Word to the Wise
Sunday, January 4, 2026 - Jan. 6 (if Epiphany is Jan. 7 or 8)
[Isaiah 60:1-6; Eph. 3:2-3a 5-6; Matt 2:1-12,]Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you...[Isaiah] You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for your benefit, namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation...[Ephesians] "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage."...[Matthew]
SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2025 THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD
[Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12]
The star is the "star" of the story of the Magi and their journey to find the newborn "king of the Jews!" The title of today's feast, "the Epiphany of the Lord," takes its name from a Greek word meaning "to shine out!" The Magi came from outside Palestine, signifying that the revelation of the birth of the Messiah was not only to the Jewish people but to all nations. The prophecy of Isaiah was seen as a foretelling of this revelation to the wider world. [Isaiah mentions gold and frankincense. Matthew adds the sobering gift of "myrrh," a substance used for burial!]
Because three gifts are mentioned, tradition has placed the number at three Magi. Some ancient lists have more. Tradition, at least from the 8th century, has given the three each a name: Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar. Gian Carlo Menotti composed a charming opera: "Amahl and the Night Visitors," about their journey. But the real STAR is the child in the manger. It is that child, the newborn Messiah, that is revealed. The one in the sky is like God's flashlight or stagelight. But we can take on that role and become a "star" when we reveal Christ to others. The results, like the Magi, may be surprising.
The feast of the Epiphany of the Lord is the "Christmas" for many of our Eastern Catholic rites. We can join with them today in celebrating the revelation and the "stardom" to which we are called. AMEN
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