Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalms 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6
Matthew 2:1-12
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. The Sunday readings today center on the theme of “manifestation.” Today we celebrate the revealing of Christ to the entire world. The word epiphany means “to manifest.” This day recognizes the three times Jesus made himself known to the world. The first time was of course when the Magi visited Jesus upon his birth. The second time was through Jesus’ baptism, and the final time was his miracle at Cana.
Before going further, I would like to take a moment and offer a prayer for today:
Lord God, on this day of Epiphany, we rejoice in the revelation of your glory to the world. As the Magi once followed the star to find the newborn King, guide us on our journey of faith. May we, like the Wise Men, bring our gifts of adoration, humility, and love to the feet of the Savior. Amen.
Worship requires sacrifice. We can sacrifice in many ways – through prayer, giving something up, doing something more of, offering gifts, helping others and so on. It is taking something that we may not necessarily do every day or something that we may not do at all. The point is that we give of ourselves in some way. We “sacrifice” a part of ourselves, or a part of our day or week, to do something of value. In the same way the Magi brought gifts for the baby Jesus. The Magi offered gold, as a sign of Christ as King; frankincense, as the sign of Christ the priest; and myrrh, the sign of Christ as prophet.
The First Reading today is a prophetic call for Jerusalem to “rise up in splendor” because its light has come (Jesus). It describes nations and kings gathering from afar, bringing gold and frankincense to proclaim the praises of the Lord. In the Second Reading for St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Paul explains the mystery revealed to him; that through the Gospel, the Gentiles now belong to the same body, partaking in the same promise in Christ Jesus. The Gospel offers the account of the Magi following a star to Bethlehem. Upon finding the child with Mary, they prostrate themselves in worship and offer gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
I believe we can learn some things from today’s readings. It seems they reflect the idea of seeking truth and light. In the First Reading from the Prophet Isaiah, we read that the land will be in darkness, and then the glory of the Lord will rise and “nations shall walk by your light and kings in the brightness of your rising.” (Isaiah 60:3, The Great Adventure Bible – RSV – 2nd Catholic Edition). This foretells the coming of the light – Jesus.
As previously mentioned, St. Paul writes a letter of inclusivity. We have learned that Emmanuel means “God with us,” and that Emmanuel is Jesus, then we know that God is indeed with us. Therefore, Paul’s message to the Ephesians reinforces that God’s grace is very inclusive, breaking down old barriers to invite all of humanity into one body. “God is with us.” He’s just not with this group of people or that group of people. God is with all people, and Gentiles are “fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.” (Ephesians 3:6, The Great Adventure Bible – RSV – 2nd Catholic Edition).
The Gospel of Matthew shows King Herod reacting in dread and fear of a new king. He felt this was a threat to his own power. In contrast, the Magi were very willing to seek the truth. Their journey through uncertainty serves as a model for our own spiritual persistence. Additionally, just as the star guided the Magi, we are called to shine through acts of care, concern, and love, guiding others through the darkness of difficult and troubled times.
So, I will leave you with this scripture,“O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name.” (Psalm 63:1ab, 4 – The Great Adventure Bible – RSV – 2nd Catholic Edition)
Stay strong with your faith and try to persevere through all hardships. And always…ALWAYS…give thanks to God!
A Writer's Voice 