Epiphany Sunday (A,B,C)/ The Visit of the 3 Magi

They were originally kings before they became Magi. They were kings of Median tribes. The Medes were part of the Persian Empire. They tried to overthrow the Persians and substitute it with the power of the Medes, but they failed. From then on these kings ceased to have any ambitions for power or prestige and they became a tribe of priests. They did not only become teachers and instructors to the Pertain kings but also became men of holiness and wisdom who were in search for truth. Maybe, that is how life is really designed by God. We learn from mistakes. We become more stable after we stand up from our fall. Only those people who experienced failures and deep sense of helplessness in life that they realized that without God’s they can do nothing. Sometimes our failures lead us closer to God, search Him all the more and become holier than before.

The Star has a great role to play in Epiphany, because it leads the 3 Kings into Christ. During the ancient time, the group of stars (constellations) and planets were named after gods and goddesses because they look so beautiful in the sky. They looked at them as they were mesmerized by their glow that was coming from within. But the 3 kings (astrologers) believed that this time, this one was quite different. This star did not glow by itself but it points to Someone who was the true source of light. We learn from the Star, all success that we have in life, should point not to ourselves, but to the greatness of God’s love working in us.

No house accepted the Holy Family, so Joseph had no choice but to use a manger. It was very unfortunate to see a woman like Mary giving birth in an “open place”, with no privacy at all. For me, Epiphany happened when God opened himself to the whole world, as the God of all. He was born in a manger, no walls, no windows and no doors; and anybody, shepherd or king, gentiles or Jews, cows or angels, and all people from the East to the West can just walk in to worship the new born king. Christian’s love must be universal and must not be exclusive, thus, every Christian house must be open to all the peoples who are in need.  Not only for those who are in need of material help but also for those who are sad and lonely and those who have no one listen to them. If Christ is really in our hearts, let the “kings form the East” who are looking for the God of Peace, “come in” and find peace in our love.

Herod was greatly troubled when he heard about the birth of the new born king so he asked the Magi to return to him and tell him where the baby Jesus was. But upon being warned in a dream they went home by another way. Herod was always pictured as an insecure king who was selfish and was very possessive of his kingdom. He had a personality of a typical worldly king .Even how hard we try to change our lives, there will always be many “herods” that will come in our way, worldly allurements and temptations. These will attract us to go back, again and again, to our old sinful way of life. May our encounter with Him this Christmas and in the Holy Mass makes a difference in our lives and lead us to a new way of life…back home.

It is good to note that the three kings found Jesus in Bethlehem (Hebrew-“Beth” means “house,” and “Lehem” means “bread,” thus Bethlehem is “the house of bread). We have a new “Bethlehem” nowadays – the Church. It is a house and there is “Bread” inside - the Eucharist. We can imagine all the people coming into the church every Sunday to hear the mass and receive the Eucharist as like the three kings looking for “the bread” inside this house. But like the three kings, if we are looking for Jesus in our journey in life; it is only in the Eucharist that we can have a deep encounter with Him.

Sometimes we see a lot of people looking for something/someone which/who can give them happiness. After all the searching, oftentimes they still find emptiness deep within their hearts. Like the 3 kings we should never stop looking for that Someone who can really give “completeness” to our lives. Only in God, we can feel the true happiness that we had been searching for in our life.