We Should All Be Like the Magi

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.