"For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

Scripture

1st Reading: Is60:1-6
Resp. Psalm: Ps72:1-2,7-8,10-13
2nd Reading: Eph3:2-3,5-6
Gosp. Accl.: Mt2:2
Gospel: Mt2:1-12

The Wise men who came from the East

Not long after our Lord's birth, Wise men came from the East to Jerusalem. They asked where the king of the Jews was born. They claimed to have seen His star and came to worship Him. The Wise men only saw the appearance of His star. They could never have known where He was born. They needed the light of superior revelation. Is it not foolishness for us in our age to seek meanings through diviners? Herod who wanted to cling to power at all cost was troubled when he heard that another king had been born. Thinking this would be a political king, he immediately perceived Him as a rival. The chief priests and the scribes told Herod that the baby would be born in Bethlehem of Judea. Do we seek the Lord with all that we have and are?

"Go and search diligently for the child"

The heart of man can be evil and devious and capable of the highest levels of wickedness if it is not given over to God. Wise men came from hundreds of kilometers to see the king. Herod in whose nation the new baby was born was only interested in clinging to his power, ascertaining from the Wise men the time the baby was born so that he could kill Him. His claim that they should bring him word after they had found Him so that he could go and worship was therefore very false. Herod could not see the star because his life was evil. Do we smile and laugh but harbour evil in our hearts? Do our external appearance correspond to the goodness within us?

Persistence, insistence, commitment of life gives real life in return

When they saw the star over the place where He was in Bethlehem, the Wise men rejoiced exceedingly with great joy, fell down and worshipped Him. We may never understand the significance of this day if we fail to grasp some fundamental facts. We are a greatly privileged people. In what ways are we? The Magi came to know of the coming of the Great One of God, God's Son, through their reading of the behaviour of the stars and movements of the constellations. We came to know the Son through the self revelation of the Father, the God of heaven and earth. We came to that knowledge based on His personal historical, datable encounter with people, as written in the bible. The Magi had waited for hundreds of years to see the appearance of that star. Those of us celebrating today and indeed believers in Him do not have any reason to wait. He has come. We have seen. We have beheld Him. The Magi covered hundreds of kilometers, not on aeroplane, ship, car but with slow moving carmels. We go to our places of worship, close to where we live, to encounter Him. Even more significantly, He is everywhere and we can encounter Him everywhere. Despite these, some of us still find it difficult to worship Him. The Magi had faith in Him even though they did not have access to the full and perfect scripture concerning Him. We have the full, true and perfect scripture concerning Him but despite that, some of us have shallow, little or no faith in Him. The Magi brought Him gifts. Their gifts were highly significant and accurately revealed who the Lord was and foretold the kind of future that laid in store for Him. Some of us think of giving Him some kind of gifts. But we forget that the greatest gift He wants is the type He offered to the Father on our behalf: the gift of His body and soul. That is the type of gift He wants from us, not a thing, but a person. Do we understand how greatly privileged we are? Do we know what the Lord demands of us today?

"Arise, shine; for your light has come"

At the Epiphany, we celebrate the rising of the Light of God over us. We rejoice at the scattering of the shadows of darkness. The first reading today teaches us that the Lord arose upon us and that the nations would walk by the Light that arose; that nations would gather together and come to the light of God; that the light would bring gladness and joy; that sons would come from afar to that light. This prophecy was fulfilled when the nations of the earth came to the baby Jesus today, as represented by the Wise Men. This revelation was made to them by a guiding star. The word of God in our second reading teaches us that the mystery was made known to us by a revelation by the Spirit. God auto-revealed Himself to us. Do we see the light around us? Do we bask in the light that Christ is?

Let us pray

"O God, who on this day revealed your Only Begotten Son to the nations by the guidance of a star, grant in your mercy, that we who know you already by faith, may be brought to behold the beauty of your sublime glory." Amen

May the Living Word of God find a true dwelling place within our hearts and souls today and always.

Rev. Fr. Anthony Igbekele