– Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
There’s a story called “The Other Wise Man” by Henry van Dyke.
It’s about a fourth person who is supposed to accompany the other three wise men on their journey to search for the newborn King. The name of the person is Artaban.
As Artaban prepares for the journey, he takes with him a bag of precious stones to give to the baby King. On his way to join the other three wise men, Artaban stops to help a poor person. The delay is just enough to make him miss his rendezvous with the others. Artaban never does catch up with them. He constantly runs into people who need help. And he always stops to help them. Eventually, Artaban gives away all his precious stones.
As the story ends, Artaban is old and poor. He has never realized his dream to meet the King of Kings. But the story doesn’t end here. One day Artaban is in Jerusalem. Authorities are about to execute a criminal. When Artaban sees the criminal, his heart skips a beat. Something tells him that this is the King of Kings for whom he has been searching all his life. Artaban is heartbroken when he sees he can do nothing to help the King.
Then something remarkable happens. Artaban hears the King’s voice say to him: “Don’t be broken-hearted, Artaban. You’ve been helping me all your life. When I was hungry, you gave me food. When I was thirsty, you gave me drink. When I was naked, you clothed me. When I was a stranger, you took me in.” (Mark Link in Sunday Homilies).
Sunday Mass is not a religious entertainment. Sunday Mass is a «power house» where Jesus inspires us, directs us and strengthens us to go to the world and transform it into one family, where all the people help all the people. This is the Kingdom of God which is the primary goal of Jesus coming on Christmas Day.
God loves you and so do I.
Fr. Bernardino Andrade
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