Let's Follow the Magi

We were married on 2 January, which happened to be 'Epiphany' that year. In his homily, Father remarked that for everyone but the groom it was Epiphany! And, this year, too, the NO had only eight days of Christmas, since, in the 1969 Calendar, Epiphany fell this past Sunday.

From Everyday For Life Canada

As we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, the Magi give witness to the true meaning of life, and that our eternal salvation rests on worshipping God becoming man, Baby Jesus. The presence of the Son of God in the world changes human life forever. Our true identity is found in following the way of the Lord, not that of the world: "We have seen his star in the East,/ and have come with gifts to adore the Lord."

Here's part of the homily given by Pope John Paul II on this Feast Day, on Jan. 6, 2002:

In becoming flesh, the Son of God was manifested as light. He is not just an external light in the history of the world, but a light within the human person, in his personal history. He became one of us, giving infinite meaning and immortality to our earthly existence. Thus, with full respect for human freedom, Christ became "lux mundi - the light of the world". He is the light that shines in the darkness. 

On today's Solemnity of the "Epiphany", a word for "manifestation", we are struck by the theme of the light. The Messiah who showed himself in Bethlehem to the lowly shepherds of the region continues to reveal himself as the light of every people of every time and place. To the Magi, coming from the East to adore him, the light of the one "who has been born king of the Jews" (Mt 2,2) appears in the form of a heavenly body, so bright as to attract their attention and guide them to Jerusalem. Thus he sets them on the trail of the ancient messianic prophecies: "a star shall come forth from Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise from Israel..." (Nm 24,17).

How striking is the symbol of the star that recurs in all the images of Christmas and Epiphany! It still gives rise to deep feelings although, as with so many other sacred signs, it risks becoming common place because of its commercial overuse. Restored to its original context, the star we contemplate over the crib also speaks to the mind and heart of the man of the third millennium. It speaks to secularized man, awakening in him the nostalgia of his condition as pilgrim in search of the truth with a deep desire for the absolute. The etymology of the word "desire" reminds us of the experience of sailors who find their way at night by observing the stars called in Latin the "sidera". 

Who does not feel the need for a "star" to guide him on his earthly journey? Individuals and nations both feel the need. To satisfy the universal yearning for salvation, the Lord himself chose a people to be the guiding star for "all the families of the earth" (Gn 12,3). With the Incarnation of his Son, God then expanded his choice to every people, no matter what their race or culture. Thus the Church came into being, formed of men and women who, "united in Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit, press onwards towards the kingdom of the Father and are bearers of a message of salvation intended for all men."

The oracle of the Prophet Isaiah that we heard in the first reading rings out for the entire ecclesial community: "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.... And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising" (Is 60,1.3). ... 

A year ago, on the feast of Epiphany at the end of the Holy Year, in spirit, I presented to the family of believers and all humanity the Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio ineunte that begins with Christ's invitation to Peter and to the others: "Duc in altum! - Put out into the deep!"

Dear Brothers, I return to that unforgettable moment and once again offer to each of you the programme of the new evangelization. I repeat to you the Redeemer's words: "Duc in altum!". Do not be afraid of the darkness of the world, because the one who is calling you is "the light of the world" (Jn 8,12), "the bright morning star" (Apoc 22,16).

Let's follow the Magi as we begin 2022. That's what we plan to do. Best wishes and health to all our readers and their families for the New Year. May God help us to dispel "the darkness of the world."