By Maria Elisa Olivas
Youth Ministry Specialist
Archdiocese of Denver
"Adeste, fideles, laeti triumphantes."
Better known in English as the hymn “O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem."
In this glorious time of the Savior's birth, our hearts resonate with this carol, full of truth and joy, as we go to meet God to worship him.
As we meditate on the Epiphany of the Lord, we remember the manifestation of Our Lord in Bethlehem before the Magi, who came to adore him, recognizing in him the Son of God and the Savior of the world. We often allow ourselves to be distracted from this central truth, focusing instead on secondary details such as who will make the largest rosca (a traditional pastry), who will be blessed by the child, or who will be in charge of making the food for the celebrations, among other things.
Let us pause and reflect: What is your offering to the Lord? What is your heart carrying to present before the Lord? How consistently do you come to worship the Lord, your God?
As you meditate on these questions, I invite you to ask the Spirit of God to enlighten you and show you how you can worship him more devoutly.
In the Gospel we meditate on this liturgical year for the Epiphany of the Lord, we see how Matthew shares the journey of the Magi when they arrived in Jerusalem in search of the King of the Jews: “We have seen his star in the East, and we have come to worship him" (Mt 2:2).
Could it be that our reality does not allow us the time and space, amid so many distractions, to see his star rise in our lives? And beyond that, what is our response? Do we hasten to set out on the journey to worship him? And, mind you, I am not saying this literally, but if we were to take it literally, let us go to Bethlehem, to the nearest Bethlehem, to our home.
In Hebrew, Bethlehem means “house of bread.” What a powerful detail from the Lord! This automatically makes me think of the Eucharist. The nearest Bethlehem you have is the Adoration Chapel, where Jesus himself is hidden in the tabernacle or exposed, but always present for you, 24/7. Jesus in the Eucharist, the same child that the Magi from the East traveled for days and nights to adore, stays present for you and for me in the Blessed Sacrament of the altar. Jesus is present in the Eucharist. The most tangible manifestation we have today of Our Lord is in the Eucharist.
I imagine that this year you have set out to form or begin habits that will help you grow in virtue or to become your best self. That is why I urge you to go and worship the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. A Savior has been born to us, and he remains present in the miracle of the Bread. Let us go and worship our God.
Come and adore Him, come and adore Him, come and adore Christ the Lord.
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