Passing On the Faith - THE EPIPHANY OF GOD in Christ did not end with the earthly existence of Jesus. The revelation of God's gift has been transmitted "from faith in faith" throughout history by all those who assumed it into their own lives by becoming disciples of Jesus and apostles for others. Paul speaks of this transmission from generation to generation when writing to Timothy: "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you." - 2 Timothy 1:5 - Similarly, in our own day, we can speak of the faith of our ancestors, recalling the men and women who were the instruments God used to manifest his grace toward us. We can also look into the future and envision our own spiritual descendants, those who will receive our mission and our testimony about this revelation.

EACH ONE OF US can say with Paul, "God was pleased to reveal his Son to me" - Galatians 1:15-16 - for we have received the revelation of God's glory in Christ. - cf. John 21:1 - Speaking mystically, we can also say that we have seen the risen Lord in our lives. - cf. 1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:8,11 - We are blessed because we have believed even without seeing him physically. As disciples, we are made participants in the mystery of Christ, who was not made known to earlier generations but "has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit." - Ephesians 3:4-5 - Saint Paul bids us give glory "to God who is able to strengthen us according to the gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith." - Romans 16:25-27 -

WE RECEIVE OUR MISSION as apostles from Christ himself when he reveals himself to us - cf. Romans 1:5 - and it is by means of us that Christ now speaks and acts. - Romans 15:18 - He is not weak but powerful in the preaching of those who accept his revelation - 2 Corinthians 13:2-3 - We are heirs to the mission of the disciples: making public what has been revealed to us and what Jesus has told us. - Matthew 10:26-33 - Whoever  hears the disciples hears Jesus himself. - Luke 10:16 - Thus, the revelation, the epiphany, the "dis-covering" of God, is carried on through those who are constituted disciples. As disciples, we are promised the Spirit of truth who will bear witness, who will teach us all things, and who will lead us to the fullness of truth - John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13 - In our docility to the Holy Spirit, the source of all revelation - cf. 1 Corinthians 2:10 - we have the assurance of receiving and transmitting the revelation of Christ rather than a merely human message. - 1 Thessalonians 2:13 -

So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall on the ground unperceived by your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heave. - Matthew 10:26-33 -

When we accept God's epiphany, we are constituted disciples and set out on a journey, as did Abraham. We become bearers of the epiphany, which may take the form of the Magi's star - Matthew 2:2,7,9-12 - or Joseph's doubts - Matthew 1:20 - or the angel's warning in a dream to save the child - Matthew 2:13,19,22 - or the news Mary receives about her cousin's pregnancy. - Luke 2:26-38 - Whatever form it takes, our task as bearers of the epiphany always goes beyond the simple acts of transmitting a message, relating a verifiable history, or proving some truth. We fully accepted, the epiphany of God becomes flesh in the life of the disciple in such a way that it can be transmitted only from this "incarnation." That is to say, it can be transmitted only from this "incarnation". That is to say, it can be transmitted to others not by words of flesh and blood, not by human wisdom, but only by the scandalous inevitability of the cross; it can be transmitted only by martyrion, by bearing witness: "I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel... I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God" - John 1:31,34 - 

JESUS ASKS US to let the light of our truth, our testimony to the truth, shine before others so that they may see our good works and give glory to the Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16 - As disciples, we replicate in some way the very mystery of Christ's epiphany. By bearing witness, we produce light that provokes joy, and from the joy flows glory. This is the essence of bearing testimony: stirring praise and adoration of the Father through the joy that invades the hearts of those who see and hear the message. The true disciple is light, as Jesus declares about the Baptist: :He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light." - John 5:35 - The life of the disciples must be irreproachable so that their light reaches into the darkest shadows: "Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world". - Philippians 2:14-15 -

You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16 -

THE TESTIMONY THE DISCIPLES give is the very reason why they must be continually divested of self-interest. They are to proclaim and confirm the faith of their brothers and sisters. They must strive to awaken profuse joy in the hearts of the faithful so that they give glory to their Father in heaven. The disciples are to decrease so that Christ increases. If they remain faithful to their vocation of discipleship, their final destiny is already marked out: "Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go." - John 21:18 - There is nothing improvised in this following of Jesus - it requires the preparation of a lifetime.    

- Prayer - Seeing God in creatures, seeing God made mortal, seeing celestial beauty in humble attire. Seeing joy weep tears, seeing wealth so poor, seeing greatness brought low, and seeing that so was God's desire. Great was the mercy we received on that most blessed day! Whoever sees it, may it be I!

Making peace amid so much war, bringing warmth to such great cold, letting what is mine belong to all, planting heaven here on earth. What a magnificent mission God has entrusted to our hands! Whoever does it, may it be I! Amen.

The Son Reveals the Father - THE WHOLE HISTORY of God's revelation, which for us is salvation history, reaches its culmination in Christ, who is the "revealer" of the Father. Christ is the one who comes in the fullness of time; all earlier revelation was pointing to him as the ultimate secret that the Father wants to reveal to us. When Christ appears among us, the Father is revealing himself in his mysterious entirety.

JESUS CHRIST is the definite reveler of the mystery of God. He announces the Father and makes him known (cf. John 1:18). What he has heard from the Father, he announces to the world (John 3:3, 32;8:26; 15:15). Jesus is the Father's only-begotten Son who comes into the world keenly aware of his mission of revealing the Father and fully empowered to carry it out. He has authority and he makes it felt: "They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes... They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, 'What is this? A new teaching - with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.' At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee" - Mark 1:22,27-28 - Jesus produces amazement among those who hear his words and behold his deeds. This capacity to cause astonishment comes from who he is: the one to whom all power in heaven and on earth has been given - Matthew 28:18 - That is why, when he reveals the mystery of God, he reveals also the conflicting desires of people's hearts - cf. Luke 1:35-36 - By reflecting God's authority as the only-begotten Son, he becomes a cornerstone of contradiction among his own people - cf. Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:14 - As revealer of the triune mystery, Jesus Christ enters into people's lives with unprecedented authority, but also suffers in his own flesh the rejection brought on by this very revelation.

I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. - John 15:15 - 

AS REVEALER OF GOD, Jesus Christ brings light to every human being - John 1:9 - because he himself is the light of humankind. - John 1:4-5; 8:12 -

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." - John 8:12 -

When Jesus Christ is present, the true light shines and all shadows disappear. - 1 John 2:8 - But then begins the drama of the rejection of the light. This light, which brings the law and the prophets to fulfillment, is spurned because its luminosity is different from what was expected; its brilliance illumines places other than those imagined; it provokes opposition as challenging as it is perplexing. That is why the announcement of the fullness of God's revelation in God's good time is addressed precisely to those most deprived of fullness from a human perspective: the simple folk, the poor fishermen. - cf. Matthew 5:3 - those who humbly keep God's commandments. - John 14:21 - 

To these Jesus imparts knowledge of the Father that only the Son can give - Matthew 11:27 -: "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father". - see John 14:7-9 - What is more, this privilege granted the poor brings forth praise from Jesus: "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him". - Luke 10:21-22 -

In reporting these words of praise, the Gospel tells us that Jesus, inspired with the Holy Spirit, was filled with joy. - Luke 10:21 - This outburst of Jesus reveals the joy that exists deep within the Trinity. The revelation of this divine joy stirs human hearts to rejoicing, as we see in the joy of Elizabeth and Mary during the visitation - Luke 2:39-45 - and in the joy of the shepherds in Bethlehem. - Luke 2:10-20 - It is the joy of all those who draw close to Jesus with good will and receive from him the revelation of the Father, who is life. - 1 John 1:2 - It is an almost compulsive joy that emboldens those who experience it for they cannot help but speak of what they have seen and heard. - Acts 4:19-20 - Such joy is maintained even in the midst of persecution and punishment: "The disciples left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus". - Acts 5:41 - It is a joy that goes beyond all practical outcomes, whether human or superhuman, even those that are miraculous; it finds its culmination in rejoicing that our names stand written in the heavens. - cf. Luke 10:20 -

But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see - I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!" - Luke 2:10-14 -

Saint Ignatius calls this joy "spiritual consolation": "By consolation I mean that which occurs when some interior motion is caused within the soul through which it comes to be inflamed with love of its Creator and Lord. As a result it can love no created thing on the face of the earth in itself, but only in the Creator of them all. Similarly, this consolation is experienced when the soul sheds tears which move it to love for its Lord - whether there are tears of grief for its own sin, or about the Passion of Christ our Lord, or about other matters directly ordered to his service and praise. Finally, under the word consolation I include every increase in hope, faith, and charity, and every interior joy which calls and attracts one toward heavenly things and to the salvation of one's soul, by bringing it tranquility and peace in its Creator and Lord" (SpEx316). This should be the habitual state of those who receive the revelation of Jesus Christ with eagerness and sincerity of heart.

Even in the midst of tribulation (such as when the apostles were scourged), spiritual consolation is preserved in some form. Even when suspended on the cross, the person who faithfully receives the word of revelation will not be lacking that profound peace that is part of consolation.

THOSE WHO HEAR the voice of Jesus are filled with joy (cf. John 10:3,27). But this joy is oriented toward a definite goal, as was the case with Abraham - John 8:56 - Just as Jesus "was filled with joy in the Holy Spirit," learns to raise its sights beyond time and space. It is through joy that our salvation history gains access to the glory of God, and it is Jesus who reveals to us the glory of the Father - John 1:14 - because the Father is glorified in the Son. - cf. John 14:13 - This is how we should understand the affectionate way in which Jesus reproaches Martha: Did I not tell you that if you would believe, you would see the glory of God?" - John 11:40 - The glory of God poured out in Christ, almost as if it were escaping through a crack - cf. John 2:11 - is the glorious fullness of light that gives us the hope of beholding it everlastingly: "In the right hand he held seven stars, and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shinning with full force". - Revelation 1:16 - When time comes to an end, God will be manifested as the fullness of light; he will be the ultimate light not only for each one of us but also for the world: "The heavenly city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb." - Revelation 21:23 -

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. - John 10:3 - My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. - John 10:27 -

WE HAVE STRESSED that Jesus is not only the revealer but also the supreme revelation of the Father. God's efforts to open human eyes and ears - cf. Numbers 22:31; 1 Samuel 9:15-16 - have a long and diverse history that tends toward Christ and culminates in him: :Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high." - Hebrews 1:1-3 - God makes Christ manifest to us. God "saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel". - 2 Timothy 1:9-10 - God's grace, which is the source of salvation for all human beings, was revealed in Christ - Titus 2:11 - and in him was made manifest the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior. - Titus 3:4-5 -

Jesus is the Word made flesh, the word of life that the first apostles and disciples saw and heard and touched with their hands - John 1:14; 1 John 1:1 - They were blessed because they saw and heard what many ancient prophets had desired to experience. - cf. Matthew 13:16; 1 Peter 1:12 - But they were blessed not so much because they could see Christ in the flesh but because it was the Father who revealed him to them. - Matthew 16:17 - That is why Jesus himself clearly proclaimed what might have seemed contradictory: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe!" - John 20:29 - Into this blessed state will enter all of us if we trust not in the revelation of flesh and blood - cf. Matthew 16:17 - but rather open our hearts to the Father's supreme revelation, his great gift to us. By doing this, we are inserted into the history of all those who hope against all hope" - Romans 4:18 -; we are counted among those who allow themselves to be led by God toward the promised land and who persevere as though seeing the one who is invisible. - cf. Hebrews 11:27 -

THE GIFT OF CHRIST we receive from the Father is a manifestation of love: "God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him". - 1 John 4:9 - This is true for all of us who have not seen or heard in the flesh and yet believe, for the revelation of Christ is the gift of the Father and the work of the Spirit; it is communicated to all who allow the Spirit to act in their souls. - cf. 1 Corinthians 14:26,30; Philippians 3:15 - The Spirit leads us to the truth. - John 16:13 - Christ Jesus, made manifest in the flesh, has come for all times "to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace". - Luke 1:79 - That is why the definitive revelation of Jesus Christ will surpass all history and reach its fullness beyond our present time and space. It will be "the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave him to show to his servants about what must soon take place." - Revelation 1:1 -

What should be done then, my friends? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation, let all things be done for building up. - 1 Corinthians 14:26 - 

If a revelation is made to someone else sitting nearby, let the first person be silent. - Corinthians 14:30 -

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. - John 16:13 - 

- Prayer - Word of God, eternal light divine, eternal source of all pure truth, glory of God that illumines the cosmos, bright burning torch in darkest night. Word eternally pronounced in the Father's mind, what joy that in our history he was born a child from the bosom of the Virgin. Do not cease to shine, heavenly beacons, with the rays of light that God sends forth; faithfully guide our friends, our peoples; proclaim the truth on every path. Amen.

BY  HIS  HOLINESS  POPE  FRANCIS / JORGE MARIO BERGOGLIO

Open Mind,  Faithful Heart - Reflections on Following Jesus - Translated by Joseph V. Owens, 

- WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE / WORD OF GOD / HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY - 

Wishing you, 'Happy Reading', and may God, the Father, the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, fills your heart, mind, thoughts, and grants you: The Holy Spirit, that is, Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Fear of the Lord, and also His fruits of the Holy Spirit, that is, Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Trustfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. Amen! God blessing be upon you!

Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord" and not do what I say?' "Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and acts on them - I will show you what he/she is like. He/She is like a man/woman who when he/she built his/her house dug, deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. But the one who listens and does nothing is like the man/woman who built his/her house on soil, with no foundations: as soon as the river bore down on it, it collapsed; and what a ruin that house became!" - Luke 6:46-49 - 

If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ Jesus, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to it function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love." - Ephesians 4:15-16 - 

I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself, but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He/She will glorify me, since all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: all he/she tells you will be taken from what is mine." - John 16:12-15 -

Your generous contribution and support is profoundly cherish. I sincerely pray that: God blessing be upon you, always. Amen! Bank transfer: Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah - Public Bank Berhad account no. 4076577113 - Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.