Epiphany of the Lord!
Epiphany of the Lord!
Epiphany of the Lord
An 8-year-old asked, "How come the kings brought perfume to Jesus? What kind of gift is that for a baby?" His 9-year-old sister answered, "Haven't you ever smelled a barn? With dirty animals around, Mary needed something to freshen the air."
Merry Christmas! We celebrate 12 days of Christmas from December 25 (Christmas) to January 6th (Epiphany). The word “Epiphany” comes from two Greek words: “epi,” which means “on, upon,” and “phaino,” which means “to appear to shine.” Epiphany is a manifestation of Jesus' divinity or the divinity of Jesus shining upon the earth. Jesus was born in the house of David. He revealed himself first to his Israelites, but he came for all of humanity. On Christmas, we heard the reading in which the angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds. On Epiphany, we listened to the story of the Magi's visit, who were from distant nations.
St. Bernard, an 11th-century Cistercian monk, said that God sent to earth a bag bulging with his mercy, a bag that, at the passion, is torn open so that our ransom pours out of it onto us. It is a small bag, but a full one: for it was a small child that was given to us, but in him dwells the fullness of the Godhead. In St. Bernard’s image, the infant Jesus is depicted as a little bag bulging with mercy.
The Magi show us that there is no substitute for an open heart and mind. Jews knew about the coming of Jesus, but they did not recognize his birth. But Magi came looking for the Newborn King. In 2023, on Epiphany, Pope Francis said that, like the Magi, Christians need to ask questions, set out on a journey, and learn to worship Jesus. Pope Francis said in his homily Jan. 6, the feast of Epiphany.
The wise men are from the East, but from where in the East? There are three predictions about the place. Some say they are from Persia; others say they are from Babylon. The third prediction is from Arabia. Today’s first reading from the book of Isaiah (60:1-6) gives us further confirmation of the third prediction, which is about Arabia. In the first reading, we read, “Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.” In Psalm 72, today we read that “The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Sheba shall bring tribute. All kings shall pay him homage, all nations shall serve him.”
In the first reading, the light Isaiah proclaims to Zion symbolizes the blessing to come to her: the glory of the Lord, the return of her children, and the wealth of nations that will themselves walk by her light. If we want to understand the meaning of this passage, we need to look at the background of this passage. Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians 57 years before Christ. Fifty years later, the Persians conquered the Babylonians, and they allowed the Jews to return home. They found that their city and homeland were ruined, and rebuilding was tough. The prophet was encouraging them and telling them that Jerusalem would become the center of spirituality and the light of the world. St. Matthew sees this vision fulfilled in the birth of Jesus and the coming of the magi. Through Jesus, God’s love and salvation will radiate to the whole world.
Magi were the priestly class and were astrologers. It was a common ancient belief that a new star appeared at the time of a ruler’s birth. Matthew also draws on the Old Testament story of Balaam, who prophesied that “A star shall advance from Jacob” (Numbers 24:17). The Magi were not members of the Chosen Jewish People, so the Epiphany today shows that Jesus came for all people. The Magi show us that there is no substitute for an open heart and mind.
In the Gospel, the magi came to King Herod seeking the newborn King, Jesus. Herod reigned from 37 to 4 B.C. He was not popular among the Jews because he was in the company of Romans. So, for Herod, the message of the Newborn King's birth brought fear. He closed his mind and heart to Jesus, but he pretended to be eager to see him and to do homage. We know the rest of the story.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the house of bread, laid in a manger where the animals were fed, to become the bread of life for us. He reveals and comes to us in every celebration of the Eucharist and sends us out to live and share that gift with everyone around us. On this Epiphany, let us ask him to give us the ability to open our hearts to encounter him in the Eucharist in a deeper way and the ability to share with many people and make his name known and loved.