EPIPHANY: REVEAL GOD TO OTHERS

It was part of ancient belief that each time a person was born, a new star was created and this star was personal to the new born.  With that belief parents will always say to their children in time of major decision: “follow your star.” It was probably that kind of understanding of the universe that was part of the Magi’ culture.  And when they saw the appearance of a most unusual star huge, with a powerful illumination, they understood that someone very great had been born; they concluded that this unusual star was created at the birth of an unusual person; probably a great king.  And so, in their quest for knowledge, and perhaps adventure, they decided to follow, not their own stars, but the star of this great new king.

This is what we heard from the gospel. Now place yourself in Jerusalem at that time and you are the Roman conqueror.  All of a sudden three persons from a foreign land show up in your midst seeking “the new born King of the Jews”. There is Herod; he is the current king of Judea and he probably asks himself: what is this about someone is born and he is the king of the Jews? How could this take place right under my nose?  Herod finds it obvious that if there is a new born king of the Jews, then all these Jews will revolt and overthrow him especially if this king is the promised Messiah that the Jews have been waiting for, for so many years. This is a very bad news to king Herod.

For us, this story of the Magi is appropriate for today’s celebration. It contains the theme of this big feast of the Epiphany which we celebrate today. Formerly, this feast was called the Feast of the Three Kings celebrated on January 6. According to the Catholic Dictionary, the word “Epiphany” has its origin from the Greek word “epiphaino”. “Epi” signifies, “upon,” and “phaino” signifying “show.” If combined, these words mean “to show upon”, to reveal, to make known, to manifest. Epiphany is the feast of the manifestation of Jesus Christ Himself as Lord and king. What we celebrate today is the manifestation of our Lord to the whole world; after being made known to the shepherds of Bethlehem He is revealed to the Magi as Lord and King. These wise men knew that this was not an ordinary king of an ordinary kingdom when they saw the star. They understood that this new born was the Messiah sent from God to bring peace and justice to the world. And they offered him Gold to crown him as King of Kings, Frankincense to be used in worshipping him as Son of God, and Myrrh used in burial preparations which overshadows his death on a cross. These gifts symbolize the revelation of Jesus as King, Son of God, and Messiah.

The feast of the Epiphany is the manifestation of the glory of Christ and the affirmation of the universal salvation which God shows to us in the adoration of the Magi. It is the feast of the beginning of Christian faith where God reveals himself to the whole world. Our God reveals himself to us as the God of all. He was born in a manger, where there is no walls, no windows and no doors so that anybody, shepherd or king, gentiles or Jews, cows or angels can just walk in to worship the new born king.

The important lesson that we can learn today is that our God is not remote from us; God is actively involved in our lives; God cares for us; God is concerned about us; God refuses to be isolated from us and has revealed himself to us. The challenge for all of us is that Epiphany means that we have to manifest Christ to people, to evangelize by our own good example and live the Christian values even to a hostile environment. First, let us identify ourselves with the magi who traveled from their place to Jerusalem. The physical journey of the Magi symbolizes a much more important and meaningful journey, the journey of faith. This is the movement of the soul born from a desire to meet and know the Lord. At the same time it is God’s invitation, who calls and attracts us with his own power. Second, let us pray that we too may become stars to other people because the best stars we can give are ourselves through our words and examples. Christian’s love must be universal. Every Christian house must be open to all the peoples who are in need.  Not only for those who are in need of material help but also spiritual help, those who are sad and lonely. God reveals himself to us so we may reveal him to others. May he help us in this mission.