Blog

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. We celebrate the revelation that Jesus was born as the Son of God. Today’s Gospel illustrates this revelation through the story of the three Magi ( Wise Men) who travelled to visit Jesus following His birth.  

“There ahead of them went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the Child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. “

The Magi embarked on a journey of faith until they reached the manger where Jesus laid. They brought gifts that symbolized their revelation of His divinity: Gold , which associated Jesus as a king; Frankincense , which was often used in worship, and symbolized the holiness of Jesus ; Myrrh , a perfume used at the coronation of a king and also for embalming, which symbolized that Christ would one day die for us.

Most of us are familiar with the legendary presence of the ” three kings ” from manger scenes in our churches and homes. I remember being chosen in grade 8 to help set up the manger scene in our church and placing the statues of these men in flowing robes , around the Baby Jesus. There were also the figures of the shepherds and their sheep so I knew that Jesus was revealed to the rich and the poor – representing all the peoples of the earth.

In celebrating the Epiphany we should remember that epiphany is given to those who continually seek the Lord’s  presence in their lives. Each of us is called to search for the many ways in which God reveals Himself in our lives. We are all in the process of coming to know Jesus as Lord. Each of us is at a different place  in our faith journey. The many experiences of our lives have shaped how we see God and others. Pope Francis stated : ” The Magi teach us that we need to set out anew each day, in life as in faith , for faith is not a suit of armor that encases us; instead, it is a fascinating journey , a constant and restless movement , ever in search of God . The Magi also returned home ‘by another way’. They challenge us to take new paths. ”   The Magi’s return ‘ by another way ‘ represents that whenever we encounter Jesus we will never be the same.

One of our family traditions is the giving of three gifts to each other ( like the three gifts of the Magi ). Our granddaughters think that ‘Santa’ brings them three gifts just like the Baby Jesus got. To extend this further, perhaps we could worship Jesus through the giving of 3 gifts : our time , talent and treasure.

The Magi followed the star and found Christ. May we , too, find the Lord who continues to search for us. And may Christ, the Light and the Light of Christ fill all our homes , families , and our communities this day and always.

~Cathy Keirstead

Image Credit: He Qi