| Epiphany of the Lord ‘The Solemnity of the Epiphany’ The Magi were searching for Christ. When they found him, they worshipped Him and offered Him gifts. Millions of people have followed the footsteps of the Magi and come to Christ. And we monks can count ourselves among those fortunate millions. The Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord originated in the East in the third century, and by the fourth century it ranked with Easter and Pentecost as one of the three principal festivals of the Church. Matthew is our only source for the account of the three Gentiles who come from a far country to pay homage to the Christ Child. For Matthew, the story of the Magi becomes an anticipation of the fate of the good News of Salvation, a fate that He knew in the aftermath of the Resurrection! God revealed Himself to the Jews through the Scriptures and the Gentiles through nature. Hence, Matthew shows the Mage receiving a revelation through astrology. The story highlights the paradox: the Jews who have the Scriptures reject Jesus, while Gentiles come, and with the help of the Scriptures, find and adore Him. There is nothing to be gained by speculating where the Magi came from and what exactly the star was. The star was only the means by which a great mystery was revealed – the revelation of Christ as the Saviour of both Jew and Gentile. The second reading in today’s Mass, from Ephesians, expresses the same theological truth of today’s feast. God invites Jews and Gentiles to share on an equal footing the benefits of Salvation brought by Christ. The Feast of the Epiphany is a revolutionary feast. Christ is revealed as the Saviour, not only of the Chosen People, but of all peoples. Jesus broke down the barrier that existed between Jews and Gentiles. In fact, all the barriers of tribe, of kinship, are transcended by the message of Jesus, the Universal Brother. Yet in today’s world we still see many barriers: racial, social and religious. All these divisions are reflections of our separation from God. When Christ was born in Bethlehem , some people saw just another child. Others, such as Herod, saw the Child as a threat. But the Magi recognized the Christ Child as their Saviour. All those people had the same eyes, yet they did not see the same things with those eyes. It was faith which enabled the Magi to glimpse the mysterious parting of the veil and see the reality beyond. People sometimes travel long distances in search of spiritual experiences which they could have in their home place. We don’t have to travel anywhere, for Christ’s light was not once lit in Bethlehem and then extinguished. For two thousand years his light has shone upon the world, and it will continue to shine on all who believe in Him and follow Him. So, let us imitate the Magi, and walk in the light of the Lord. |
