Sunday Homily, January 5, 2014, Epiphany, Cycle A
Readings:
Isaiah 60, 1-6, Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem.
Psalm 72, Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Ephesians 3, 2-3, 5-6, You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace.
Matthew 2, 1-12, Behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem.
Isaiah observations & reminders:
Who. This is Isaiah III, the third of three.
Time. The Jewish people have been released from slavery in Babylon and are back in a devasted Jerusalem. Around 555 before Christ.
Message: consolation and encouragement. The splendor of Jerusalem will shine again.
Two Wise Men from the East
We all have people who are our models. This morning in celebrating the Epiphany, I would like to tell you about two wise men from the east who have been models for me.
The first is Julius Neyerere who was the first president of Tanzania when the country became independent in 1961. I admire him first of all because he was maybe the first president of an African country to voluntarily retire from the presidency, which he did in 1985, after almost 25 years. He was president all during my time in Tanzania.
Equally admirable to me was that he went to Mass every morning. Yes, he was a Catholic and a very approachable person. He & his family lived in a simple house in Dar es Salaam, the capital and he was open to seeing anyone. He was really interested in the welfare of his people. The country was poor but peaceful while I lived there.
My second model from the east has been in the news this past month of December, because he just died at 95 years of age. He was Nelson Mandela of South Africa. He was and is a model for me because of at least 3 things.
First, he was in prison all during my ten years in East Africa. In fact, he was in prison almost 30 years. That knocks me out. I remember the loneliness I felt in Tanzania at times and I was not even in prison.
During that time on three occasions he was offered conditional release. He refused and demanded unconditional release. Wow.
But what really knocks me is that when he was released around 1990, he held no grudges and took no revenge. On the contrary, he cooperated with some of the people who imprisoned him to govern the country with equality.
A famous move he made once was when he supported the white national rugby team in a major match with the team from another country.
A second move he made wins my admiration. He was elected president of South Africa in 1994. At the end of his term in 1999, as he had promised, he declined to run again, but retired. Phenomenal. Would that some other African countries could follow that example.
Thirdly, all of Nelson’s adult life he fought for democracy, equality, and education.
When he was on trial facing the death penalty or life, which he eventually received, he stated,
“I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
Who are your models and why?