Feast of the Epiphany

CEBU, Philippines - The word “Epiphany” comes from the Greek word “Epiphaino”, which means “appearing,” a “manifesting,” a “shining forth” of something that was previously a secret or hidden.

Why has history and the Catholic liturgy applied this word to the story of the visit of the Magi to the newly born Jesus? What was hidden? What was the secret? What was made manifest for the first time? Several things.

One was that the child born of Mary in Bethlehem was to be the Messiah, the Holy One long awaited by the Jews. This was the centerpiece of the message upon which all else are connected.

But the story about the Magi traveling from distant lands to pay homage to the Lord unveils also a startling extension of this revelation. It reveals that the Christ, the Jewish Messiah, had come not only for the Jews but also for the whole world, that his reign would extend far to the east and the west of Israel.

The story of the Magi was an early signal that the Church of Christ would be universal.

In featuring the tale of the Magi in his infancy-narrative, Matthew is making the statement that from the viewpoint of the kingdom of God; all men and all women are created equal.

This doctrine of a basic Christian equality will be reinforced at Pentecost –that second Epiphany – when people coming from many different lands, speaking different languages will all understand.

It means that we are called to a high degree of tolerance for others, or better a high degree of respect and reverence for each person. It means that we must be inclusive of all persons, of people of every race and gender, even the unborn. It means that we must respect people’s sincere consciences, even if we feel they are objectively wrong. We must strive to love the sinner even as we hate the sin.

But there are two things that the Christian equality does not do.

1.First, it does not do away with all differences between people of the qualities they see in others. They rejoice whenever and wherever they discover a gift of God, either in themselves or in others. To love someone is to wish good things for that person – that he or she will radiate, grow, run, leap, and dance with God’s gifts.

2.Christian equality does not foster a tolerance of relative morality, a do-your-own thing mentality. While it is eager to praise, it is not afraid to stand up and confront in the face of evident evils. Like Jesus cleansing the temple, it will not stand back from using a “tough love,” which through fraternal correction, challenges people to change.

The exchange of gifts on Epiphany symbolizes our duty to love.

What is Christian love (agape), after all, but the giving of gifts? Love is to wish the good of the other.

There is a lovely legend about a Fourth Wise Man. His name wasArtaban. Artaban was supposed to rendezvous with Melchor, Gaspar, and Balthazar. Artaban had prepared three special gifts for the new born King, a priceless pearl, a magnificent ruby, and a huge sapphire. As Artaban was racing to meet the other three, he saw a man lying on the road dying of fever. Artaban was a physician and he thought of stopping to help the dying man. But if he stopped, he would be late for the rendezvous, and the three might proceed without him.

He decided to stop and help the sick man. And sure enough, the three had left without him. Now he has to buy his own provision. He had to sell his huge sapphire to buy all his provisions for the journey. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the three Magi were gone, the Holy Family was gone, and the soldiers of Herod were killing the infants.

At one doorway, a frantic mother met Artaban pleading with him to protect her baby. Artaban stood at the doorway with the ruby in his hand. And when the soldiers came, he offered the ruby for them to spare the house.

For more than thirty years, Artaban searched for the King, who was born in Bethlehem. Then one day he heard a man from Galilee was to be crucified.

By this time Artaban was already old and ill from the untiring search, and from ministering to poor lepers. He thought to himself,

“Maybe this Jesus is the King that I’ve been searching for.

Perhaps this last Jewel, the priceless pearl can buy his freedom.”

He started his long and tiring journey to Jerusalem. As he reached Jerusalem, a young girl fleeing from pursuing soldiers met him. The girl pleaded with him for help. Her father had not been able to pay a large sum of money he borrowed and so was put in prison and she is being sold as a slave. Artaban looked at the priceless pearl, and when the soldiers arrived gave away the pearl in exchange for the freedom of the girl.

Artaban down-hearted and exhausted by the journey and toil, fell dying, when the sky turned dark and a storm started brewing on that Good Friday. As he lay dying on the lap of the girl he had saved, he raised his eyes and whispered, “It is you, my Lord; all these years I’ve searched for you

Now, I have nothing to offer you.” Then a voice from a distance said, “Whatever you did to the least of my brothers, you did to me.”

Artaban died a happy man knowing that the King he was searching for had received all his gifts.

This is the great message of Christmas. God came down from heaven and lived among his people. That is where we will find him. That is where we must look for him.

“When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with the flocks,

The work of Christmas begins:

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoners,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among brothers,

To make music with the heart.” (FREEMAN)