BY governing the people with justice and establishing peace, the king makes way for the blessings of the Lord to be enjoyed not only by the poor and the afflicted but by all nations (Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13). The incarnate Son of God came to be not just the ruler of the Jews but the savior of the whole world (Matthew 2:1-12).
Mercy for the poor and the afflicted
Psalm 72 is a royal hymn, a prayer for the success of the king. The psalmist begins by asking God to endow the king with a share of His divine justice, so that the king, “the king’s son”—a dynastic successor in reference to the Davidic covenant—can uphold and administer justice. Indeed, “By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me rulers rule, and nobles, all who govern rightly” (Proverbs 8:15-16). Such judicial wisdom makes way to harmony and profound peace all over the land, as God wants such peace and well-being for His people entrusted to the care of the king.
The measure of just governance according to God’s judgment is the proper care given to the poor, the afflicted and the defenseless: mercy and compassion for the lowly and the poor. The psalmist prays that God grant righteousness to the anointed one so that he saves the needy who cry out and the afflicted who have no one to help them. And may the king’s righteousness and reign of peace be blessed forever and ever (“till the moon be no more”). And not only until the end of time, may it also extend “from sea to sea” and “to the ends of the Earth,” encompassing the entire world. All kings from Tarshish through Arabia to Seba will pay him homage. His enduring reputation will be an exemplar to other rulers and nations, so through Him, God will bless them too, as was promised to Abraham (Genesis 12:2).
Shepherd of Israel, savior of the world
The popular Christmas story of the wise men (magi) from the east coming to give homage to the newborn Jesus invites us to focus on the theological point that the account is purposely making. We are struck how people of goodwill are sensitive to God’s revelation. Regardless of their ethnic or religious background, their openness uncovered for them the meaning of the signs and, ultimately, the identity of the newborn child.
The evangelist wove together the story to bring out that the child is the messiah of David’s line, to be born in Bethlehem of Judea, to shepherd Israel, and so to receive homage as king. The responsive gentiles from the east were initially guided by a star, which was later completed by the scriptures; they succeeded in finding the child because they were open to the truth. On the other hand, the Jews and their leaders though steeped in the scriptures showed themselves paradoxically incapable of believing and they failed to welcome Jesus. The wise men from the east were the forerunners of all humankind invited to the presence of the Savior; they symbolize the message of salvation beyond Judaism in its intended universal scope.
Warned about Herod
The star and its light led the wise men to the savior. By way of contrast, King Herod and all of Jerusalem manifested extreme darkness; they were greatly troubled by the news about the newborn king of the Jews. The wickedness of Herod showed off when later he ordered “the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity 2 years old and under” (Matthew 2:16) to get rid of any rival to his throne, after pretending to the magi to be interested in paying homage to the newborn child. It remarkably parallels the popular story of Moses’ escape from the Pharaoh, who, forewarned by his scribes that a child about to be born would threaten his crown, decided to kill all the male children of the Hebrews in his land.
The Herod in Matthew’s story also echoes another evil king, Balak king of Moab who tried to destroy him when the Israelites were on their way to the Promised Land. Balak summoned Balaam, a magus from the east (Numbers 23:7), to put a curse on Moses and Israel. Instead of doing so, Balaam had a vision: “There shall come a man out of Israel’s seed, and he shall rule many nations…I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not close: a star shall rise from Jacob” (Numbers 24:7, 17).
Alálaong bagá, what the solemnity of the Lord’s Epiphany, or manifestation to the world, underlines is the fact that humankind in darkness and chaos needs the light and order the Savior brings. But some people in power and those who are supposed to know better reject Jesus because of their own vested interests. In the absence of righteousness, the poor can only suffer more and darkness continue to prevail.
A blessed New Year to us all!
Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio-streaming on www.dwiz882.com.