We are all seekers.  Deep in our hearts there is a longing for something great, beautiful, good and true.  God has placed a desire in our hearts for this “something more” in life.  Paul described this yearning that God has placed in each human heart to the people in Athens:  “Rather it is he who gives to everyone life and breath and everything.  He made from one the whole human race to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he fixed the ordered seasons and the boundaries of their regions, so that people might seek God, even perhaps grope for him and find him, though indeed he is not far from any one of us. “(Acts 17,25)  We seek God and even “grope” for him but God does not leave us groping in the darkness.  God sends a wonderful light into the world to help us in our search for God.  Jesus is that light.  Jesus tells his disciples in the gospel of John:  “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (Jn 9,5)  Jesus is the light of revelation who leads us to the Father and who reveals his face.  “No one has ever seen God.  The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.” (Jn 1,18)

    Philip expresses our desire to see the face of God when he says to Jesus, “Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.”  Jesus responds to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip?  Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.  How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?” (Jn 14,5-10)  Jesus is the light of revelation, a revelation that embraces all of sacred scripture, fulfills all prophecy and unveils God’s plan of salvation.  When Jesus, the Christ-child, is born a light enters into he world that will guide all people through this life and into eternal life in the Kingdom.  Jesus is that way of light that wise men can see and follow.  At the presentation, Simeon takes Jesus in his arms, blesses him and refers to him as “a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” (Lk 2,32) 

    Our celebration of the Epiphany reminds us that our lives are a journey of discovery.  Every person has a deep desire for the transcendent, for something more than what our world has to offer.  This desire is experienced as a desire for a true love, for a truth that can guide us throughout our lives and lead us to the fullness of human life.  This desire in our hearts, like the desire of the Magi, leads us to search for a sign, for a light to guide us on our journey.  At first we see this light from afar and do not know where it will lead us.  We follow the light of love and truth that will lead all people surely to Jesus the Christ who is the Light of the World.  Our first task is to purify our desires and to direct our desires to something that is truly worthy of our dignity as human persons.  God has placed a true desire for love and truth within each human person but often that desire is disordered by lust and narcissism or self-love.  Once we have purified our desire we can set out confidently on our journey of faith to follow the star where it may lead us.  When we come to Christ Jesus we know the fullness of joy when we recognize the one who is our heart’s desire.  He is the sign of innocence, new life, purity, simplicity, humility and true peace.   Arriving at Christ Jesus we experience the true hallmark of the Epiphany experience – wonder!  To look upon Christ Jesus with awe and wonder and truly take in the depth of the love of God for humanity helps us to see the world in a new way.

    Epiphany teaches us to see not only with our eyes but with our hearts and in faith.  In the light of the Word Incarnate we look in wonder and awe at what God is revealing to us and the profound love that he has for us.  We contemplate these deep truths of life and learn to see with the vision of the saints and angels and as Mary who pondered and treasured in her heart the work of God in her life and in the life of her little child.  We then can also become God’s stars shining brightly in a world that needs to be led from darkness to light.  May the light of Christ lead us on to the perfect light of the Kingdom.