1 year ago

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Epiphany - Seek - Find - Change - Preaching to Kids - 2023-01-08

MESSAGE OUTLINE

Scripture Readings
Is 60:1-6, Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13., Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6, Mt 2:1-12

1st Reading - …Raise your eyes and look about

2nd Reading - …Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body.

GOSPEL - …We saw his star at its risingand have come to do him homage.

Opening -
I have read many times about how bad sugar is how bad junk food is how bad candy is how bad desserts are so I have a New Year's resolution - no more reading

A cat and a mouse die on the same day and go to heaven at one point the mouse runs into Saint Peter and Saint Peter ask how he's doing the mouse says well this is such a big place and I have such small legs I wish I had rollerskates and St. Peter said it's done I'll get your rollerskates. a little while later the Saint Peter runs into the cat and ask how the cat is doing. The cat says everything is great everything is wonderful and the other day I saw that they even have meals on wheels.

Overview
Who are the magi and where did they come from
Names of the Magi - Gaspar (or Caspar), Melchior, and Balthasar
At the time of Matthew magi what is the word he used it meant astronomer or astrologer and he said simply they came from the east he doesn't tell us where exactly they came from the word in Greek he uses his from where the sun rises the light rises it comes from the east sets in the west so they came from where the sun rises they came from the east
It is also important to note that Matthew makes it clear that these are gentiles seeking the king of the Jews they are not Jews sinking the king of the Jews these are gentiles the magi's come from the east and they are not Jewish they are gentiles looking for the king of the Jews
Matthews gospel begins with non-Jews coming to Jesus and Matthews gospel ends with Jesus sending his followers out to all Nations Jews and non-Jews
It is believed that Herod was not only mean and evil he was mentally unstable he was very insecure about his position as the king of the Jews for one reason he did not come from David he was not a descendent of the king of David so he was insecure he was even so paranoid that he had three of his own son's executed because he thought they were plotting to take over his kingdom in fact Caesar Augustus commented on the cruelty of king Herod by saying that it is safer to be Herod's pig then to be Herod's son

Body - Epiphany - Seek - Find - Change

Seek
Why did the magi seek
Why do we seek - One of the wonderful mysteries of our Creator God is that he has instilled in us this need to rest in him which keeps us always uncomfortable in the world around us and makes us want to come back to him because ultimately he wants us with him for all eternity he instilled in us this need to rise above look beyond the world and look to him and I only feel comfortable with him because he wants us out of love to be with him for all eternity and that is why Jesus was born into this world in the first place

“Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God”

Find
What did the magi do when they found Jesus
What do we do when we come to find Jesus in our lives
It was in the last place I looked of course it was Who finds what they are looking for and keeps looking
Drunk looking for keys

Change
After meeting Jesus the magi took a different path a different road home their life change they became different people

One difference between the magi and the chief priests who were advisers to king Herod the magi were open to change they were open to a new beginning in their lives in their hearts whereas the leaders within the church of Jerusalem who advised king Herod were content in their mediocrity were content in their own lives were not open to change

Conclusion
We are called to be like the magi and bring our gifts to Jesus and our gifts are the demonstration of our love for Jesus by using those blessings that we have for others those gifts we have for others to lay our gifts at the feet of Jesus by demonstrating our love for the people that Jesus puts in our life that is how we in our lives become like the magi

How do we lay our gifts before Jesus by being more understanding more forgiving more loving more caring to those the Jesus that God has put in our lives.

If you were going to visit the baby Jesus, what gift would you give him? Why?
As it says in the first reading - To become a “light” for those around us

Day by day, dear Lord of Thee
Three things I pray:
To see Thee more clearly,
To love Thee more dearly,
To follow Thee more nearly,
Day by day.

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