We Saw His Star at its Rising
and have Come to do Him Homage

Feast Day Readings

The feast of the Epiphany: the celebration of the manifestation, the revelation of Jesus to the whole world. I have chosen today in this homily to appraoch the themes of the feast – manifestation of the Lord and the universality of that manifestation – in a different way. I have chosen to concentrate on three words: the search, the discovery and the journey back. The Search
There is something about such people…the people who are on a search. They are not contented with the ordinary. Happiness and contentment for them is not just about food, shelter and clothing. It could be the meaning of life, the eternal significance of an action, thoughts about making a difference…but they are always on a search. You can see it in their eyes. The three wise men, are called wise for no simple reason. Wise men are always on a search.

The Discovery
Every search comes to an end. For the wise men the end is extraordinarily ordinary. A mere manger, with a mere child…! Seems quite disillusioning. But wise men accept the paradoxes of life. The accept God on his terms. They accept God as he is. They did not grumble that they had made this diligent search only to fine a poor child in a stable. Their search has been genuine. They can look beyond the outward appearance. They can look beyond the peripheral and superficial. To the wise, searching, discerning eye, God is found even in the simple events of life.

The Journey
While the search has ended a journey has just begun. The wise men left from there a changed people. The route they took was different. They cannot go back the same way because they are now different people. Once people encounter God, they change. Moses from being a shepherd becomes the liberator, Isaiah sees himself no more as a sinner but as one who is anointed. The apostles are not more fishermen but fishers of men, Saul becomes Paul, Teresa becomes Mother Teresa.

At the end of the search there are two things we discover. When we set out on a search for God, we are setting out on a search for ourselves, and when we discover God we have discovered ourselves. When we look into his eyes and see in his eyes our image, that’s when we truly know who we are. We become the shadows and images of the one we have encountered. In fact we become the manifestations of the presence of God. We become the stars that lead others to the manger.

- Fr. Satish Joseph