From the Desk of the Associate Pastor

This Sunday, January 3, we are celebrating, The Epiphany of the Lord. What does Epiphany mean? The self-revelation and manifestation of Jesus to all of humanity, not only to God’s chosen ones and favorites, because God, made flesh, wants to reveal himself to all human beings, without any distinction.

“…the mystery was made known to me by revelation. It was not made known to people in other generations, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” (Ephesians 3, 3-6).

Proof that God, mad man, manifests himself and reveals himself to all human beings is the fact that some magi from the East came to Jerusalem and asked King Herod, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.” (Matthew 2: 1-2). It would be good to ask ourselves why these magi from the East come with great joy and enthusiasm looking for the king of the Jews to worship him, and we Catholic Christians do not give him the respect and place that our King deserves. There are many Catholic Christians who worship other human beings, mortals, but nothing for God, made flesh. They are indifferent, cold, apathetic, mediocre and conformist Catholic Christians, who only live on emotions and momentary devotions; indeed, they are Catholic Christians who only live on Popular Religiosity. Why don’t we give God the place that He deserves at all times? Why don’t we only give homage, honor and glory to God, made man? Because we have become accustomed to a Catholicism of tradition, custom, devotions, piety and popular religiosity. Saint Jerome says that whoever does not know the Sacred Scriptures, does not know Jesus. Do we worship God made man in Spirit and in Truth?

It is time my dear brothers and sisters to receive formation, evangelize and catechize ourselves so that we do not live our Catholic faith only of emotions, momentary devotions and popular religiosity. Let us make time in our stressed and hectic lives to dedicate more time to the Holy Scriptures, the Holy Eucharist, reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the documents of the Vatican Council, the Letters of Pope Francis, and his encyclicals. If we dedicate so much time to secular things and what this world offers us, why don’t we dedicate more time to the aforementioned? In these things, we will find more meaning in our lives as Catholic Christians; a solution to the problems that afflict and overwhelm us so much. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

Amen!

With love and respect,

Father Alberto Villafan, ofm
Associate Pastor
Mission San Luis Rey Parish

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