THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD: MT 2:1-12:
Today we are celebrating The Solemn Feast of the Epiphany and this feast reminds us about Jesus’ manifestation to the gentiles and the visit of the three wise men to the manger in Bethlehem. These three wise men were guided by a star and they offered to the new-born child their gifts and did him homage.
The gospel story tells us, “After they saw Jesus and Mary, the wise men departed for their country by another way.” They did not want to go back the same way as King Herod, who was living the way of authority, power, wealth, and so on. Like the wise men — in our lives, too – sometimes we have to choose other routes and directions when we are living by the directions of our own pride and our selfish attitudes, and attached to money, power, and authority.
We all need new directions in our lives and sometimes we may not realize we are on the wrong track and going the wrong way. As we begin this New Year, this is the right time for us to find new directions by focusing on Jesus and our prayer lives. Let us experience and seek Jesus and His way; let us try to choose better ways of life and try to lead others in the way of Jesus.
Also, we noticed the wise men were led to Jesus by a star. We are all called to become like these stars and lead others to Jesus, as the star led the magi to Jesus. Let us remove the darkness of the evil around us by radiating Jesus’ love through selfless service, forgiveness, and compassionate care. Unless we have the light of the star in our lives, we cannot lead others to the light. The Epiphany invites us and challenges us to foster God’s love and light within us.
We are here to offer our gifts to the Child Jesus in the manger as his birthday gifts. The shepherds offered the only gifts they had: love, tears of joy, milk from their sheep, and woolen clothes. The wise men offered gold, which is the recognition of Jesus as the King of the Jews; frankincense is the acknowledgment that Jesus is God, and myrrh, as a symbol of Jesus’ human nature. Today our challenging question is – What gifts do we have to offer to Jesus?
Let us worship Jesus every day at Holy Mass with the gold of our love, the myrrh of our humility, and the frankincense of our adoration. Let us offer ourselves to God and share God’s blessings by doing good to our brothers and sisters.
When we encounter Jesus, we too, like the wise men, we can transform, change, and renew, so that we can walk in different and new directions and new paths of joy, peace, and total love for God and His people.
Let us become the stars leading others to Jesus, as the star lead the wise men to Jesus. We can remove the darkness of evil around us by being like candles radiating Jesus’ love through generosity, forgiving hearts, and compassionate love!