HOMILY FOR THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

HOMILY FOR THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

Isa.60:1-6; Eph.3:2-3a.5-6; Matt.2:1-12

Today we celebrate the manifestation of Christ to the world. This is what Epiphany means. Manifestation has to do with making known publicly. It became necessarily that Jesus’ presence in the world be manifested though the people had always expected the messiah, because the Messiah was born both in uncommon way and through uncommon people. The whole of Jesus’ earthly ministry was Epiphany because, all through, Jesus was manifesting Himself and mission to the world. In the manifestation of Jesus lies an invitation to become his disciple. Epiphany is also the mission Christ has entrusted to us and His Church; it is our bounden duty to continually manifest Christ to the world. On the last day, we will be judged on the basis of how well we have manifested Christ to the world.

The celebration of today which marks the beginning of the official manifestation of Christ, serves as a guide to us who must always manifest Christ. The wise men came from the East seeking the new born king. Inherent in their search was already Epiphany. They were not seeking for a new born child but a new born king. Their search already manifested what the child will become (or already was). These magi were priests of Zoroastrian religion. They had a reputation for astrology and magic. So, they were highly respected religious leaders, representing non-Jewish religions. Their ability to understand the presence and mission of the star was both as a result of their astrological capacity and the work of Grace. Maybe this grace worked through their priestly character, since they were non-Jewish religious leaders.

The point here is that God does not expect us to put on extra-abilities in order to manifest Him to the world. From the onset of creation, He has already given us the capacity to manifest Him in a particular way. The way the Lord has made me to manifest Him, may not be the same way He expects you to manifest Him. The fact is, whatever gifts or placements God gives to us, becomes ingredients for manifesting him. All of us are to do the same thing but in different ways.

When the magi arrived Jerusalem and announced their search for the new born king, it took Herod and all Jerusalem by surprise. Maybe they would have taken the magi for a joke; but the reputation of these wise men made it almost impossible to consider their mission lightly. What was surprising was that the long expected Messiah had finally been born in their country, but it is people from another country; worse still, non-Jewish men, that first heard of such great news. But for Herod, there was an additional reason he was surprised. This reason was malicious, and so, he summoned the wise men secretly to get some information. The wise men will later get to know in a dream, that Herod never meant well.

Maybe Herod would not have been malicious if he was not a king. Being a king, he felt that the birth of the new born king would mean a movement of the throne away from his family. Herod was fighting for his children and generations unborn. Herod is not different from some of us who consider the commandments as discomforting and a challenge to the kind of lives we want to live. He is not different from us when we try to kill our consciences and any other voice(s) that challenge us for the wrongs we do. We are Herods when we selfishly put others in darkness and pain, all so that the light of the good things of life will shine for us and our own only. There is so much of Herod in many of us. But then, Herod, with all his arsenals, did not succeed. Similarly, we will never succeed until we stop being Herods.

The fact that God chose gentiles to first make known the birth of the Messiah means that God can use anybody. Closeness to God is more a matter of the heart than any other parameter. If our hearts are far away from the Lord, no amount of pretense can cover it up. This teaches us to treat all with respect and dignity. Everyone deserves to be respected even when the person may not be a close ally. Also, we must be open to the various ways the Lord may choose to manifest Himself to us. Do not reject a medium God chose for you because of your personal bias for that medium. God does not work with human template.

In this celebration of the Epiphany, notice that it was not Mary and Joseph that went about announcing to the world that the new born king had been born. It is not your duty to go about saying who you are and what you can do. Rather go about doing what is expected of you and your good deeds will announce itself. Notice also that the Epiphany did not happen as a result of Mary and Joseph going about seeking those who can interpret the future of children. The Epiphany took place strictly by God’s arrangement and timing. Do not force or conjure what God has not revealed. One thing is certain, since man is made in God’s image and likeness, all children are born to be great; but this greatness can be thwarted by poor parentage. So, dear parents and guardians, be more concerned with being responsible towards your children/ward.

The wise men did not return to Herod because they were warned in a dream not to do so. This is not an explicit approval of dream as veritable source of revelation. The point rather is, when we grow in our relationship with God, we will come to understand how God speaks to us individually. It was through a Star that God revealed to wise men who were astrologists that the Messiah had been born in Bethlehem but it was through a dream that they were warned not to return to Herod. God is always speaking to all of us in many ways, but we are either too noisy to listen or we are forcing our medium on Him. Again, God does not work with human template.

The gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh were appropriate to Jesus and His mission. What appropriate gift(s) are you giving Jesus today?

Happy celebration to you all