1/7/23 The Epiphany of the Lord

Our solemn celebration of Epiphany occurs this Sunday. In Christian tradition, this is among the most ancient feast days. It is most likely that the Church commemorated Epiphany prior to the Nativity, Christmas. The first public miracle in John's Gospel, the transformation of water into wine, the Lord's appearance to the magi, and the Lord's baptism by John the Baptist are the three main epiphanies acknowledged by the Church. All three epiphanies are celebrated simultaneously by the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches. The Roman Catholic Church, which is part of the Western Catholic Church, splits apart these festivities into three celebrations.

The magi are the center of attention today. As you make your way around the sanctuary of Germany's Cologne (Ko ln) Cathedral, you'll come upon a massive reliquary that, according to legend, holds the remains—or at the very least, the skulls—of the three wise men. In 1997 I visited this shrine on my first visit to Europe. How did the relics of the magi get there? Good question. Legend has it that St. Helena found the bones of the wise men in Persia and brought them to Constantinople. One of the first Roman emperors to embrace Christianity was Constantine, whose mother was St. Helena. In the fifth century, the relics were moved from Constantinople to Milan, and in 1163, they were brought to Cologne. Therefore, the wise men's relics continued their voyage even after death, in addition to the journeys they made while alive. The names of the wise men have usually been Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar in the West, even though Matthew in the Gospel does not reveal their names.

And who were these individuals, these so-called kings? Their social status is mostly unknown to us. One important fact is that they were not Jewish, which is the main thing we know about them. Gentiles, or non-Jews, were called a few days after the Lord's birth to follow a star to the land of Israel, the place where the long-awaited One was born. Because they were decent men seeking God's will, they followed the star. The magi's trek to Bethlehem was far from their sole journey. They underwent a personal conversion from their own faith or pagan superstitions to that of acknowledging Jesus Christ as Divinity in human form.

As they touched down in Israel, it must have been an impressive sight. Not just any foreigners, but very special ones. Their influential positions warranted an audience with Herod. Their arrival unsettled Herod and the entire city of Jerusalem. They wanted to pay respects to the Jewish king who had just been born. Could there be a child waiting to take Herod's place? They were seeking the newly born king in a palace. An ancient prophecy that a king would be born in Bethlehem was all that the high priests and scribes could tell Herod. What a scene it must have been for the three magi with their retinue, to arrive in Bethlehem and find the house where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were staying. There must have been quite a commotion there. Those wealthy pagan figures who knelt before the infant and presented him with frankincense, myrrh, and gold are even more astounding.

For what reasons might wealthy non-Jews care about the Jewish Messiah? The Jews could not fathom that the non-Jews could play a role in God's purpose for His chosen people. But suddenly the long-kept secret was out: the Gentiles, as Paul says in today's second reading from Ephesians, were to be joint heirs with the Jews, one body, and participants in the promise of Jesus Christ. Everyone can find salvation in Jesus Christ. The grace of God had to be extended to everyone and our presence in the Church lives out that reality.

From observing the stars to adoring Jesus, the wise men traveled a long way to get to him. To follow a higher calling, the three wise men leave their palaces, powers, and possessions behind. They also bid farewell to the individuals they hold dearest. From that point on, they are purposeful, they follow a single star, and eventually, they reach a stable where they meet the one person who will make all their dreams come true. Christ is the "one thing" that matters most, and the message of today's feast is that everything else is of less importance and meaning.

Each of us is invited to submit to Jesus as Lord of all aspects of our lives, not merely when it is convenient for us. None of us has yet attained complete conversion, and there are dark places in our lives that could need Jesus' transforming power. Therefore, we all still have ways to go until we reach Jesus. Like the wise men, may we be led by God's guidance to Jesus Christ. We beseech every nation to recognize Jesus as their one Savior and to bow down in worship to him.