Epiphany 2020 Feast of Epiphany proclaims Jesus as light and joy to all people in the world; God does
not withhold his saving grace from any of his creation. Through Magi [scholars who
studied the movements of stars and planets from present day Iran or Iraq], God
manifests that Christ belongs to all creation, he is good news to the universe! Magi’s
gift of gold and frankincense reveal Jesus as both king and priest; as king and priest,
Jesus illumines and satisfies human desire to go beyond all limitations and dwell in the
divine. In Jesus human’s search for God meets God descending to human level. While
Israelites were given the promise of Messiah, gentiles/magi were given the wisdom and
cosmic signs to come to know Christ. St. Basil Epiphany is beginning of the new
creation in Christ, he writes: ‘stars cross the sky, wise men journey from pagan lands,
earth receives its savior in a cave; let there be no one without a gift to offer, no one
without gratitude as we celebrate the salvation of the world, the birthday of the human
race’.
Magi represent seekers of truth and that all sciences are gifts of God, astronomy,
philosophy, physics, medicine, etc., given for human well-being and come to know
God as goodness, beauty, truth and love. On the other-hand king Herod represents the
violent, enemies of humanity who unleash terror and deception upon the world, who
divide and destroy! Herod killed his own wife and three of his sons. Roman emperor
Augustus Caesar said: ‘it is better to be Herod’s pigs than Herod’s sons’. In Jesus we
have a king who came to love, give and die for all, that all may have life! In him we find
that it is love what overcomes violence, hatred and mortality.
Theologian Gerard Hughes writes: ‘Imagine that the descendants of the Magi have
discovered ancient scrolls containing diaries of their ancestors and found a brief
account of a journey they once made to Jerusalem in search of an infant king, whom
they found with his mother, by the help of a star. They fell on their knees and did him
homage. the diary gives no further information. They were puzzled and begin their
search for this infant’s kingdom. They come to your house and ask if you can give them
any directions. What would you say to them? Would you refer them to the Vatican?
How is his kingdom to be identified’? This king was born in a manger and later he was
sentenced to death by crucifixion because he said the poor in spirit are blessed; love
your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who persecute you and be
compassionate like your heavenly Father! Would these searchers of Jesus and his
kingdom find it in us, we who profess as followers of this king?
Our gift of faith is the inner star that guides us through life’s journey, what keeps us
moving with hope in crisis, stressful situations, in fear and doubt, in weakening health.
We also become stars, living signs of Jesus’ kingdom to lead all seekers of truth to
Christ’s redeeming light. Gospel says: ‘magi left for their country by another way’, a
way different from Herod’s way, the way of Jesus. We are people of the way; let us take
Christ with us, light for the way, on the journey of life!