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5th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
The mystery of Epiphany continues to unfold in the passages of this Fifth
Sunday. The prophet Isaiah starts off by delivering a stern message
calling us to hold off on our pious ritual until we get with God's program of
justice and service. That's the first revelation. Then we get to know St. Paul
from his Sage-like side. He describes the divine gifts of God inside of
us, something that's hidden from the world; a personal revelation of a
spiritual reality made manifest through Christ.. Lastly, we learn from the
Master himself that we are the true spice-girls (and boys) of life, and a
source of light. Contrary to modern perception, we have to offer something
real--a life-giving passion that brings about true joy.
ISAIAH 58:1-12 - God Prefers Justice Over Fasting
The prophet is clear on where God stands: the ritual fasting by the
people doesn't do squat, unless it is also accompanied by the
restoration of justice for the poor, the oppressed and the homeless in
our midst. You got to admire Isaiah for the courage to preach it like it
is; to name the sins of his contemporaries by name. Do we dare to speak
about the gossip, the cliques and the exclusion in our church?
1 CORINTHIANS 2:1-16 -DIVINE WISDOM WITHIN
The apostle talks about a secret knowledge, a divine wisdom
which has been made known in Christ and which has been imparted into the hearts of God's children--a wisdom the
world knows nothing about, a wisdom "no
eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has
prepared for those who love him." That sounds exciting. How do we
tap into this divine wisdom within?
MATTHEW 5:13-20 - Salt and Light of the Earth
Jesus compares his disciples to salt and
light. He showed his passion and compassion in a very open and loud way.
He was a man full of zest and zeal. And he gives us a word of warning:
if you don’t strive to be a vital Christian, you are in danger to be
trampled underfoot. A light must shine and not be wasted by being
hidden under a bushel
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