Unlike most Sunday readings, which we hear only every three years, the beautiful message of Epiphany is repeated every year on this feast. The passage from Isaiah envisions the nations streaming toward a restored Jerusalem, bearing gifts and proclaiming God’s praises; the psalm heralds God’s choice of a king who will manifest justice and peace to all nations and is concerned about the poor. The gospel relates the wonderful story of wise men, sages, from the east who are led by a star to come and worship this newborn king. They were the first Gentiles to seek and recognize Jesus; in so doing, they foreshadow the way Gentiles would flock to Christian communities in the early Church, bearing their own gifts of time, treasure and talent.
We opened our liturgy with the beloved hymn, We Three Kings, but most likely these men were not kings, rather, they were stargazers. They had heard about the messiah of Israel and led by a star, they came looking for him on a journey that took years. However, the messiah they expected was not the messiah they encountered. The messiah they found was a toddler tucked away in a small house in Bethlehem, not a powerful warrior intent on politically liberating his people. Nonetheless, they saw this child as the king of Israel and did him homage, giving him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Since only three gifts were mentioned, we assume there were only three wise men.
The good news of these readings, indeed of this feast, is that Jesus, the king of glory, has now been revealed to all the nations, not just to the chosen people of Israel. This Jewish child named Jesus has significance for all the peoples of the world, not just Jews. As we heard moments ago, “All kings shall pay him homage, all nations shall serve him.” Alas, after 2000 years, most of humanity has yet to hear, much less appreciate the good news of our newborn king. Consequently, many have yet to bring their gifts to him.
All the readings for today’s feast underscore the welcome God extends to all peoples. The psalm sings of how every nation on earth will adore God’s anointed one. The letter to the Ephesians emphasizes that “the Gentiles are members of the same body and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” There are no second-class members in God’s community. All are equal.
While God’s will for universal salvation seems obvious to us, really embracing it, really integrating it into our hearts is as challenging as it gets. We may all believe that everyone is created in God’s image and loved and cherished by God. Still, we might check ourselves for any inclination to marginalize others. Who do we tend to dismiss or disregard? While we might easily say God loves everyone, is that really how we feel?
Paul’s insistence on equal status for the Gentiles reveals the struggles of the early Christian communities to make this a reality. While the challenge in welcoming Gentiles has long been overcome, others still face us today. What welcome is given to people of different races? Or to peoples from foreign countries or those with a different socio-economic status? Or to those of a different sexual orientation? This feast invites us to ponder the reality of prejudice in our lives. Facing our prejudices and working to dismantle them is a difficult task that is easier said than done. It takes a lifetime, but it is possible to do so with the help of the Spirit.
Every year, the week following Epiphany is designated by our conference of bishops as National Migration Week; our bishops invite us to reflect on the kind of welcome we provide to the many undocumented immigrants who live and work in our country, often doing service jobs that few others want to do and to the many refugees at our borders seeking a better and safer life for their families and an escape from the political turmoil in their native lands. Just as many Jewish Christians struggled to accept Gentiles into their community, many of us struggle to accept these “outsiders,” who like the magi bear gifts of immeasurable value for our communities.
Epiphany means the act of showing something. God used this moment to reveal his Son first to the Magi, then to the whole world. Are we likewise revealing Jesus to the world around us by what we say and do?
Today’s feast challenges us to be both seekers and guides, to be disciples who seek and find Christ, and then show others the way. The same child whose light brought such joy to the magi, now offers his mercy and love to every person. Through us, every day, Christ feeds multitudes; he heals, teaches and guides countless peoples. Through simple acts of kindness or international coordinated efforts, the world encounters through the Christian community the tangible presence of Christ in our midst.
To celebrate Epiphany is to celebrate the revelation of the star seen by the magi, the light of Christ, to the whole world. People of every race, culture and nation are called to follow that star. We are called to be one with each other in faith, hope and love, without suppressing our diversity or differences. We are called to rejoice that our church is Catholic, that is, universal; a composite of cultures and nations that despite their differences is led by the light of Christ. If we follow the magi, always seeking the Lord and his ways, then we will be wise women and wise men.