Cardinal Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo called on the faithful to embrace humility, reject arrogance, and protect the dignity of life in his homily for Epiphany Sunday, Jan. 5.
“The frail image of the Incarnate Word of God lying in a manger teaches us that humility is true strength,” the cardinal said, drawing from the Gospel of Matthew.
He reflected on King Herod’s reaction to the news of Jesus’ birth, describing how Herod’s fear was rooted in arrogance and a perceived threat to his power.
“King Herod’s heart was filled with anxiety because they had told him that something had appeared that threatened the status and honor he had obtained. His anxiety was not simply about his status being threatened, but also about his own arrogance being revealed before the rule of God’s truth.”
The prelate encouraged self-reflection, urging believers to confront the influence of human desires in their lives. “What about us? Are we not dominated by human desires and filled with arrogance?” he asked.
Highlighting the example of the wise men, he called on the Church to embody humility and serve as a beacon of God’s truth.
“The Church has inherited the light of God’s hope in its humble smallness. We want to be an entity that shines the light of God’s truth, however small, rather than an organization dominated by human desires,” he said.
The cardinal also emphasized the Church’s role in safeguarding life and respecting human dignity. “Life must be protected without exception from its beginning to its end. Not only must it be protected, but the dignity of human beings as images of God must always be respected,” he said.
Echoing Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of Peace, themed “Forgive us our sins. Grant us peace,” Cardinal Kikuchi highlighted the Pope’s appeal for global solidarity, including debt relief, the protection of life, and redirecting military spending to address hunger.
Quoting the Pope, he said, “I am thinking especially of all those who feel burdened by the mistakes of the past, assailed by the judgments of others, unable to find even a glimmer of hope in their own lives.”
As the Jubilee Year of Hope unfolds, Cardinal Kikuchi urged the faithful to reexamine the foundations of their lives. “On what basis are we living? Is it the arrogant desires of human beings, or is it hope based on God’s truth? Let us take a fresh look at this,” he said.
