FIRST READING – Isaiah 60:1-6;
SECOND READING – Ephesians 3:2-3a.5-6;
GOSPEL – Matthew 2:1-12
A survey was made among school children asking them why they enjoyed reading Harry Potter novels and watching Harry Potter movies. The most common answer was, “Because you never know what’s going to happen next!” This same sense of suspense and surprise prompted us to watch the seven episodes of the Star War movies. The same curiosity encouraged the great explorers like Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus to make risky and adventurous journeys, and today prompts adults to watch the James Bond films. — It is this same curiosity which led the Magi to follow the star of Bethlehem, a suspenseful journey because the Magi never knew what road the Spirit of God was going to take them down next. Today’s readings invite us to have the same curiosity explorers and movie fans have, so that we may discover the “epiphany,” (manifestation; Self-revelation), of our God in every person and every event, everywhere.
The Greek word Epiphany (επιφάνεια), means appearance or manifestation. Multiple revelations of Jesus as God are celebrated on this Feast of the Epiphany. In the Western Church, the Feast of the Epiphany celebrates Jesus’ first appearance to the Gentiles, represented by the Magi, while in the Eastern Church, the Epiphany event is celebrated in the commemoration of the Baptism of Christ when the Father and the Holy Spirit gave combined testimony to Jesus’ identity as Son of God. Later, in the synagogue at Nazareth, Jesus revealed Himself as the promised Messiah, and at Cana Jesus revealed His Divinity by transforming water into wine. The Church celebrates all these epiphany events on this Feast of Epiphany.
Today’s Gospel teaches us how Christ enriches those who bring him their hearts. The adoration of the Magi fulfils the oracle of Isaiah prophesying that the nations of the world would travel to the Holy City following a brilliant light and would bring gold and incense to contribute to the worship of God. Paul’s letter to the Church of Ephesus expresses God’s secret plan in clear terms: “the Gentiles are…co-partners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.” Today’s Gospel reminds us that if God permitted the Magi – foreigners and pagans – to recognise and give Jesus proper respect as the King of Jews, we should know that there is nothing in our sinful lives that will keep God from bringing us to Jesus. There were three groups of people who reacted to the Epiphany of Christ’s birth. The first group, headed by King Herod the Great, tried to eliminate the Child, the second group, priests and scribes, ignored him, and the third group, represented by the shepherds and the Magi, came to adore him.
This group was made up of the shepherds and the Magi. The shepherds offered the only gifts they had: love, tears of joy, and probably woolen clothes and milk from their sheep. The Magi, probably Persian astrologers, were following the star that Balaam predicted would rise, along with the ruler’s staff, over the house of Jacob (see Nm 24:17). The Magi offered gold, in recognition of Jesus as the King of the Jews; frankincense, in acknowledgment that he was God, and myrrh as a symbol of his human nature. “Like the Magi, every person has two great ‘books’ which provide the signs to guide this pilgrimage: the book of creation and the book of Sacred Scripture. What is important is that we be attentive, alert, and listen to God Who speaks to us, who always speaks to us.” (Pope Francis)
Like the Magi, let us offer to Jesus God’s Own gifts to us on this feast of Epiphany. The first gift might be friendship with God. After all, the whole point of Christmas is that God’s Son became one of us to redeem us and call us friends. God desires our friendship in the form of wholehearted love and devotion. A second gift might be altruistic, genuine friendship with others. This kind of friendship can be costly, for the price it exacts is vulnerability and openness to others. The Good News, however, is that, in offering friendship to others, we will receive back many blessings. A third gift might be the gift of reconciliation. This gift repairs damaged relationships. It requires honesty, humility, recognition of our own part in the damage done by our sins to those around, understanding of others, forgiveness, and patience. The fourth gift of this season is the gift of peace: The only way we can receive this offered gift is by seeking God’s Peace in our own lives through prayer, the Sacramental life, and daily meditation on the Word of God. It is out of humble gratitude that we give Him from our deepest heart our gifts of worship, prayer, song, possessions, talents, patience, and time through our humble, loving service of those we encounter. As we give our small, seemingly insignificant gifts to God, the Good News is that God accepts them! Like the Magi offering their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, we offer what we have, from our deepest heart as we respond to the Divine Gift that Child offers us – Himself.