My dear brothers and sisters in Christ today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. This Feast, usually celebrated on January 6th commemorates the manifestation of the glory of Christ that was shown upon the Gentiles in the person of the Magi, the Three Kings. Today, we could say that we celebrate the manifestation of the Lord – the light of the world to whole world.
The first reading from Isaiah speaks of our light that has come and “the glory of Lord that shines upon us.” This light shining through the darkness and the clouds is a wonderful image describing what the Epiphany of the Lord is about and what it proclaims.
Today’s psalm focuses on the nations coming to adore the Lord. “Lord every nation on earth will adore you†and than speaks of kings from foreign lands bringing gifts to the Lord.
Today’s reading from the Gospel of Matthew teaches us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. When King Herod heard that a King was to be born among the Jewish people, he panicked and called together all the chief priests and scribes. He was afraid to lose his throne. After consulting the chief priests and scribes, King Herod learned that it has been prophesied that the King would be born in Bethlehem, the land of Judea. He told the wise men to continue their journey and when they find the Child Jesus, to report back to him so he too can go and pay homage to the King of the Jewish people. As we know, Herod had no intention whatsoever of paying homage to the Child Jesus.
And so the magi continued on their journey. The next thing we heard during the reading from the Holy Bible is that the star led them, not only to the town, but also to the house where Jesus dwelled. When the guiding star stopped over the house, the magi were overwhelmed with joy. They entered to the house and found the Child Jesus with Mary His mother. They knelt before Jesus and presented Him with gifts of “gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
They brought gifts which have a symbolic meaning. Gold was a gift that was fit for a King. Frankincense was a gift fit for a priest. Myrrh was used to embalm the dead. While the magi perceived that Jesus was their King and a priest, they also perceived that He would die for the salvation of mankind.
My dear sisters and brothers in Christ, the central message of the Epiphany is that Jesus is revealed to us as the light to the nations and Savior for all people. Today we are invited to recognize God’s light, God’s presence in our lives. We are called to go out and share with others the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are called to be witnesses of Jesus Christ in today’s world through our daily lives, in loving others, in forgiving them and in our faith and compassion.
May Jesus’ light enlighten our footsteps every day in our life.