The Unauthorized Homily

By Bill Dunn

A commentary on the Scripture readings from the Sunday Lectionary

(Scripture readings for Sunday, January 7th: Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12)

GOD ‘REVEALS’ THAT DEISM CAN’T BE TRUE

This week is the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. We commemorate the visit by those mysterious strangers from the east, the Magi, who brought the child Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and in the process became the subject of one of the best known Christmas carols of all time.

The first reading this week, from the book of the prophet Isaiah, written hundreds of years before the time of Christ, foretells of a day when the glory of God would shine so brightly that even the Gentiles would come to Jerusalem to pay homage to the Lord. This passage certainly is appropriate for Epiphany—after all, the Magi were Gentiles coming to pay homage to the Lord—but the clincher is the verse that says, “All from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense.”

If you don’t use Isaiah’s “gold and frankincense” verse this week, then you’ll never use it.

The word Epiphany actually means “appearance,” or “to show forth,” or “to make known.” For the first time the Lord was appearing and being made known to the whole world, not just to the Chosen People of Israel.

As usually happens with the church calendar of weekly Scripture verses, the first reading and the Gospel reading are closely connected. The second reading from the New Testament epistles often does not fit in with the main theme. This week, however, the passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians not only fits the theme, it just might be the most important idea this week.

Paul says that “the mystery” was made know to him “by revelation.” And he explains, “It was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed.”

Christianity is a religion of revelation. We believe that God has revealed Himself to mankind. He revealed Himself by gathering a special people to be His own, the nation of Israel. He revealed Himself by inspiring the authors of the Holy Scriptures to record what He wanted to communicate to us. And He revealed Himself most of all by the Incarnation, when He came down to earth and took on human flesh. We truly believe God is not distant and silent; rather, He is near and actively involved in the affairs of humanity. He is aware and He does care.

There are many people today who do not believe in revelation. They accept that God exists, but they do not accept that God has ever communicated with mankind. These people are known as deists.

Deists claim they believe in the existence of God, or a supreme being, but they deny what they call “revealed religion,” basing their beliefs on “the light of nature and reason.” One deist website explains, “This common sense approach to God…can not only bring a lasting profound sense of peace and happiness to the individual, but it also has the potential to go light years in eradicating religious fear, superstition and violence.”

OK, well that sounds kind of intriguing, especially considering all the wars and persecutions that have occurred, and still occur, in the name of religion.

This website also states, “All the other religions…make claim to special divine revelation, or they have requisite ‘holy’ books. Deism has neither. In Deism there is no need for a preacher, priest or rabbi. All one needs in Deism is their own common sense and the creation to contemplate.”

Hmm, now this is starting to sound suspiciously like prideful humanism, where the real focus of worship is turned inward to the self—or as I call it, the religion of Me-ism.

Before we are too quick to condemn the idea of “revealed” religion, let’s review what we know for sure: God created mankind. And He created mankind with distinct personalities and with the ability to communicate (some would say the compulsion to communicate).

We know by logic and reason that the created being cannot be greater than it’s Creator. In other words, if we humans have the ability to think and to use words, then it’s impossible for our Creator not to have these abilities. So we can safely say that God has a personality and He has the ability to communicate.

Now, here’s the question we have to ask: What are the odds that God, after going to all the trouble of creating beings with the ability to communicate—just as He does—would then choose NOT to communicate with these creatures?

To quote Mr. Spock, it is simply not logical, Captain.

So the faith system that claims to be based on logic and reason, Deism, actually has a gaping hole in its logic.

The only thing that make sense it that the God of all Creation, who made the heavens and the earth, did NOT create mankind and then go off on a permanent vacation. He made us because of His love, and He loves us too much to abandon us.

The Lord really, truly came to earth, the event we celebrated last week. And He did so to teach us and guide us and show us the way home. He revealed Himself to the whole world, beginning on the day the Gentiles from the east bowed down and paid Him homage.

He has been revealing Himself to the whole world for 2,000 years now, and wise men still seek Him.

©2007