In his homily during the Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany,
Benedict XVI spoke about the Three Wise Men, saying, "The Magi were
probably wise men who studied the skies, but not in an attempt to read
the future in the stars; ... rather, they were men who sought something
greater, who sought the true light, the light capable of indicating the
path to follow in life. They were individuals who were certain that the
creation contains what we could describe as God's signature, a
signature that man can and must seek to discover and decipher.”
Referring to King Herod, the Pope described him as "a man of power,”
to whom "even God appeared as a rival; indeed, a particularly dangerous
rival who sought to deprive men of their living space, of their
autonomy, of their power. ... Herod is an unsympathetic figure to us,
one we instinctively judge negatively because of his brutality. Yet we
should ask ourselves whether there is not perhaps something of Herod in
us too. Perhaps we too, at times, see God as a kind of rival. Perhaps
we too are blind to His signs, deaf to His words, because we believe
that He puts limitations on our lives and does not allow us to dispose
of our existence as we wish.”
"When we see God in this way", the Holy Father continued, "we end up
feeling dissatisfied and discontented, because we do not allow ourselves
to be guided by the One who is the foundation of all things, We must
remove all idea of rivalry from our minds and hearts, the idea that
giving space to God is a limit to the self. We must open ourselves to
the certainty that God is omnipotent love which takes away nothing,
which threatens nothing. Quite the contrary, He is the only One capable
of offering us the chance to live a full life and to experience true
joy.”
The Magi, the Pope went on, "being wise men, also knew that it is not
with a mere telescope but with the eyes of profound reason which
searches for the ultimate meaning of reality, with the desire for God
moved by the faith, that it is possible to meet Him. Or rather, this is
what makes it possible for God to approach us. The universe is not the
result of chance, as some people would have us believe, and
contemplating it we are called to read something more profound therein:
the wisdom of the Creator, God's endless imagination, His infinite love
for us.”
"We must not allow our minds to be constrained by theories which are
always limited and which - if we study them well - are not in any way in
competition with the faith as they cannot explain the ultimate meaning
of reality. In the beauty of the world, in its mystery, its greatness
and its rationality we cannot fail to read the eternal rationality. And
we cannot but allow ourselves to be guided by the world to the One God,
Creator of heaven and earth. If we see things in this way, we will see
that the One Who created the world, and the One Who was born in a
grotto in Bethlehem and continues to live among us in the Eucharist, are
the same living God Who calls us, who invites us, who wants to lead us
to eternal life.”
For the Magi "it seemed logical to seek the new king in the royal
palace.” Yet "the star guided them to Bethlehem, a small town; it
guided them among the poor, among the humble, to find the King of the
world. God's criteria are different to those of mankind. God does not
show Himself among the powerful of this world, but in the humility of
His love, the love which asks us to welcome it in our freedom, in order
to transform us and enable us to reach the One Who is Love.”
"In the end, for the Magi, it was vital to listen to the voice of
Holy Scripture; only that could show them the way. The Word of God is
the true star which, in the uncertainty of human discourse, offers us
the immense splendour of divine truth,” said the Pope.
He concluded: "Let us allow ourselves to be guided by the star, which
is the Word of God, let us follow it in our lives, walking with the
Church where the Word has pitched its tent. Our path will always be
illuminated by a light which no other sign can give us. And we too will
be able to act as stars for other people, a reflection of that light
which Christ caused to shine upon us.”
SIC: CIN/IE