The Epiphany of the Lord

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2011 12:57 pm Post subject: The Epiphany of the Lord

â€œRise up in splendor! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; But upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory.â€ (Isaiah 60:1-2)

As the world conspires, we find ourselves beset by those who seek to silence us, who persecute us, who would seek to do violence against us because of our belief in God. Though evil will rise up in attempts to mute Christian voices, it will only serve to reveal itself for what it truly is. The efforts of the evil one will be to silence those who speak of the Word in an attempt to diminish their numbers.

When their numbers become few, who will stop violence against them? As in the days of the chosen ones, enemies will be set all around them. The true battle is not of this world, but where our souls will find themselves in the eternity of the hereafter. Those who succumb to the evil will fall to the abyss of the darkness. The evil one will have his day, but in the time of the Lord, it will be a mere moment, for in His coming, the faithful shall be preserved and the evil washed away.

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, â€œWhere is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage.â€ When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, â€œIn Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: â€œAnd you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.â€ (Matthew 2:1-6)

Those who seek power in this world to feed their selfish desires will be the source of great suffering, for they take that which is not theirs; they impose a heavy burden upon those around them; they cause misery, strife and death. The suffering for all which will ensue from those consumed with evil need not happen, for the Lord has left choices to His children. In the Word He has given them their salvation, not just for the kingdom to come, but in the world which is now. Our choices of faith in God along with love and charity for one another will banish evil to its corner and will be the source of peace within our day.

Evil will only find its way in the corrupt hearts of those who allow themselves to be deceived by the ambitions of selfishness. They may beat their breasts on the street corners as to their intentions of good, but their actions will reveal the sin in their heart. We all have fallen to it, but only those who acknowledge it and seek the light, those who seek to truly live in the Word will be the ones to remove that which shackles us to the darkness.

Still, there will come a time when He will finally lose patience with the sin which causes the suffering of the innocent. He will weary of the corruption and violence among His children and He will put an end to the days we know of this world. Blessed are they who seek the Word of the Lord, for though they may have succumbed to sin, they will find salvation as they seek to walk to the light. Their works will reveal the great contrast between those who seek to live according to the Word of the Lord and those who fall to the dark ways of the evil one.

No king, no dictator, no head of state, no legislature, no judge -- no leader of any people of faith, commerce or charity will be able to hide the wages of evil, though they will seek to deceive many through clever words of good intentions. Those who lead in word or deed who fail in their task to care for the people will not last; their moments will end in agony and gnashing of teeth. They will be held to account for the corruption and carnage they cause.

The magi followed the signs and brought Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to pay Him homage, but the gifts from us that He desires may be found in what we do to care for the least of His children, for what we do for them, we do for Him. Blessed are they who care for the poor, the unfortunate, the very innocence of life from the time it is formed inside the womb; for it is such works which shall be remembered; not by the corrupt of our day, but by the Almighty, now and forever.

â€œI, Paul, a prisoner of Christ (Jesus) for you Gentiles--if, as I suppose, you have heard of the stewardship of God\'s grace that was given to me for your benefit, (namely, that) the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly earlier. When you read this you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to human beings 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.â€ (Ephesians 3:1-6)

Paul persecuted the Christians and sought to destroy the Christian church, â€œentering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment.â€ (Acts 8:3) As Paul continued in these endeavors, the voice of Jesus came upon him and guided him to carry the name of Jesus before Gentiles, kings, and Israelites. The news he would carry was the gospel of the Lord. Those he would challenge were those who impose the law, but fail to live by its meaning. Many would hear the Word and to this day the Word of the Lord continues to spread no matter the persecution, for the gates of the netherworld cannot stand against it.

As Jesus called to Paul, do we think He calls us any less? As we proceed our way, let us not listen to the preachings of charlatans, those who say they speak the Word, but speak in words only, for they only pave the way to deceit and disillusionment. Let us not listen to purveyors of false gods; the greed, lusts and empty power of this world; for their path is only to dust. Let us listen to the actions of those who live their belief in their Lord and Savior. Though such children of the Lord may fail from time to time in what they do and what they fail to do, their Savior will remain by their side. He will forgive their sin and reward the faith in their heart, for in their soul, He will see their desire to love God and one another as He loves us.

His salvation is for all His children who seek Him. He was born of the virgin to tell us. He will come again to claim us. He will shine upon His faithful and His glory will surround us. Praise be the Lord.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier