February 6, 2026 – Burbank, CA
Dear readers,
In today’s liturgical reading from the Extraordinary Form Missal, we encounter the profound story of the Magi’s journey to adore the newborn King, as recounted in Matthew 2:1-12. This Gospel invites us to reflect on divine revelation, humble adoration, and the courage to defy worldly powers. Drawing from the missions and sermons of St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorists—a congregation dedicated to preaching abundant redemption to the poor and forsaken—I’ll paraphrase the reading, interpret its spiritual depths, and explore its relevance for Catholic entrepreneurs today. In a world shackled by financial oppression and criminal systems, this Epiphany calls us to fight for true freedom, echoing the Monroe Doctrine’s spirit of sovereignty and leaders like Donald Trump who challenge global tyrannies.
Paraphrased Gospel: The Magi’s Quest and Herod’s Deceit
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem during King Herod’s reign, wise men from the East arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We’ve seen his star rising and have come to pay him homage.” This disturbed Herod and all Jerusalem. He gathered the chief priests and scribes, who cited prophecy: “In Bethlehem of Judea.” Herod secretly summoned the Magi, inquiring about the star’s appearance, and sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go search diligently for the child, and when you find him, report back so I too may adore him.”
Guided by the star, which stopped over the place where the child was, the Magi entered and found the infant with Mary his mother. Overjoyed, they prostrated themselves, adored him, and offered gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another route.
(For the full verses in the Douay-Rheims Bible, visit: https://drbo.org/chapter/47002.htm)
This narrative isn’t just historical—it’s a blueprint for spiritual seeking and resistance against evil.
Interpretation Through St. Alphonsus Liguori’s Lens
St. Alphonsus Liguori, in his meditations for the Week of Epiphany (available in online PDFs like those from traditional Catholic sources), emphasizes the Magi’s encounter as a model of redemption and heartfelt offering. In his Morning Meditation for Epiphany, he writes: “The kings find a poor Maiden, and her poor Infant wrapped in poor swaddling-clothes… They adore, they acknowledge Him for their God, and, kissing His feet, they offer Him their gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Let us adore our little King, and offer Him all our hearts.”
The Redemptorists’ mission, as outlined in St. Alphonsus’ writings (e.g., his “Sermons for All Sundays” and mission-focused treatises, accessible via archives like Internet Archive or Catholic Apologetics sites), was to bring the Gospel to the abandoned, preaching Christ’s redemptive love amidst poverty and sin. The Magi, enlightened by the star (symbolizing interior grace), represent humanity’s call to faith—our “first and sovereign grace,” as St. Alphonsus calls it. They find not a palace but a stable, teaching humility. Herod’s feigned interest mirrors the world’s deceit, but the Magi’s dream-warning shows divine protection for those who seek truth.
In his Spiritual Reading, St. Alphonsus reflects on the Incarnation: “Lo, here am I; send me” (Isaiah 6:8), portraying Christ’s self-offering to redeem us from sin’s slavery. This ties to Epiphany’s revelation: God manifests to Gentiles, inviting all to salvation. We’re grateful, he notes in the Evening Meditation, to live post-Redemption, unlike our idolatrous ancestors— a happiness that demands we avoid sin and embrace the true Church.
Relevance for Catholic Entrepreneurs: Building Kingdoms Free from Oppression
As Catholic entrepreneurs, we mirror the Magi—wise seekers navigating uncertain paths, guided by faith’s “star” to offer our gifts to Christ. St. Alphonsus urges offering our hearts; for us, this means dedicating businesses to ethical, redemptive purposes. Like the Magi’s gold (wealth), frankincense (prayerful innovation), and myrrh (sacrificial endurance), entrepreneurs can build ventures that honor God, serve the poor (aligning with Redemptorist missions), and resist worldly corruption.
But today’s Herod-like tyrants lurk in the 1913 establishment of the Federal Reserve and IRS—systems that enslaved Americans to endless debt and taxation, birthing a criminal financial elite. These “banks and criminals” echo Herod’s plot to destroy the innocent, stripping sovereignty and freedom. Catholic entrepreneurs must fight back: bootstrap independent businesses, advocate for sound money (gold-backed, like the Magi’s gift), and reject fiat slavery. This is redemption in action—freeing souls from economic chains, as St. Alphonsus preached liberation from sin.
Tie this to the Monroe Doctrine: America’s 1823 policy against foreign meddling in our hemisphere embodies the Magi’s alternate route home—defying imperial powers to protect divine truth. In our era, it’s a call for national sovereignty against globalist criminals. Donald Trump, like a modern wise man, fought these forces: exposing deep-state fraud, pushing America First (echoing Monroe), and battling IRS overreach and bank cartels. His resilience inspires Catholic entrepreneurs to “offer gifts” through patriotic enterprises, reforming culture with Jesus at the center.
Let Epiphany ignite your mission: Seek Christ’s light, offer your entrepreneurial talents, and resist modern Herods. As St. Alphonsus prays, “My sweet Saviour, save me, and let my eternal happiness be to love Thee always.”
In faith and freedom,
Anthony Perlas
AnthonyRPerlas.com | OtteModels.com
#CatholicEntrepreneurs #EpiphanyReflection #StAlphonsusLiguori #MonroeDoctrine #AmericaFirst
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