Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord (ABC)

 

January 3, 2021

Readings:

First Reading: Isaiah 60: 1-6

Psalm 72 “Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.”

Second Reading: Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6

Gospel reading according to Matthew 2: 1-12

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Homily:

Toda we are celebrating the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Magi.  But before anything else let us know what the meaning of Epiphany is.  What is Epiphany?  And what is the significance of Epiphany in our faith-life?  Epiphany, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it means “as a church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ; an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being; a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something; an intuitive grasp of reality through something (such as an event) usually simple and striking; an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure; a revealing scene or moment” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epiphany).  Jesus manifested himself to the magi, they were kings, wise men, astrologers, non-Jews but Gentiles, and through his shining star rising from the east, the magi learned his birth.  Who were the magi and where did they come from?  Later story identified the magi by name and identified their lands of origin: Melchior hailed from Persia, Gaspar (also called "Caspar" or "Jaspar") from India, and Balthazar from Arabia.  Another story was that there were three kings/wise men/magi after Jesus was born, these wise men came to look for Him, probably from an area which is now in either Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the Yemen, or an area in what is now southern Turkey, northern Syria, most probably they came from the Middle East.  In the Old Testament, the Jewish people believed that they were the chosen and exclusive people of God. So, they divided the whole world into two: Jews who were the people of God, and Gentiles who were not.  Some of their prophets and wise men, like Isaiah, tried to correct this belief by reminding them of the universal love of God for all humankind. He said, “Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance” (Is. 60:3).  But it was not until Jesus came that this idea began to sink in.  Nowadays, we learned that Jesus did not come only for the Jews but for the whole peoples of different nations, cultures, languages, races and beliefs, whom the Jews called them (us) Gentiles or pagans.  Jesus also manifested to us when He was brought to us by the Spaniards on our Philippine shore 500 years ago.  

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Judea in the reign of King Herod, there came three kings, wise astrologers called magi to Jerusalem.  “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” (Matthew 2: 1-2).  These three wise men were looking for the new born King of Israel and they came to give homage to him.  They saw His star rising and became their guide in searching for the new born child.  Being nature worshippers and not people of the book (scriptures), God revealed Himself to them through the means available to them in their own religion, a star. Through the star they were able to learn of the birth of Jesus and find their way to him.  Though the star disappeared when they reached Jerusalem, during those times they were covered in darkness, sins, and in the shadow of death.

When King Herod learned from the magi that a new born baby will become the new King of Israel, he became afraid and troubled thinking he might lose his possession of Judea and Jerusalem, for he was a ruthless and tyrant king.  “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 Messiah 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” (Matthew 2: 3-6).  These attitudes are not only possessed by King Herod, there are some of us who do not want to lose their possession either power, authority and they manipulate and subjugate others who are weak to remain in their thrones.  Not only King Herod was troubled, even the whole Jerusalem was bothered and disturbed.  There was chaos in the whole of Jerusalem.  King Herod called a meeting of all the chief priests and scribes in Jerusalem to ask where the Messiah and Lord were to be born.  It showed only that Herod was not familiar with the history of Israel.  Even the chief priests and scribes, they did not know very well their history, so they consulted each other and using the scriptures, they found the answer.  From the Book of the Prophet Micah (5:2), they found the answer.

After the meeting with the chief priests and scribes, and learning the birthplace of the Messiah, he summoned the three kings secretly and asked when they saw the star of the new King.  “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” (Matthew 2: 7-8).  Matthew, the Apostle and Evangelist, indicated in his gospel when the star appeared and was seen by the magi.  We may presume it was two years after the birth, for King Herod searched and killed all male children from two years old and below, “in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi” (cf. Matthew 2:16). He tried to convince also the magi to search for the infant diligently in all corners of Bethlehem and when they found him, he pleased them to go back to him, tell the exact place and he will go also to give homage to him, which in his mind was only a trick and he had bad intention or wrong motivation.  In his heart and mind, he wanted to kill the child Jesus.

When the magi learned the place but not the exact location, they left the palace of King Herod and continued their search, suddenly, the star re-appeared brightly on their way.  They followed wherever the star went.   “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 gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2: 9-11).  The star they followed led them to the place where the infant was and they were full of joy when they saw the star reappeared.  And because of the star they found the place where it was stopped.  They entered the house and saw the infant and his mother.  They bowed down and prostrated and gave him homage and presented their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.   

After a few days in the house of Joseph, Mary and Jesus, they were warned in a dream not to go back to King Herod for they too would be assassinated, so they used another road back home.  “And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way” (Matthew 2: 12). They came as gentiles, they worshipped Jesus as gentiles, and they went back home as gentiles. They were not converted either to Judaism or to Christianity. Their worship was acceptable to God and God directed them in their journey home through a dream. This shows that God does have a relationship with people of other religions who are neither Jews nor Christians.  There is only one God, and all who seek God with a sincere heart are led to Him, though they call Him by different names. One thing Christians have in common with members of other religions is that we all worship the same God. We are all children of the same Father, who manifested Himself to us through His Son Jesus Christ.