Epiphany of the Lord

“After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, suddenly some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east.”

Some Magi set off, Melchior, Balthazar and Gaspard, come from the Orient to offer to Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh. They are following the star. They don’t have a clue where they are going, whereas what they do know is to encounter people, ask them questions, be open and open up, to leave and to encounter, move foreword, take risks, to know joy, give and to adore.

These Magi stop off in Jerusalem, there they will get indications about the King of the Jews whom they are seeking to adore and to give their presents to. ’Where is the king of the Jews who has just been born? We did indeed see his star in the east and have come to do him homage.’ When King Herod learns of this he and the whole of Jerusalem with him are stirred up. He assembled all the high priests with the peoples’ scribes and did an enquiry to know where the King would be born. ’In Bethlehem of Judea’ they said. Indeed it is written by the prophets ’ And you, Bethlehem of Judea, you are hardly the least of the clans of Juda, for from you will come a leader who will be head of my people Israel and he will be my pastor."

The priests and scribes, referring to scripture, indicate where the child king was to be born : in Bethlehem.They are neither impressed nor held back by this announcement and they go back home.They respect the established framework which seems to be the best for humanity. There is the child who does not speak and remains swaddled, vulnerable, open and he will become King. King of the Jews? at his Passion he will be recognised as such and could draw all men to Him- they could be recognised by Him and live in a link with him. Today he is he wont retain the Magi who come with many others towards this King this Servant.

We name this feast the ’ Epiphany’, which opens us up to the universality of the salvation offered in Jesus Christ. At the crib, these Magi are the premises of

all peoples of the earth so that the Kingdom of God may open itself up ’Go and make of all peoples disciples!’

“Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. he asked them the exact date on which the star appeared and sent them on to Bethlehem with the words ’Go and find out all about the child, and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.’ Having listened to what the king had said, they set out. And suddenly the star they had seen rising went forward and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary.”

The high priests and the scribes of Israel are closed in on their certitudes, their conviction, they do not leave a place for God’s initiative to reveal itself! God is manifested in this new born babe, so as to gather together in unity the dispersed children of God , but still humanity has to recognise him and welcome him.The Three Kings, who come from afar, guided by a star, evoke human intelligence in his research for Truth. God Who is Light leads them to the infant in Bethlehem. The same thing goes for us so that God leads us so that we start off.

Herod is opposed to it, jealous of his prerogatives, he seems to say :’ They are asking for the king but it’s me, the king!’ God’s appearance on earth seems to be an aggression for him for he possesses the power or rather the power possesses.

Before a woman and a child, the Magi discern the King of the world. "Seeing the child and his mother they fall on their knees and they bow down before him.’ They offer their presents that they had brought with them. Adoration is this movement of love that comes from a deep, loving heart that gives its place to God. They are witnesses of love who dwell in the heart of this Child. The same love dwells in the heart of his mother Mary, they are invited to enter into this Love of Jesus and Mary. To enter into this Love that is propagated is a unique experience. This love will propagate to Jesus’ disciples in the Church that is being born. He wants to propagate to the whole universe so as to instore the civilisation of Love in it.

Going into their house they saw the child with his mother, and falling to their knees, they did him homage. Then , opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. But they were given a warning in a

dream not to go back to Herod and returned to their own country by a different way."

God gives us the Magi to contemplate so that we may discover the way in which he wants to manifest himself to the world. Seeking a meaning to the world, the work of the intelligence opens us up to the mystery of Faith and can throw us on the roads of spiritual adventure that has us discover that the end is contemplation of God. The light of faith must set us off and have us discover the One who will fill quench our thirst with wisdom. Still today men make a long journey to discover the mystery of the Presence of Jesus and ysi really is the manifestation of this new Love which We are so much in need of. It is this new Love alone that can regenerate humanity, we are all invited to discover this new Love in adoration. Sow e seek God in the daily life of our existences, in very simple gestures of everyday life, in the Poor ones. In order to grasp the meaning of this, the Word of God si given to us the Son of God comes into the world, the little Child of the Virgin Mary. Adoration is fundamental in our life, but we also need an attitude of permanent love that sends us to God at all times. If the fire of new Love takes body in us, if we burn like a great fire, all around us will be enlightened. This Light, the Light of God will be manifested to the world.