Cycle B - Year I:  

4 January 2015: Solemnity of the Lord's Epiphany 

(Liturgical color: White)

Matthew 2:1-12

The Lord's Epiphany: salvation comes to all!

Time goes so fast and Christmas 2014 is now just part of our human experience. And now we welcome the New Year 2015, with hope and enthusiasm to enjoy the wonderful gift of living.

If you miss receiving gifts last Christmas, well cheer up because today, the Feast of the Lord's Epiphany or traditional known as the Feast of the Three Kings, may just be your last chance to receive Christmas gifts from dear someone. So make your wish upon a star.

The Gospel event from Matthew narrates about the Three Kings (or Magi, or Wise Men) looking for the infant Jesus guided by a bring star in order to pay Him homage with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Western Church assigned them the names of Melchor (believed to be a Babylonian scholar), Caspar (a Persian scholar), and Balthazar (an Arab scholar). Because these Three Kings brought gifts to the baby Jesus, so by tradition today is also considered the last day of sharing Christmas gifts to our loved ones.

The word "epiphany" means manifestation or appearance of God in person like us through the humanity of Jesus. In the Lord's epiphany we see the plan of God to give his only Son as King and Savior, not just for the Jewish people, who are God's chosen people in the Old Testament, but to all nations as well. Because the Three Kings, or Wise Men, or Magi were foreigners and non-Jews. Thus, the implication of today's feast is that the Lord Jesus comes to both the Jews and the Gentiles (or non-Jews), including our present generation of believers in Christ, so that all may find true and lasting peace with God.

The gifts of the Three Kings have symbolic significance to the divine identity and, and the mission of Jesus. Gold has great value, and symbolizes the kingship of Jesus. Frankincense is a perfume, and the symbol of the divinity of Jesus. And myrrh is a common anointing oil which symbolizes the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross that brought about the salvation of the whole humanity. These gifts they brought to the infant Jesus speak of their respect for his divine identity and their realism about his death at the hands of humankind.

But then we ask, what is the relevance of the Feast of the Lord's Epiphany to our lives today? Let us consider the following reflections:

Epiphany tells us that God became visible and audible for us in the person of Jesus, who is the human image of the invisible God. So that even to our generation we experience God living among us and within us in the Holy Eucharist.

Epiphany makes known to us the way to the Father through Jesus Christ. He leads our path in our journey in this present life to our heavenly home. As Jesus Himself declares: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me."         (Jn 14:6)

Epiphany reveals to us God's plan for all men and women to be saved, from the fall of our first parents Adam and Eve, by believing that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Because God's kingdom is meant for all people of all generations.

As we conclude our celebration of the Christmas season, we pray that the examples of the Three Kings, Magi, or Wise Men, be our guide in our own spiritual pilgrimage in the New Year 2015. Like the Three Kings, we too acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior and do Him homage. And like the Three Kings, we also open our gifts to Him of unwavering faith, amidst the temptation of "religion by convenience" in our present generation, and commit our undivided loyalty and faithfulness to Christ's teachings through His Church.

In Holy Mass this Sunday, let us pray that the Lord's revelation of Himself on this Feast of Epiphany shine forth on everyone so that the grace of salvation from sin may be shared by all.

Thank you for a moment with God. Again, wishing you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year 2015!

Ad Jesum per Mariam!