EPIPHANY OF THE LORD : Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12

The Battle of Milvian Bridge was fought between Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius in 312. On the evening of October 27, with the armies preparing for battle, Constantine had a vision. A most marvellous sign appeared to him from heaven. The famous sign in the sky was a cross of light, with the inscription, Conquer by this. At this sight he himself was struck with amazement, and his whole army also, which followed him on this expedition, and witnessed the miracle.

Constantine delineated the sign on the shields of his soldiers, and proceeded to battle, and his troops stood to arms. Maxentius was defeated in the battle, and Constantine was acknowledged as emperor by the senate and people of Rome. Constantine’s victory brought relief to the Christians by ending persecution.

300 Years before Constantine, God’s sign appeared on the sky as a luminous star. It announced the good news that a Saviour was born to emancipate humanity from the clutches of evil. This sign was read by the simple shepherds and wise men. It led the wise men to Bethlehem. Today we commemorate that event of the visit of the magi to the divine Child. It is called the feast of the Epiphany. The Greek word Epiphany means appearance or manifestation or showing forth.

The Epiphany can be looked on as a symbol for our pilgrimage through life to Christ.   The feast invites us to see ourselves as images of the Magi, a people on a journey to Christ. Their journey in search of the King of peace was heroic. Neither distance nor uncertainty of the destination could hold them back from their decision to find the new King.  God lit their way; His light shone above them, and they followed it.

Mother Teresa once visited a poor man in Melbourne, Australia. He was living in a basement room which was in a terrible state of neglect. There was no light in the room. He did not seem to have a friend in the world. She started to clean and tidy the room. At first he protested, “Leave it alone. It is alright as it is.” But she went ahead anyway. As she cleaned, she chatted with him. Under a pile of rubbish she found an oil lamp covered with dust. She cleaned it and discovered that it was beautiful. And she said to him, “You have got a beautiful lamp here. How come you never lighted it?” “Why should I light it?” “No one ever comes to see me.”

Will you promise to light it if one of my sisters comes to see you?” “Yes,” he replied. “If I hear a human voice, I will light the lamp.” Two of Mother Teresa’s sisters began to visit him regularly. Things gradually improved for him. Every time the sisters came to visit him, he had the lamp lighted. Then one day he said to them: “Sisters, I will be able to manage myself from now on. Do me a favour. Tell the first sister who came to see me that the light she lit in my life is still burning.” (M K Paul p.18)

The light that God lit to announce the coming of His son is still burning. For the last twenty centuries many have followed the footprints of the Magi. When they found Jesus they, too, laid down everything they had at the foot of Jesus just like the Magi made their offerings.

These days we might expect the story to include a wise woman or two suggesting things might have gone better if the wise men had been wise women. After all, had women been in charge, they would have asked for direction, gotten to the Manger on time, assisted with the birth, cleaned up the place and made a casserole for the Holy Family. But we are told that God chose the wisest woman to be in charge of her son, who pondered all these things in heart; that wise woman was the Throne of Wisdom.

The wise men from the East recognized Jesus' greatness even as a little Child in an ordinary house. The spirit of God has always been there to guide those who have desired to walk in the light. So the Angel of the Lord guided the Magi to return to their own country, ‘by a different way”, and to a different life. The Magi’s meeting with Jesus brought about a total change in them. It lit their minds and removed the darkness from them. Jesus revealed Himself as their Saviour, and they accepted Him. Emperor Constantine was given a sign. He accepted it, and his acceptance gained him victory. When Jesus revealed Himself to Paul, he accepted Jesus, and his acceptance led him to change his way of life.

Ex-Beatle, George Harrison, in an interview shortly before his death said, “Everything else in life can wait, but the search for God cannot wait." Larry King said, “I have a lot of respect for true people of faith, I have always searched. I envy people who have it. I just can't make the leap." It was no quick or easy trip for the Magi to find the Christ Child. Maybe it never is easy but don't settle for anything less. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be satisfied." Don't settle for anything less this year than an authentic, living, vital relationship with God. You will be glad you did.

May the Spirit of God help us to search every day to see the incarnation in our midst and offer our hearts in self surrender to him.