HOMILY ON THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD, JANUARY 8, 2017

SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY

Homily By Rev. Fr. Thomas Oyode

There is a long tradition in the Church that says that the Magi in today's gospel were wise men (Mat. 2:1-12). The Church in the West says they are three (Melchior, Balthazar and Gaspar) while the Eastern church's legend claim they are twelve. 

Some tradition holds that they are priest-kings. Our reflection does not seek to reject these traditions and legends. Let us attempt a study of the contexts of both the first reading (Isaiah 60:1-6) and the gospel so as to gain insights that would give us practical lessons as Christians who seek the light and glory of God. We can only find God when we stoop down to reach him who has stooped down to save us. This is one of the christological significance of today's gospel.

In today's narrative we see that the Infant Jesus evokes both worship and hostility. This will flow all through the entire gospel of Matthew. The Magi initiate such worship, and later lepers and an official would do same (8:2; 9:18). This is worship as worship shown to God alone. It means that the Wise Men saw in the Infant Jesus, the God of man's salvation. On the other hand, the hostility is the endless plot to eliminate Jesus all through the gospel. 

The point to be noted, here is that because of the long tradition and numerous legends, there is the tendency to reduce the solemnity of the Epiphany to the life and search of the Wise Men alone. For this same reason, the Magi have come to be identified as kings by associating the gospel with today's first reading (Is. 60:3). 

Also, the English translation of the bible has also presented the Magi as Wise Men.  Such teachings very vital for Christian piety but they could rub off on our adequate understanding of this ageless solemnity; gospel is only one part of this liturgical celebration.

In the true sense of the word, the king in today's passage is Herod, the rulers of this world (Mat. 20:25). In the same way, the wise men are the scribes in Herod's court, learned and versed in scriptures but destitute of divine light, humility and purity of heart. 

They are empty and so can not experience the presence of the Messiah, their minds are in dark and so they can willingly plot to kill the infant king. It is on these bases that it would be important to stick with the overarching general significance of the entire gospel of Matthew: _God does not reveal himself to the wise and the learned but to the humble of heart_ (Mat. 11:25).

Therefore, following the mind of Matthew we would rather see the Epiphany, self-revelation of God, not to three kings or to Wise Men but to humble servants who seek the Lord. The Wise Men we see, thus, are men who do not seek on their own bidding but follow the bidding and instruction of God. 

They are servants who humble themselves in humility and worship before a _child_ and a _woman_. Jesus has manifested himself with a lesson for us to seek the true light. He has come that we not only accept our nothingness but also experience his presence and glory even in the nothingness and ordinariness of life: the poor, the weak, the aged, the sick, the unjustly treated, the oppressed. Do we really pay attention to these classes of people, showing love and care? Even in our worship as Catholics, do we appreciate God's presence in the ordinary bread-turned Body and Blood of Christ? Do we prefer the sensational worship of phenomenal manifestations in the name of deliverance sessions to the simple yet sublime Holy Mass or the Holy Rosary? Only humble servants can experience Jesus' kingship.

The solemnity of the Epiphany usually has a traditional Latin hymn, _Lumen requirunt lumine_; those who seek the light must follow the light,  we seek light with light. Jesus is the Light. Those who seek to break free from the clutches of darkness and sin must look up to him who is the Light of our salvation. 

This is what opens our second reading of today. Christ's glory has risen upon us like the breaking of dawn (Is. 60:1). We would better appreciate this message when we recall the message of the last two chapters before this (58 and 59). It was a time, around the 6th century BC, when the Israelites had returned from exile but were experiencing internal squabbles and disunity. While there was gloom and despair, there was also sin and corruption. The prophet therefore called for repentance. Then, in what seemed like a sudden twist in the narrative,  came a proclamation of God's light and glory that would banish every darkness. 

All nations and their leaders are then invited to walk by the light (60:3). As a new year begins, we can not but seek to walk with the light of God. Let us be truly wise in the way the Magi were and not in the way of kings, scribes and intelligentsia. Let us bring our plans, aspirations, dreams, expectations and even resolutions before the presence of God's light not only as individuals but as a worshipping community and as a nation. God's glory is his presence and he means to accompany us unconditionally. He means to break the yoke of division, disunity and conflict that we breed because of our pride and ego. Let us submit humbly to his authority as truly wise children.

Finally, like the Wise Men we may meet with difficulties in our journey with the light, temptations would trail us, our weaknesses would betray us, we may meet with deceptions and even scandals but we must not loose sight of the Light, Christ the Lord. Wise Men remain attentive and focused on their guide without arguing. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of the Sea who is always with Jesus Christ lead us to salvation. Amen.

EXPERIENCE GOD'S GLORY AND LIGHT THIS NEW YEAR