Today, we are celebrating Christmas at its peak. And if Dec. 25th is Christendom’s family feast, Epiphany is the official solemnity of Christmas for the universal Church, a mystery embracing all mankind. Epiphany is the Son of God becoming manifest to the world as attested by the adoration of the Magi or the Wise Men.
“We have seen His star at its rising and have come to pay him homage.” This Word in today’s Gospel calls to faith and grace symbolized by the star. And while “the birth of the true King, shone over the world, from the rising of the sun even to its setting,” we are called to acknowledge in the adoration of the Magi the first sign of our calling to faith and grace in our journey to Christ in the wilderness of this life, through the persecutions of the world and all the forces of evil represented by Herod. We too are wise men and we can bear our gifts of gold-like purity of the love which attends all our offerings, our prayers immolated like frankincense, our penances and sacrifices in willing submission to and in the following of Christ. It is only by our sacrificial offering of ourselves to the Father by giving ourselves to others that we perpetuate the Epiphany, the manifestation of Christ in every nook and place most especially those overhung by the darkness of error and disbelief.
Are we credible enough when we claim that “we saw His star”? Is our faith, our belief convincing enough by the strength of the lives we live? Do we live our lives not just by crying out “Lord, Lord” and render Him more than just lip-service? How close to Christ is our loving, our gentleness, our kindness? How like Him is our witness that there is a heaven and our eternal Father is infinitely caring and concerned? How much likeness do we bear to the divine Child, innocent, simple, obedient and trusting, pure, humble and lovable? Do we lead all other members of the family to the feet of the Infant God? Are we authentic adorers with the community so that our very presence and the way we deport ourselves in congregation truly manifest His godliness and His divinity? That beyond all our humanness we are able to rise way above ourselves, our pettiness, our selfishness, our greed, our lust for power? Do we by our very lives, give adoration and love, praise and thanksgiving to the divine Majesty?
The beautiful mystery of the Epiphany is with us in our comings and goings throughout the New Year. We look at His star, and follow where it must lead us and pray that we never lose it in spite of all the darkness of this world. For even now we are aroused from our stupor. “Rise up in splendor! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you.” Like the Magi, may we be epiphany, manifestation to our hapless countrymen, a manifestation of Christ to nations. On this greatest of Christmas feasts, we join with the Church faithful in one prayer: The star that once shone on high and led the Magi — may it now shine within our hearts and having founded the Lord, may we all kneel in loving adoration before Him.
Epiphany Sunday, Mt 2:1-12