Epiphany Of The Lord
Isaiah 60:1-6
Ephesians 3:2-3,5-6
Matthew 2:1-12
How do I respond to the darkness of my life? Do I take the path of Harod; or do I take the path of the magi?
My brothers and sisters. On this second week after Christmas, we celebrate the Feast of Epiphany. Epiphany is symbolised by the wise of the magi to the infant Jesus. But what is the significant of this story, particularly in this immediate period after Christmas?
The central message of Epiphany is that God’s grace is offered to everyone. In the Second Reading this week, St Paul made the point that salvation is not a special privilege of the Jews, but is offered to all: “In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” (verse 5-6) But what is the relevance of this revelation to our modern age? To reflect this further, let us ask ourselves a few questions: Have I ever look down upon someone because the person is not a believer; does not profess the right religion in my eyes; or perhaps live life in such a way that I consider unrighteous? If so, the message of St Paul is for me.
In our modern days, it is a tragedy that some of us regard certain people as not worthy of salvation. Some of us might think that only believers are worthy of salvation, forgetting that there are non-believers who led righteous lives. Some of us might think that people who committed certain sins are not worthy of salvation – perhaps people who aborted their babies, people who are divorcees, people in irregular relationships or committed some other sins. But not so, says St Paul. Perhaps to the surprise of some of us, anyone who is prepared to approach God with a contrite heart, they can “become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” (verse 6) Our past does not matter; even what we nominally profess with our lips does not matter. All the Lord wants of us is for us to approach Him in sincereity with a desire to change our lives; and model our lives to His.
The Gospel this week tells the story of Kings Harod and the magi. On account of his sins, when he heard the birth of the infant Saviour, King Harod felt insecure and was afraid. (verse 3). How did King Harod respond to his inadequacies? He sought to deceive the magi, he soight to find out where Jesus was born, so that he may find and kill the infant Jesus (verse 7-8, Mt 2:16) He was not able to face up to his sins. In contrast, the magi, who were wise men from the east, and hence were not Jewish by descent. Under Jewish beliefs, like King Harod, the magi were not destined to be saved. But they did not let this deter them. They promptly sought out the infant Saviour and offered Him homage (verse 10-11). Not only that, these were men who possess discerning hearts, and are open to God’s prompting. For one must have a discerning heart in order to hear God. We read, “And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.” (verse 12)
In the First Reading this week, we read a vision of the prophet Isaiah: “For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you.” (verse 2) My brothers and sisters, let us reflect on our own life. Like King Harod, do I have darkness in my life? Indeed, as fallen humans, we all have darkness in our lives. Perhaps I have wronged someone in the past; perhaps there are aspects of my life that run counter to God’s teachings; perhaps I cannot find in my heart the mercy to forgive someone; or perhaps I have a strained relationship? Whatever the circumstances that might have brought darkness upon my life, this week, through the Feast of Epiphany, God is sending an invitation to us. My dear friends, His grace is upon us. But we have a choice. We can choose self-denial and seek to smother this grace – like King Harod did. Or we can open ourselves to God’s grace like the magi did. What is my decision? In truth, it is always easier to do what King Harod did. This is because the path of the magi is not easy. It involves venturing out of our comfort zone, just as the magi venture out of their home country. In our case, most likely, it involves putting aside our pride and making ourselves vulnerable before God and before men. It will take much reflection, self-awareness and grace to take the path of the magi. And in return, we will find joy and peace, the kind of joy and peace that the world cannot give us.
My brothers and sisters, let us take courage and take heart. Our loving and merciful God awaits. Like the nations that flocked to God in the First Reading (verse 3-6), let us leave our darkness behind and head towards the light. And that light is God. Amen.