False Worship vs Real Worship

In breaking the word, on Epiphany Sunday, Fr. Dom highlighted two kinds of worship in the Gospel – true vs false worship.

He explained that Herod was deceptive in his worship. King Herod was “greatly troubled” about the birth of Jesus.

“Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.”

Herod was only interested in worshiping himself. Most of the time we end up worshipping ourselves like Herod. Fulton Sheen explained that “If you do not worship God, you worship something, and nine times out of ten it will be yourself.” While Pope Benedict XVI listed three things that people worship without realizing it– material possessions, possessive love, or power.”

True worship on the other hand is an encounter with Jesus. The Magi genuinely followed the star to have an encounter with Him.

True worship is the living human being, who has become a total answer to God, shaped by God’s healing and transforming word.” Pope Benedict XVI