Epiphany of the Lord

Today's Mass Readings

At least on two different occasions last year I had the opportunity to visit newborn babies in the hospital. To enter the room to visit either the mother and the baby or the parents and the baby is a very special experience. There is a sense of mystery and awe during such times. After nine months of wondering, waiting, expecting, hoping and longing, out comes the miracle of life. Every baby born is a sign that God still loves the world. When the three wise men travelled to see the baby Jesus, I wonder what their expectations were. We do know this, that when they did see the child, they accepted the paradox and the mystery of the moment – a king born in a stable, God with a human face, the powerful God lying as a helpless child – because they “prostrated themselves and did him homage” (Mat 2:11). The search of their lives had led to this holy child. If, as I said earlier, every baby born is a sign that God still loves the world, the child at Bethlehem embodies that message in the most real way.

Today, we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. Like every other event that surrounded the birth of Jesus his manifestation too was in fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies. The first reading from Isaiah (60:1-6) uses the Old Testament theme of light and darkness to make the prophecy: “Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, and the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and think clouds cover the peoples but upon you the Lord shines….” Whether Isaiah intended it or not, the theme of light and darkness takes us to the beginning of creation. “Darkness covered the abyss…” (Gen 1:2). Then God said, “Let there be light…” (Gen 1:3). It would not be inappropriate to consider the manifestation of Jesus to the world as a new creation story. God came to a world lost in the darkness of sin and hopelessness and made his dwelling there. The world was recreated; human beings expereinced a new dignity; those who chose to come into the light found a new hope. No wonder the wise men prostrated themselves and did him homage. They had followed the light and when they reached “the Light” they paused and did homage.

Three practical implications
a) The theme of light and darkness is brought out best in the characters of the Epiphany story. The magi followed the light. Herod saw the light but chose to follow the darkness within. And that is the human dilemma. My 8th graders face this dilemma is a very real way. Tomorrow is the Ohio State game. At 7:00 in the evening tomorrow also happens to be their confirmation session. And some of them are really struggling to make a decision. What will it mean for them to follow the light? Each of us has our choices to make. What does it mean to be in the light when someone really hates us? What does it mean to be in the light when we are confronted with social evils such as racism, corruption, malicious gossip, favouritism and nepotism at work? What does it mean to be in the light when we are confronted with breaking relationships? The choice between light and darkness is more real and immediate that we think.

b) Every human life is a question. As we grow and mature in life we ask ourselves many questions. However, there comes a time when we ask ourselves existential questions. Who am I? What is the meaning of life? How and where we look for the answers to these questions is crucial. Where was Herod looking for the answers? In his selfish quest for power. Where were the wise men looking for answers? In God. What is our search? What are our questions? How and where do we look for the answers? The wise men teach us to look for our answers in Jesus.

c) For a moment I want to return to the story of newborn babies. Parents, I am sure, fantasize about the baby in the womb. And there comes the time when they actually get to see the baby. At that moment all fantasies fade into oblivion and sometimes even if the child is not what they expected it to be, embrace it for the rest of their lives. For centuries people heard so many things about God. It ranged from the incapacity of human beings to see God to God being father, mother, friend, lover, and sometimes even a grim, angry, punishing God. However, when God chose to really reveal himself to us, he came to us as a baby. This is the real image of God: someone we can love, someone we can hold in our hearts, someone we can embrace, someone we can grow with. This is the God the magi prostrated themselves before and did homage.

The same God reveals himself each Sunday to us in the Eucharist. Like the wise men let us do him homage.

- Fr. Satish Joseph