January 6, 2010

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SOLENNITÀ DELL'EPIFANIA DEL SIGNORE

BENEDETTO XVI

ANGELUS

Piazza San Pietro
Mercoledì, 6 gennaio 2010

 

Dear brothers and sisters!
 
Today we celebrate the great feast of the Epiphany, the mystery of the manifestation of God to all nations, represented by the Magi who came from the East to worship the King of the Jews (cf. Mt 2,1-2). The evangelist Matthew, who recounts the event, stressed that they came to Jerusalem following a star, first seen in its rising and interpreted as a sign of the birth of the King foretold by the prophets, that is the Messiah.  Joints, however, in Jerusalem, the Magi were in need of guidance of the priests and scribes to know exactly where to go, that is Bethlehem, the city of David (cf. Mt 2:5-6, Mic 5:1). The star and the Holy Scriptures were the two lights that guide the journey of the Magi, who appear to us as models of genuine seekers of truth.

They were wise men, who watch for the stars and knew the history of peoples. They were men of science in a broad sense, observing the universe regarded as virtually a great book full of signs and messages from God to man. Their knowledge, therefore, far from being regarded as self-sufficient, was open to further discoveries, and God's call.  Indeed, not ashamed to ask for directions to the religious leaders of the Jews. They might say: do it alone, we did not need anyone to avoid, in our mind now, every "contamination" between science and the Word of God But the wise men listen and accept the prophecies, and, as soon as you call on their way to Bethlehem, saw the star again, as if to confirm the perfect harmony between the human search for truth and the divine harmony of joy that filled their hearts with true sages (cf. Mt 2:10). The culmination of their journey was research when faced with "the child with Mary his mother" (Mt 2:11). The Gospel says that "they fell down and worshiped him." They might be disappointed, indeed, scandalized. Instead, as true scholars, are open to the mystery that manifests itself in surprising ways, and their symbolic gifts show to recognize Jesus as the King and the Son of God precisely in this act are fulfilled messianic oracles announcing the gift nations to the God of Israel.

A final confirmation particular, the Magi, the unity between intelligence and faith is the fact that "warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they returned by another road to their country" (Mt 2:12). It would be natural to return to Jerusalem, in Herod's palace and the Temple, giving resonance to their discovery. Instead, the Magi, who chose as their ruler and Child, keep it in secret, in the style of Mary, or rather, of God and, as they had appeared, they disappear into the silence, contentment, but also changed by the encounter with the Truth.  They had discovered a new face of God, a new royalty: that of love. We support the Virgin Mary, model of true wisdom, to be truly seek God, to live there is always the profound harmony between reason and faith, science and revelation.