The Catholic Liturgy for Epiphany Sunday, January 6, 2019.
Gospel – Matthew 2:1-12. Theme: We Should All Be Like the Magi.
Epiphany, is
a Greek word meaning “manifestation”, a moment of sudden enlightenment, a
realization of the truth about something or someone. And so, today’s Gospel
tells us about the Epiphany experienced by the Magi, the revelation that these wise-men
were given about Who and What this Little Child of Bethlehem really was. In
reflecting over this story, I see a few lessons from the Magi that I think can help
us grow in our own relationship with Christ.
First,
we see that the Magi are sincere seekers, who leave the comfort zones of their
lives to follow the star. They
experience a sign that God is communicating with them and they set out to
discover what this means; are willing to go wherever it leads; and do whatever
it takes to find the Newborn King. Do we
have this same sincere and eager desire to seek and encounter God in our
lives? Are we willing to go to any length
for the sake of our relationship with Him?
Second,
The Magi are inquirers who act upon what they have learned. They are humble and ask others to tell them
how they can find the Lord’s Messiah. Notice that Herod and the religious
leaders know exactly where the Messiah is to be born, but they make no move to
go there. They had the Scriptures to guide them but they allow those words to
remain just ink on a page. But the Magi give life to the Scriptures by hearing
and doing. So, we might ask ourselves: what is my response to the Word of God? Am
I like the Magi who allow the Scriptures to give direction to my life and
nourish my relationship with God?
Third, the Magi
cherish and protect their experience of God. In return for their sincerity and
eagerness to find Him, the Newborn King blesses the wise-men with the Epiphany
of Who He really is, and they prostrate themselves before Him. They choose to
not reveal the whereabouts of the Holy Child to Herod. Do we cherish and
protect our relationship with Jesus? Do we refuse to expose it to people,
places or things that can harm this relationship by drawing us away from Christ
or leading us into sin?
And finally, the
Magi offer the Holy Child their precious gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Our Catholic tradition has always seen in these gifts expressions of Jesus’
true identity and mission. The offering
of gold is a gift fit for a King. Frankincense is used in the worship of God.
And myrrh was used as a burial spice and ointment, affirming the Holy Child’s
humanity and foreshadowing His saving death. Am I living out the gift of gold,
which is a symbol of my love for Christ the King? Am I living out the gift of
frankincense, which is the offering of my worship to Him as God? Am I willing
to live out the gift of myrrh, which means to suffer if needs be, for my
relationship with Jesus our Savior?
The Magi’s
journey began with the miraculous Bethlehem Star, which is a symbol of the
Light of Faith. Our journey to Jesus also began with the supernatural light of
faith given to each one of us at Baptism and symbolized by the baptismal candle
we received. Like the Magi, we are called to follow this
light wherever it leads us, confident that, despite ups and downs and even
surprising turns in our lives, it will guide us to the presence of Christ, our
God, our Savior and our King.
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