This week we shall celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord.
Our first reading, from Isaiah, speaks to us about the joy all of Jerusalem feels now that the light of the Glory of our Lord has come!
We learn that the world has been covered in darkness with thick clouds overshadowing the people. However, with the birth of our Savior a great light now illuminates all the world. We are told that Nations will walk by His light and Kings by His shining radiance. The people will feel their hearts throb and overflow with happiness.
Our Gospel, according to Matthew, tells of the magi, who travel from the East following the great star in the sky. The magi are looking for the newborn King of the Jews. When King Herod hears that the magi have come to pay homage to the baby, he advises them that once they locate the baby, he wants them to tell him where the baby is, so that he may go to pay homage to him as well. The magi sets out on their journey and follows the star to the manger where they find the child with Mary his mother. They bow to Jesus and offer him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The magi are warned in a dream not to return to Herod and they depart for their country another way.
This Gospel is filled with joy and hope for all the world. Our Savior is born. Our loving God has given his only son to save all of us from our sins. I am struck by the description of the great light which dispels all the darkness of the world. We are surrounded by darkness in our world of today as well. We are surrounded by war, hunger, disease and hatred.
How do we navigate these dark days of our world? We must hold onto our Faith, to the radiance of our Lord’s love and mercy. We must always believe in the bright light of Jesus’ Grace and the promise of eternal life with Him. We know that we never walk alone, that our Savior walks each day with us and never abandons us. We need to continue to carry Jesus to each person that we meet, to share our testimony of our beloved Savior’s endless compassion for all of humanity. We must make sure that we remind each other of how much Jesus loves us each and every day.