The Feast of Epiphany celebrates the manifestation or revelation of the light that is Jesus Christ who reveals to us the Father’s presence, love and glory.  From the time of the middle ages this Feast has celebrated three distinct events of revelation:  the coming of the wise men or magi who represent “the Nations” , the Gentiles, all people of the world; the baptism of Jesus at the Jordan river when the Father spoke in favor of the Son and revealed Jesus as the Christ, the Beloved Son of God; the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee where Jesus first manifested the power of the Word among us when he transformed the water into wine and in doing so transformed all of our ordinary experiences into moments capable of joy and extraordinary grace.  The Epiphany reminds us that what lay hidden, what was shrouded, what we were able to see only dimly as in shadow has now been revealed in the fullness of glory in Jesus Christ.

     The time of darkness has ended, the silence has been broken, the light has entered into the world and the Word has been spoken and is now revealed in the flesh of the Christ child born in Bethlehem and grown to full stature in the home at Nazareth.  All that was revealed in the Old Testament in promise and in messianic types has now been manifested in its fullness through Jesus Christ who fulfills every hope and every promise made to Israel.  Now we can see the face of God and behold his glory in the face of Jesus Christ who puts a face on the Word spoken from ages past.  Now we can see the Father and know his love in Jesus.

     The Feast of the Epiphany reminds us of the light that is given to us in order to know and believe in the love of God.  This light is given to all peoples and is destined to be the salvation of all peoples.  It is the light of illumination and revelation that reveals the deepest hopes and longings of every human heart and the Christ who every heart longs to see and meet.  It is a light that shines upon the path of life and points the way to the fullness of life in the joy of the encounter with God the Father.  Pope John Paul II reminded us that:  “In his spiritual quest, the human being already enjoys a guiding light:  it is reason, through which he can find the way, although gropingly, toward his Creator.  But since it is easy to lose the way, God Himself has come to his aid with the light of Revelation, which attained its fullness in the Incarnation of the Word, the eternal Word of truth.”  This light leads us in faith to see and understand the truth of life beyond the limits of reason.  This light is for all peoples to see and so we see manifested in Jesus Christ the Word of God that is for all peoples of the earth.

     This Feast is filled with joy, wonder and amazement for the “light has shined in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”  The light of revelation will not be extinguished, the Word that was spoken from the beginning and now has become flesh in Jesus will not be silenced.  We can ignore the light and the Word but it will continue its work in the world until all things are filled with God’s presence.    To those who are seekers on the roads of this world Jesus Christ the Lord will not disappoint you.  Surely you will be led to the Christ child where you can offer gifts of praise and worship.  Now is the time to come, to see, to believe and to adore.  The magi saw the star, shining with the light of revelation, and they were overjoyed in seeing the light and followed it to the place where Jesus, the Christ-child was found with Mary his mother.  Now, for the rest of their lives, these wise men carried the light of Christ in their hearts and lived in the light of faith and the newness of life.  They went home another way, no longer deceived by the darkness of the world or interested in what the world of Herod had to offer.  Now they lived every day in the joy of the light of the star that guided them home to a place of eternal life, joy and peace in the Presence and love of their Savior.  Their lives were filled with the grace of God’s love and were never ordinary again.