|Bishop Barron
翻译|Carrie

朋友们，今天的福音描写黑落德因为受了贤士们的愚弄，暴怒之下，在白冷大规模屠杀男孩。玛窦特意在贤士们来访的故事里把黑落德王和东方来的神秘贤士们相提并论。黑落德是政治斗争的高手。他是个精明的现实主义者，通过威胁、谋杀和贿赂爬上了最高的政治台阶。

 

当黑落德忙得不可开交、拼命保存自己的地位之际，来自远方的几位贤士毫不关心政治和统治游戏。他们仔细地观察夜空，找寻天主的征兆。当他们进入黑落德的领土，也就进入了黑落德的监视范围内。他们是谁？是间谍吗？他们在找谁？一个新生的王？那是个威胁！是谋反。

 

黑落德假装虔诚，召见贤士们询问那颗星的出现时间；然后要求他们去白冷找出准确位置。凭借这个GPS系统，他就能找到这个王——从而铲草除根。

 

Friends, today’s Gospel describes Herod’s massacre of the boys of Bethlehem, his furious reaction to being deceived by the Magi. Matthew’s account of the visit of the Magi purposely juxtaposes King Herod and the mysterious Magi from the east. Herod was the consummate political survivor, a canny realist who had, through threats, murder, and corruption, found his way to the top of the political ladder.

 

While Herod was fussing around, desperately trying to maintain himself in power, figures from a distant country were blithely indifferent to politics and games of domination. They were intensely surveying the night sky, looking for signs from God. Now, as they cross the border into Herod’s country, the Magi come onto Herod’s radar-screen. Who are they? Spies? And whom are they seeking? A newborn king? That is a threat! That is treason.

 

Under the pretense of piety, he calls the Magi to himself and inquires after the star’s first appearance, getting the time coordinates; and then he asks them to go to Bethlehem and find the exact locale. With this GPS system, he can find the king—and stamp him out.