The Epiphany of the Lord (Feast)

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Epiphany means the manifestation or an appearance. It is from a Greek word, epiphania which was first used to signal the manifestation or the coming of the roman emperor on a state visit. Of course, it used to be the case that a Roman emperor  would be regarded as a deity to whom worship and adoration were due.

But for us, we use it to signal the manifestation of God through Jesus Christ, particularly to the Gentiles Us), those regarded as not being part of the family of God or the promised people. So,  this is actually our feast, as Gentile nations, if I may. It is God’s move to show that the rejected, the outsider, those considered as not having hope are actually being reconciled in Christ. It is indeed unprecedented. 

Throughout the scripture starting from Genesis, we see God manifest himself in the clouds and shrouded in mystery. Yes, God remains a mystery to us as he cannot be fully known,  but he has chosen to reveal himself to us in Christ as a God, in whom all are being reconciled.

In those days Our God was understood to be the exclusively right of a particular people, to the Jews God’s covenant people. Hence, other nations considered outside of the covenant family (the Gentiles) were seen as no people of God, pagans and enemies of God who must be judged and punished by the Messiah who was coming. This understanding was so strong that even the expectation of the Messiah, in a sense expressed this hope of a messiah coming mainly for the Jews and against their enemies who are often considered as those who dwelt in darkness.

And yet everything in the scriptures proved otherwise. In the scripture we hear from the prophecy of Isaiah that those who dwelt in darkness have seen great light. And John 1 tells us that the light that was coming into the world was the light of all people, that it shines in the darkness and darkness withstands it not.  Even when Jerusalem is referred to as a bearer of the light in Isaiah 60:3, the scripture immediately tells us that the purpose  is for all nations and kings to be drawn to the brightness of the Light and eventually to the light

This is the truth today’s Psalm celebrates a King whose kingdom will extent to the ends of the earth. And it says all nations shall fall prostrate before you o lord. All nations shall serve him. He will save the poor when they cry and the needy who are helpless and will have pity on the poor.

Whilst this Psalm spoke immediately of the kingship of David’s son Solomon, a close look to the fulfilment of this psalm shows that its fuller meaning transcends the kingship of Solomon whose kingship obviously did not extent to the ends of the earth neither was it a kingship that was for the needy.

In fact, this psalm is fulfilled in Christ who saves the life of the poor the weak and the helpless.  Hence, King Herod’s Chief priests and scribes went back to the scriptures quoting the prophecy of Micah 5:2  to confirm that the New born Child was actually the promised coming king of the Jews and the king of all the kings of the earth.

First this prophecy revealed that the Messiah will be from the line of David. And secondly that he will be the leader who would shepherd Israel whose greatness will reach the ends of the earth.  As I said this is what resounds in today’s psalm a king whose reign will extend to the ends of the earth and all the kings of the earth will pay him homage. And this is what we see happening today’s readings. In the first reading from Isaiah we hear that the riches, wealth of the nations will come  to him bringing gold, incense and singing praises.

The Magi pilgrimage if you will, marks a significant moment of the fulfilment of God promises. They followed the Star Balaam prophecies (in Numbers 22;21;23;7;24:7,17), a royal staff which will rise out of Israel and be exalted above all nations. The Magi’s pilgrimage marks God’s revelation of our own entrance into the family of God, a covenanted people. Here we see a fulfilment of God’s eternal plan to unite all nations together with Israel as co-heir of his blessing and grace. This Plan has not always been clear to many prophets of old even though the prophecies were given through them. As it were, this plan was shrouded in Mysteries. Hence St Paul said in today’s second reading from Ephesians 3 that this mystery has now been revealed, the mystery that the pagans now share the same inheritance. The Mystery that they are the same body and that the same promise that was made to Abraham has now been made to us the Gentiles in Jesus Christ through the Gospel.

Today, we are invited to be open to God’s epiphany in ways that we may not expect or even like, the most unexpected places. We are invited to avoid the Herodian tendency of envy, closeness of the heart, pride, and control.  We are to avoid the spirit of the scribes and the chief priests who knew the scripture but did not bother to seek him.  These people Herodian and scribes even though they lived very close to Bethlehem, yet they missed the manifestation, the light of salvation. Strangely the Magi from the east were the once who sought and found him. It didn’t matter how far away they were. As the scripture said, if you seek me, you will find me.

We pray that we who have been drawn very close to him, to his altar of love will not to be closed-up to the ways he is manifesting himself to us through the sacrament, in our relationship with each other and through events in our lives. We pray that through our openness to God who reveals himself we might be able to pay him due homage with our lives.

Let us pray

Eternal Father, who on this day revealed your only begotten Son to the nations by the guidance of the stars, grant in  your mercy, that we, who know you already by faith, may be brought to behold the beauty of your sublime glory. We make our prayers through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

The Lord be with you

May the Almighty God bless you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Go in peace and Happy Sunday