humankind and invites us to partake of that love. Numbers, places and people are all part of the story of how that has and still is taking place.

Our second reading is from the Letter to the Ephesians. There is some dispute about its authorship. Some think it was Paul in his later years with a more developed theology. Others believe it comes from disciples of Paul who knew Paul's thinking well.

Regardless, the letter follows Paul's traditions and expands them. This is especially true about the notion of church. The letter moves from the earlier emphasis on the local church to a more universal image.

The theology about the Gentiles' membership in the church also has changed. There is no discussion about if and how they should be admitted. Instead the basic presentation is that both Jew and Gentile together are reconciled to God. The view is that the walls that have divided them are no longer there.

In our reading Paul presents the thought that through Christ's death and resurrection Gentiles have become full participants in the saving mystery of salvation.

In the verse just preceding Paul emphasizes his role in bringing that message to the Gentiles. He expresses the belief that God had given him this mission.

The word mystery in our reading has a definite meaning. It does not mean, as we in English use it, something secret or obscure. Instead the author presents it as God's plan for the unification of all things including Jew and Gentile. Earlier in the letter, Paul said it was made known to him by revelation. It was a plan hidden for ages but now gradually revealed to humanity in and through Christ.

This plan, Paul said, already existed in the First Testament by the role of Israel. Now the leaders of the Christian community, Apostles and Prophets, have further revealed the plan. The author thus emphasizes the role of these leaders.

The words he then uses, stress that both Jew and Gentile work together to further this mystery. He calls them "co-heirs, co-members, and co-partners." This emphasis shows the full and equal nature of their participation.

Our celebration helps us better understand how the Feast of the Epiphany teaches us about our own calling to participate in the mystery. It emphasizes that Jew and Gentile are co-participants.

The hatred caused by anti-Semiticism can hardly be justified in light of our role of working together. If we are together reconciled to God, we must be reconciled to each other.

(The late Fr. Richard Ver Bust directed the master's program in theology at St. Norbert College, De Pere.)