Cycle C - Year I:  

6 January 2019: Solemnity of the Lord's Epiphany

(Liturgical Color: White)

Readings:

First Reading:        Isaiah 60:1-6

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

Gospel:  Please Read  Matthew 2:1-12

Epiphany: Behold, the Lord, the Mighty One!

What is the most-liked gift you received last Christmas? Or did you receive any gift at all? Well, cheer up, hope is eternal.

Today is the Feast of the Lord's Epiphany, or more popularly known as the Feast of the Three Kings. And according to tradition, it is our last chance to receive Christmas gifts, in case we didn't receive any last Christmas. It is unlikely though, because Filipinos are known to be generous and lavish people, especially during the Christmas season.

But first, let us understand the significance of today's feast. The word "epiphany" means manifestation or appearance of God in person like us through the humanity of Jesus our Lord.  Thus, in the Lord's epiphany we see the plan of God to give His only Son as King and Savior, not just for the Jews who are God's chosen people in the Old Testament, but to all nations as well. Note that the three kings were foreigner and non-Jews. Thus, the implication of today's feast is that our 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 Almighty.

Now the bible account of the journey of the three kings (or Magi, or Wise Men) is one of the favorite stories in the Gospel, even in our youth, I remember. It is a story of the journey of life, of guidance on the way, of delight in finding faith and God. A bright star started the three kings on their journey and guided them to the end of their destination where they found the infant Jesus. So like our own faith, the star which we share at baptism is the promise of God to guide us through our journey in this life.

We hear from Matthew's narrative about the three kings looking for the infant Jesus in order to pay Him homage with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The Western Church has assigned the three kings the names of Melchor (believed to be a Babylonian scholar), Caspar (a Persian scholar), and Balthazar (an Arab scholar). And because these three kings brought gifts to the baby Jesus, so today by tradition is also considered the last day of sharing Christmas gifts to our loved ones. 

Even the gifts of the three kings have symbolic significance to the divine identity and mission of Jesus. That is to say, gold has great value which 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 salvation of the whole humanity. These gifts the three kings brought to the infant Jesus speak of their respect for His divine identity and the realism about His death at the hands of humankind.

Now, does the Feast of the Epiphany still have relevance in 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 sacrament of 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.

In sum, as we conclude our celebration of the Christmas season we pray that the examples of the three kings be our guide in our own spiritual pilgrimage in the New Year 2019.  Like them, we too acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Savior and do Him homage. And may the Lord's revelation or epiphany shine on everyone so that the gift of salvation may be shared by all.

Happy Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord to everyone. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!