In lieu of today’s gospel on John the Baptist, I am offering a reflection on the Epiphany.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Gospel – The Epiphany of the Lord  MT 2:1-12
 
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
 
Reflection:
 
“……..in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
 
Imagine Herod’s surprise!
 
Comfortable in his own little Kingdom, three people show up from different countries and tell him that a new king has been born in his domain.
 
Herod thinks, “This is not a good thing. My Kingdom may be in jeopardy.”
So, he assembles his wise advisors and asks them to look into this strange development.
 
I can relate to King Herod.
 
Back in the “it’s all about me days,” before I had a relationship with God, there were many occurrences when others were after my job. The name of the game was, “Cover your back at all times.”
 
Much to his dismay, Herod’s advisors reported to him that the arrival of this new king has been predicted and that He is to be born just down the road in a town called Bethlehem.
 
So Herod tells the Magi (the three wise men): “Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage.”
 
Herod was no dope! Even back then he knew to appear to be a friend to his enemy so he could set him up for a fall.
 
So, the Wise Men set out in search of the newborn king.
 
“And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.”
 
The word epiphany means; “an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure.”
 
The arrival of Jesus was “illuminating.” It was like God turning the lights on in a dark room.
 
God’s Son had been sent to announce the end of judgement, vengeance, and selfishness. With the arrival of Jesus Christ, man was about to discover the true nature of God: forgiveness, love, and self sacrifice for the sake of others.
 
Upon discovering Jesus, the Wise Men did Him homage by offering Him gifts.
 
They were truly wise because having been warned in a dream about King Herod’s evil intentions toward the infant Jesus, they returned home by a different route.
 
Thirty two years ago a star rose over my head, and I had an “Epiphany,” not in Jerusalem but in Manhattan.
 
Broken by alcohol, “I saw the light” and turned to God for help.
 
A few years later at a Cursillo retreat, I made a “discovery” that Jesus Christ had arrived for me on that starry night two thousand years ago.
 
“Wise men” told me so during that retreat when they spoke His words, “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
 
“But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.”                   – – Romans 5:8