EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

We celebrate today the great feast of the Epiphany of our Lord.

God, the creator of humanity and the world, manifests himself to us in many ways. He “appears through” (Diaphany) in the incredible beauty of his creation. He shows himself (Theophany) to his people in the history of salvation. And, He reveals himself, above all (Epiphany) in his Son Jesus Christ, the Savior and Light of the World.

What is the meaning of Epiphany to us today?

1.     THE LITURGY OF THE WORD

The sacred readings help us find the meaning of the Epiphany of the Lord.

First Reading: Is 60:1-6. Disciples of the prophet Isaiah provide us with a beautiful eschatological poem which is centered on the light. God is the light that enlightens all: all nations journey to Jerusalem, where the glory of the Lord shines for all peoples, who offer gifts to God, including gold and frankincense.

Second Reading: Eph 3:2-3, 5-6. God wants the salvation of all peoples, without distinction. He gives sufficient graces to all, and Christ died for all. All are called to participate in the mystery of Christ, to become members of the Body of Christ, to be coheirs and copartners of Christ.

The Holy Gospel: Mt 2:1-12. With the lovely story of the Magi, Matthew teaches us that the manifestation or appearance of God in Jesus Christ is for all peoples – believers as well as unbelievers. At Christmas, Jesus reveals himself to the Jews, represented by the Shepherds. At Epiphany, Jesus appears to all peoples, represented by the Magi. In both cases, Jesus manifests himself as the Light of the World.

2.     REFLECTION

Let us reflect briefly on the Magi, and on the meaning of the symbols of the star and of the gifts given by the Magi.

Christmas and Easter, the two greatest feasts of the Christian, remind us of our life as a pilgrimage, as a searching for Jesus in our own life. The Magi in Christmas and the Disciples of Emmaus in Easter encourage us to continue the journey.

Tradition has enhanced the story of the Magi (wise men) from the East. By the fourth century, the Magi became the Three Kings, one of them black. By the ninth century, the Three Kings had the current names: Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar.

The Star that guided the Magi to Bethlehem, to Jesus, symbolizes Jesus as the Light of the World, our light of faith. Jesus Christ is not just a Star, but the Morning Star, the Sun. Benedict XVI tells us in his encyclical on hope, Spe Salvi (“Saved in Hope”) that Jesus is the Sun, the guide of our life, and the saints are the stars that guide us to Jesus: Mother Mary is the main star among the stars – Stella Maris!

The Magi offered to Jesus three significant gifts: gold to signify that the Holy Child was King; frankincense, that He was divine, God; and myrrh, that He was going to die and be buried.

3.     OUR RESPONSE

Our life is a pilgrimage to the house of the Father – to heaven, our home. It is a constant search of Jesus within and around us, that is, a deeper union with him and all others – our brothers and sisters.

Jesus is the Light of the World, our light: the light that illumines our darkness, burns our sins, heals our hearts and our bodies, and helps us stand up when we fall.

Like the Shepherds at Christmas, like the Magi at Epiphany, we offer to Jesus sincerely our simple gifts: our life, our love! The Magi exhort us to present to Jesus “the incense of our worship, the gold of our gratitude, and the myrrh of our repentance” (J. M. Cabodevilla).

Like the Shepherds, like the Magi, we offer to Jesus our gifts as a sign of our adoration. The attitude of adoration is indeed the attitude through the Christmas Season: Mary and Joseph, the Shepherds, the Magi: they all adored the Child Jesus; they venerated him and knelt before him. We ought to continue doing the same: to worship Jesus, the Son of God and the Son of Mary. Thus, we recognize humbly our radical dependence on God, on Jesus, in the Spirit.

Jesus is God’s Epiphany to us. We ought to be – and become more – Jesus’ Epiphany to others, particularly to those around us. May people notice that we live in Jesus! May they realize that Jesus lives in us by the way we treat them with kindness and compassion! Being Jesus’ Epiphany to others is also the best way to have a peaceful New Year. May 2011 be a golden opportunity for all of us to become closer to Jesus: we will never, never regret it!

Dear Lord, make us your light to all our brothers and sisters.

Lead us to your glory in heaven by the light of faith.

FR. FAUSTO GOMEZ BERLANA, O. P.

St. Dominic’s Priory, Macau: January 2011