WHO ME? – Feast of the Epiphany, Year C
The wise astrologers didn’t realize the full reason they had gone to Jerusalem to find out where the newborn king of the Jew was to be born or why they were following his star. They were interested in studying and learning what the stars meant for life and events on the earth. The appearance of a new star for them was a sign of the birth of an important person. They knew the Hebrews were expecting a messiah-king. Their intention was to go and pay him homage. They didn’t know they were fulfilling a prophecy of Scripture. Isaiah had foretold the nations would come to offer homage to the Messiah. They were not aware they represented the nations coming to Christ. Their interest in the stars was used by the Lord to fulfill the Scriptures. The Lord often uses what draws, attracts, and interests us to draw us and others to Himself. The Lord can and does fulfill His Word in and through us in ways we are not fully aware of.
The wise astrologers experienced great joy in following the star and in finding the child and His mother. They couldn’t have realized the full importance of Jesus or how they had carried out the Scriptures. They probably returned home and probably died long before Jesus reached manhood. We can imagine that when they arrived in heaven and stood before Jesus at their judgment, and the Lord was going over their life with them, He may have asked them, “Did you ever read the prophet Isaiah”? Each probably said: “I didn’t have time. I was busy studying the stars. I read some parts of what he had to say about the birth of Israel’s Messiah when we were trying to figure out the great person who was born with the appearance of a great star in the heavens”.
Then Jesus explained to them how they fulfilled a prophecy when they went to Bethlehem and offered Him homage. We can imagine their surprise. “We had no idea we were fulfilling anything or serving any purpose at all. Many thought we were wasting our time. We didn’t fully realize we were seeking and serving You, Lord.”
If I were to ask you why you are in the place you are in, or why you are doing what you are doing, you are not likely to tell me you are fulling some Scripture. You may say “I was born here. I was sent here. I came to…I was interested in…I was trying to…”. All of which would be true. Some of the deeper dimensions of your being where you are and doing what you are doing may not be fully known to you, or you may not be fully aware of them. In God’s plan, you may have been sent to fulfill a Scripture, or to do something for someone else for the Lord. Much of God’s work is done in that way. Many fulfill Scriptures they have never read. Many serve Christ in people and are not aware of it. Even those consciously opposed to God serve the plan of God. Herod served God’s plan unaware. Christians who bring people to Christ through their words and example are not always aware of doing so. “…the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”
When we arrive in heaven and the Lord is going over our life with us, He will remind us of how we fulfilled certain Scriptures even when we were not fully aware of doing so. He may ask “Why did you go to…and why did you do…”? We’ll give our reasons. The Lord will say: “The deeper reasons you went to...and did…was to fulfill this Scripture…” Hopefully, we will have fulfilled the ones He wanted us to fulfill, even by sinning, because He respects our free will.
We can decide consciously to fulfill the Scriptures. We can hear, ready, study, and pray the Scriptures and put them into practice in our life. Even when we know we are fulfilling or carrying out the Scriptures, we will not know the full impact of that until later, perhaps at our judgment. We can be certain everyone is fulfilling some Scriptures. Fulfill the Scriptures the Lord wants you to! And let the Scriptures be fulfilled in your life! Listen carefully to and follow the Scriptures put in you by the Spirit. Help others to fulfill the Scriptures in their lives so that Ps. 72 will be fulfilled. “Lord, every nation…will adore You.”
From the Diary of St. Faustina (848)
“Speak to the world about my mercy; let all mankind recognize my unfathomable mercy. It is a sign for the end times; after it will come the day of justice. While there is still time, let them have recourse to the fount of My mercy.”
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