A personal encounter with Jesus will lead you to an Epiphany!

Today's readings are for the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 2012

Today is the feast of the Epiphany.   Epiphany is not a word that we hear every day. The dictionary defines epiphany as a moment of sudden revelation or insight.  Have you ever had a homework problem that you were struggling with and you had the “ah ha!” moment, when you finally figured it out?  It usually happens when we understand something in a new way that changes our perspective on things.  The magi’s encounter with the Christ child was a moment for them that enlightened their minds and hearts.

In today’s Gospel we hear about the magi who are coming in search of the newborn king of the Jews.    Who are the magi?  Among several definitions of magi the one that is most relevant to Matthew’s Gospel was that they were of the Persian priestly caste and thought to be astrologers, those who studied stars and found meaning in them.  Now if the magi used stars to interpret things, what could have prompted them to set out on a journey to search out a new king in Judea?   Historical sources show that there was speculation at the time that a new ruler of the world would emerge from Judah.  But in order to cause them to seek out this ruler they must have been a people of unrest, seeking to find hope and truth.  The magi were not just ordinary men. They were “wise” and sought out for their knowledge by kings. In the tradition of the Church they have also been known as kings. The magi were the seekers of truth as found in every age. 

As the magi approached Judea they went to King Herod seeking to find the newborn king, which troubled Herod.   Herod was a paranoid and evil king.  History shows that he had murdered three of his own sons, for fear of threat to his power. Herod consults with Jewish leaders, the priests and scribes, who tell of a prophecy of a ruler to come from Bethlehem. Herod’s inherent evil seeks to protect his own power and tries to use the magi to find the newborn king.  He tells the magi he wants to pay homage, but he really wants to do him harm. The plotting of Herod and Jewish leaders foreshadow Christ’s Passion.

         We have a similar situation in the world today where those in power are threatened by the presence of Jesus or God and want to have him removed.  It’s quite common to hear about prohibitions of public displays of Nativity scenes or the Ten Commandments in secular settings.  Also many businesses don’t allow their employees to greet people with Merry Christmas during this Christmas season in fear of acknowledging the feast of Christ’s birth.   The powerful want to be in control and feel threatened God.

         After the magi’s encounter with Herod they set out to find the newborn king following the rising star that stopped over the place where the child was. There are some people, who doubt this really happened, but modern science calculates the alignment of the planets Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars occurred at the time of Jesus’ birth, which would appear as a very bright star. It’s also thought there was a supernova at the same time, which is a new star appearing with a great explosion that lasts a long time.  How the star came to rest directly above the place of the child was God’s work at hand.  All things are possible for God.

         The Gospel states that the magi where overjoyed when they saw the star and upon entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother and prostrated themselves and did him homage. To prostrate means the magi laid flat on the ground face downward in humble reverence. The magi must have been awed at the personal encounter with the infant Jesus as they were showing respect reserved to someone much greater than them, such as a divine king.  There was no mention of King Herod receiving this kind of respect by the magi.   The gifts they offered were also of a grand nature, their best.  Tradition holds that the gold offered represented the kingship of Christ, the frankincense His divinity, and myrrh, which is perfumed balm used in anointing a body upon death, represented Christ’s Passion. The magi who came seeking Jesus, were Gentiles, points to how Jesus came to save all, both Gentiles and Jew.  

The Gospel conclusion states the magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, but to go by another way to their countries.  Dreams are a reference the Bible uses of being in prayer.  God speaks to us in our prayers and dreams when we are still and quiet.  The magi’s encounter with the infant Jesus, must have profoundly affected them.  Have you ever had a moment of awe where all you can do is be still and quiet to take in what just happened?  I think that’s how the magi were affected. In the silence they must have had an epiphany, an “ah ha” moment, and God called them to change their direction from going back to Herod.   They listened to God to go another way.  The way Christ was leading them.

         The magi give us a good model for us.   They seek the truth to find the newborn king by following the star, pay the king homage, give their best gifts when they personally encounter him, and listen to God in prayer to change their lives to follow him.   We can also do the same when we come to Mass and in our daily lives.  When we come to the church there is a light burning in the tabernacle lamp that points to Christ’s presence that should give us joy.  We can show homage to Christ by genuflecting to toward the tabernacle.  During Mass we can bring our best gifts to honor him not only in money we offer, but also in presenting the acts of kindness we’ve done through the week, our best efforts in school or at work, and even our endurance and perseverance through suffering in the struggles we haves.  We can again show homage in kneeling at Eucharist prayer (if we are able) and in bowing before receiving Christ in the Eucharist.  We can also have the personal encounter with Him in receiving the Eucharist and adoring him in Eucharistic adoration.  Finally we can listen to him in prayer to change our lives to follow him.  In prayer we can have our have own Epiphany on a daily basis. 

Merry Christmas and May God bless you all!