Pope Benedict XVI Blog

Pope: With Kings of the East, the light of Bethlehem fills all humanity, but not everyone sees it

» 01/06/2010 12:36
VATICAN

Benedict XVI celebrates the Mass of the Epiphany. The Kings opened a new route, which sees the “King of the Jews” in the "weak and fragile” Child, "whose power and omnipotence" is only that of love that he entrusts to us”. Those who can not see this lack humility and courage. But "the Lord has the power to enable us to see and to save us."

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - With the solemnity of the Epiphany - celebrated January 6 in Italy and the Vatican - "through the Kings from the East, the great light that radiates from the Grotto of Bethlehem inundates the whole of humanity”. Thus, Benedict XVI introduced his homily on the feast commemorating the journey of discovery and the arrival of the Kings in Bethlehem to worship the “King of the Jews" and give him gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The pope particularly touched on some paradoxes that characterize this feast. The first paradox is highlighted by the difference between the prophecy of Isaiah (in the first reading today, Is 60, 1-6)-in which the light of God will bow "The kings of the nations ... from all corners of the earth" - and the "poor and humble" vision from the Gospel (Matthew 2:1-12), where the Kings found the child in a grotto: "the mighty kings of the earth do not arrive in Bethlehem, - the Pope said - but Kings of the East, unknown characters, perhaps viewed with suspicion, in any case not worthy of particular attention. The inhabitants of Jerusalem are informed of the incident, but do not consider it necessary to bother themselves, not even in Bethlehem does it seem that there is someone who cares about the birth of this Child. "
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See also:

From AsiaNews, "Pope: The Wise Kings, men of science, but open to divine messages"


From CNA, "Magi 'models of true wisdom,' says Pope at Angelus" and "True faith in Christ requires real humility, Benedict XVI teaches"

posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 1:00 PM