THE STAR HAS RISEN; ARISE AND SHINE

HOMILY FOR THE SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

The word Epiphany comes from the Greek epiphaneia which means manifestation/appearance. Its original usage was with reference to the appearance of a deity to an adherent; a sort of theophany. Thus, another synonym for epiphany is most certainly theophany. The word is used in the Scriptures to refer to the manifestation of the God of Israel (cf. 2 Maccabees 15:27), and to the birth of Christ or to his post-resurrection appearance (cf. 2 Tim. 1:10). In the Christian faith then, epiphany which can also be called theophany is a feast that celebrates the revelation of God in His Son as human in Jesus Christ. It remembers principally the visit of the magi to the infant Jesus and Jesus’ manifestation to the gentiles, first of whom were the magi. It is because of this visit of the magi that this feast is also regarded (especially in the United States) as the feast of the three kings. To manifest presupposes something or somebody for whom the manifestation is made. This is why the feast of epiphany  draws our attention to the fact that we too have been made ‘to see’ the manifested Jesus, the King of the Universe who has been in our midst while failing not to call on us to arise and shine like the star that we are to direct people to Jesus.

The Magi and the Stars

The Magi were a caste of wise men, variously associated with interpretation of dreams, astrology and magic. They are said to have come from Medes, which is a part of the empire of the Persians (that is why the Bible recorded that they come from the East). History has it that they tried to overthrow the Persians and substitute the power of the Medes, but the attempt failed. Ever since, they resorted to holiness and the search for wisdom, ceasing the ambition for power and prestige. They became in Persia almost exactly what the Levites were in Israel. Hence, they were the instructors and teachers of the Persian kings and no sacrifice could be offered safe one of the magi was present. These men were skilled in Philosophy, medicine and natural science, and were known for their goodness, truthfulness and holiness. During those times, there was a firm belief in Astrology, and how it could affect the lives of men. People believed that the stars are connected to man’s destiny. The magi share in this belief and help to interpret the stars in connection to human destiny.

In those days, on the first day of the Egyptian month, Mesori, Sirius, the dog star, rose at sunrise, and shone with extraordinary brilliance. The name mesori means the birth of a prince, and to those ancient astrologers, such a star would undoubtedly mean the birth of some great king. We may not tell what star these magi saw. What we can say is that it was their profession to watch the heavens, and some heaven brilliance spoke to them about the entry of a king into the world. It may seem to us extraordinary that those men should embark on a journey from the East to find a king, but the strange thing is that, just about the time Jesus was born, there was in the world a strange feeling of expectation of the coming of a king. And what makes the feast of Epiphany extraordinary is that these wise men were gentiles. God chose to manifest Himself to Gentiles. This is the emphasis of the Second Reading (Eph. 3:2-3a.5-6); the gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.

The Implications of the visit of the magi

1. These wise men are representatives of the Gentile world in all its racial diversity who come to Christ. How we are born, when we are born, where we are born, and the way we are born do not in any way influence negatively our belongingness into the family of Christ. The African as well as the Asian, the Australian, the Oceanian, the American, or the European stand the chance of making heaven. The king Christ that is manifested to the world is a universal king. His reign knows no bound. His kingdom knows no discrimination. Never be intimidated by the world when she gives you the impression that you have not been chosen by God for salvation. We all are a chosen race; a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people set apart to sing the glory of the Lord (1 Pet. 2:9).

2. These magi sought God in their situation and profession. They discovered the king of the world through the seriousness they had in their area of specialization. As interpreters of the stars, they found the Messiah. We too can find the Messiah in our areas of work and profession. It is of no need expecting to discover Christ outside your profession and career. Your discovery of Christ Jesus and your knowledge of him have to take its bearing from what you do in life. As a medical practitioner, you can discover the manifested Saviour in the syringe; as a lawyer, you can discover the manifested Lord in the constitution; as a business person, you can discover the manifested Christ in your stock; as a teacher, you can discover Jesus in your classroom; as a priest, we can discover the manifested Christ in the Word of God and sacraments of the church etc. It is in this discovery that we can understand the mission inherent in our professions, vocations and careers.

3. Our professions are the easy means for our sanctification as well as for our damnation. The wise men were wise enough to discover the evil plan in the message of Herod. Their wisdom led them to a perfect decision of not trying to frustrate the handiwork of God for the world. And so, the world was saved. Our careers in life are the means God expects us to save our world, not to destroy it. We need not employ our professions as means of extortion and exhibiting vices that are inimical to the progress of mankind and the reign of God in our world. Through the various professions of the world, human beings have tried to destroy the plans God has for us and the earth, by corruption, bribery, nepotism, and racism, selfish ideologies, etc. Just as the wise men rejoiced and promoted the course of God during their epoch, we too must rejoice and promote the plans of God for our fellows and for our world.

4. From the Biblical story, the wise men were never known to be three in number that went to the infant Jesus. Their number which settled at three was deduced from the three gifts they gave to the infant. And eventually, they were named: Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior, where it is said that Caspar was an ebony. They offered gifts that represented the three states of matter that can exist: solid, liquid and gas. All created reality exists in these three forms. Thus, by offering gold (which is solid), frankincense (which is gaseous), and myrrh (which is liquid), they gave back to God everything He created. Their offering signifies that after all, everything belongs to God. All of creation is God’s. So, if all of creation is God’s own, we need not fail in offering back to God whatever we think we have through acts of generosity. We need to be willing to offer tangible gifts to the God who has so manifested Himself to us. We must also offer our human soul as our gold, our human spirit as our frankincense, and our human body as our myrrh; and thus offering the entirety of our being to Jesus who continues to reveal Himself in very many ways to us.

5. Apart from considering these gifts from the side of man, they have been known by scholars to have had indications on the mission of Christ. The lists of these gifts may have been inspired by Isaiah 60: 6, 11, 13, which along with Psalm 72:10-11 is implicitly cited. This is where the First Reading (Isaiah 60:1-6) comes in as a prefiguration of the action of these wise men. They shall bring gold and Frankincense and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. The Psalmist also says that the king of Tarshish and of distant shores will pay tribute to the king, and the kings of Sheba and Seba shall bring Him gifts. These gifts point to the mission of Christ. Gold came to signify the kingship of Christ, Frankincense his divinity, and Myrrh his redemptive suffering. Sometimes, gifts are meant to send some messages and we must not loose sight of that when receiving them. For instance, flowers could send the message of love. Try to see in the gift you receive from people a call to grow more in virtues of our Lord Jesus Christ.

6. Lastly, epiphany is meant to transform man. If epiphany can be rendered as theophany, which is the manifestation of God, then we must also realise that every manifestation is in itself revelatory. And so, epiphany brings to our awareness the undying manifestation of God to humanity since creation. What God has been doing since creation is simply revelation. But the revelation of God must lead humans to the discovery of himself, and of how to relate to the realities around him/her. We see in our intelligence a revelation of an intelligent God; in the growing scientific expertise a revelation of an omniscient God; in the internet and communication technologies a revelation of a God who communicates to every man. In fact, revelation should lead us to a better knowledge of our world. And so, the feast of epiphany calls our attention to strive more to understand our world and our human society better; to arise and shine.

May we continue as Christians to shine forth for the world that needs light. Amen. I wish you a happy feast day. And do enjoy the new week. God bless you.