BELIEF IN TRUTH WHEN THE CONTRARY IS DEEPLY VISIBLE

First Reading: Is 60:1‐6
Second Reading: Eph 3:2‐3,5‐6
Gospel: Mt 2:1‐12

On this day, the light of the world which was manifested to the Israelites alone on Christmas day is manifested now to the entire world through the visit of Magi. The three wise men come from a far distant land. We don’t know their exact place of origin. All that we know about them is that they are astronomers who are involved in stargazing. True to their adjective – wise – they look for something great and beyond. They perceive the birth of the king of Jews through a star (Mt 2:2). The most interesting part of the story is that they embark on a journey to adore that new born king. They have sensed from their deep knowledge in astronomy and scriptures that the indication that the star is providing is something great. The star points toward a child who is born not in a palace, nor in the family of Herod (who is ruling over the Jews), nor in an aristocratic family in the Roman Empire but in a simple carpenter’s family. They even know that the new born king is a divine son. They report to King Herod that they have come to pay homage to the infant king (Mt 2:2). And indeed they kneel down at the manger and pay homage to the divine son (Mt 2:11).

On Christmas day we witnessed the visitation of the light at the silent dark night. On this day the people who are in search of some divine signs in the sky at night discover the bright star. Yes, at night they discover the star. They follow the star to see the divine son. This shows that pagans who are in darkness – without the knowledge of one true God – are being led to the eternal light with the help of star, the simple light. In our life too, we experience the presence and action of divine not when everything is bright and clear but when darkness is thick, in and through our daily struggles and pains, uncertainties and chaotic moments. The visitation of God happens in moment of helplessness and abandonment. The first reading highlights the presence of God in the moments of darkness. It reads; “Though night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples, above you the Lord now rises and above you his glory appears” (Is 60:2). People of Israel found redemptive God in the midst of their horrendous slavery in Egypt. We need to be attentive to bright star that arise in moments of struggle and pain. The following of that star would lead us to the proper destiny as it happened in the lives of Israelites and Magi.

The magi see the new born king in a manger. The condition and ambience of new born king never becomes a hindrance for their belief. They firmly resolved to believe that the child in a carpenter’s family born in a cowshed would definitively become a king of all nations. They fall prostrate before the child in a cowshed. Can anyone imagine the scene wise men and kings going to the cowshed and falling to their knees? These wise men do. They have no shame in doing so because they are after truth and wisdom. Their search for truth lead them to do a right things despite the visibility of the contrary. As they have come beyond their nations to adore the Lord, they are able to perceive what lies beyond the simple manger. It is said that when one finds God, s/he finds who s/he really is. It is also said that when one finds a thing that s/he has searched relentlessly, s/he would be animated by that thing thenceforth. Thus, if we search God truly just like the magi we would completely be immersed into the insurmountable power of God. We learn this from the lives of mystics in the Church. Upon discovering God they become alien to the world. When we are captivated by the truth and mystery of God, the world and all that it contains does no more gets prominence.

In this whole drama of Epiphany the one who misses the point very much is King Herod. The interest of the Magi to offer homage to the new born king of Jews should have made him to realize that the child is with divine power. The visit of the Magi reveals that the new born king is going to be the ruler over all the existing kings on the earth. Herod’s human inclination to hold on to the throne results in a massacre of spotless infants at Bethlehem (Mt 2:16). The wise men pay attention not only to the star but also to the hidden voice of God. They return back to their native without giving any information to King Herod. Just as St. Joseph was receptive to the voice of God in his dream, these wise men too, pay heed to the inspiration of God in their dreams (Mt 2:12). The true and virtuous are receptive to God. May the celebration of Epiphany lead us to greater truth with the help of arising star in moments of our darkness and gloom.

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