On this Sunday we celebrate the Epiphany. So what is an epiphany?
Ultimately, an epiphany is a ‘showing’ or an ‘appearance’. And so we celebrate
today the scene we see in our Nativity set: Joseph and Mary showing their
newborn child to the world. We too celebrate the gift of this child, and
remember that through the mystery of the Incarnation, God is here with us as a
little child.
The Epiphany is really about the appearance of Christ among us, and His
showing himself to us. It is a bold and beautiful announcement that God’s work
of salvation is for all, from the Jewish Shepherds to the Gentile Magi, and that the
kingdom of God truly has come. Through the celebration of the Epiphany, we too
are called into an intimate and eternal relationship with God our Father through
His Son, Jesus Christ.
These three wise men came from the East, that mysterious generalization
for a place and a people of great knowledge and wisdom. They were probably
astrologers, not kings, although their gifts certainly mark them as wealthy.
Magus, or Magi has two common meanings: either a wise man, or specifically, a
member of the Persian priestly class, who possessed occult knowledge and
power.
These Magi come representing many groups. They are foreigners, gentiles,
and they represent the wealth and the wisdom of the world. Yet they wandered
far, prostrating themselves before Jesus, admitting that they were not and never
would be truly satisfied with the things of the world: either lavish worldly
possessions or wise personal ponderings. Our gifts are given to us so that we can
proudly lay them down before Christ, before whom we are complete.
I have always admired the faith of the Magi. They were looking for a king;
they found instead a poor child lying in a manger with shepherds and animals. All
the wisdom of the world would tell them that they had made a mistake, and yet
they fell to their knees and paid Him homage.”
Finding Jesus did not fulfill the Magi, rather it transformed them. It
changed them from seekers of earthly things to seekers of heavenly things.
Instead of acquiring gifts, they left them at the feet of Jesus and ‘left another
way’. This refers to much more than mere geography. The Magi found an
exciting new vocation within their lives. Imagine their conversation as the
returned home, their hearts and minds still comforted by the hope and the peace
that Jesus imbued, their minds still turning over what this means. How would
that encounter with Jesus forever change them? They could never go back the
same way.
Now it’s your turn. This is your chance to celebrate the Epiphany.
Imagine that you are living in the time of Jesus. You have heard the
prophesies that He is going to be born from a great line of kings in the town of
Bethlehem. God is finally coming among us.
How quick and eager would you be to go? Would you drop what you were
doing and leave for Bethlehem, or would you tie up any loose ends first?
How far would you have to travel? Are you close to Jesus, like the
shepherds, or far away from Him, like the Magi?
How would you prepare? What gift would you bring? How much would it
cost you?
Are there any risks involved? What dangers or challenges or dangers would
you face on your way to meet Jesus?
When you finally meet Jesus, what will it be like? What will you do? What
is your special way of telling Him how you feel about Him?
What kind of greeting would you have for Mary and Joseph? What would
you say to the others who have also gathered to adore Jesus?
Will you also return a different way than you came? Will this encounter
with Jesus make a profound change in your life?
When others tell this story about you, how will they describe you? What
will they say about you?
How is your time here today before the Blessed Sacrament similar to the
story of the shepherds and the Magi in Bethlehem? What similar things can you
do for Jesus right now?