The Epiphany of the Lord
Every day we pray: "Hallowed be thy name." What is this request about? Its content is not to make God's name holy, because it is holy, and we are not able to contribute anything to His holiness. Basically, the point is that the Lord's name will shine with the full splendor of holiness, with a light that we do not see today. So, we pray: “Let your holiness fully shine, so that the whole world will know you, the only God, and will not walk any more in the darkness of unbelief, ignorance and own passions.” This is the prayer of the believer who suffers, seeing the darkness prevailing in the world, the spread of evil, the spread of demoralization, the reign of perverse people ...
The Epiphany is the revelation of the light of God's holiness, the appearance of God's light in Israel, the light for the whole world. “Arise! Shine, for your light has come, the glory of the LORD has dawned upon you. Though darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds, the peoples. Upon you the LORD will dawn, and over you his glory will be seen.” (Is 60:1-2)
The promise has been fulfilled. But its fulfillment is strange: the light that has shone - the holiness of God - has nothing of power or strength in it. His light and holiness are revealed in a tiny child, a completely helpless infant, completely dependent on others. In religions, holiness has always been associated with something that exceeds our natural capabilities, something that is bigger and therefore more powerful, something that fascinates but also arouses fear because can destroy with its power. In Bethlehem, the holiness was revealed in total fragility, in littleness.
How must one look to recognize such holiness? In the Gospel, it is recognized by magicians coming from the East. To this day, we do not know who they are. However, this is not the most important thing. The important thing is that they truly searched, they had the desire and passion for knowledge that they followed. The Lord Jesus will say later in the Gospel: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (cf. Mt 7:7-8)
Likewise, we do not know anything about the star the magicians saw whether or not it corresponds to any particular astronomical phenomenon. The Gospel says nothing more about it. So, it does not matter. However, it is important that the true Star is the born Child who is “a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel’ (cf. Lk 2:32); “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world”. (Jn 1:9)
At the same time, the Gospel speaks of a kind of drama: the pagan sages saw the light, but neither the scribes, nor the priests, nor the ruler in Jerusalem saw it. Not only that, when they heard about it, even though they were able to give quite precise information on where to look for it, they themselves did not go out to look for it. Rather, the light made them anxious, and the ruler even feels fear and jealousy.
Later, the Jews will be jealous when they hear from St. Paul that “the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Eph 3: 6). Saint Paul will be persecuted by the Jews for this reason. We must remember that the drama of not recognizing God coming into the world, of not being able to see His light, is constantly threatening us. We are in an analogous situation today as in the days of the Lord Jesus, the Jews, who knew the Scriptures very well and were able to accurately determine where the Messiah was to be born, but they could not make the effort to look for Him there, even when they received the news that he was born.
Christ brings with him a new light that shines like a star in the whole earth, not only with the chosen people. Here in Bethlehem, it was necessary to have a special grace to see them, but it will fully shine after the Resurrection and Pentecost. This light is to be carried by the disciples to the ends of the world, as the Lord Jesus himself instructs the Apostles (cf. Mt 28:18f).
Today's celebration shows how God's light is revealed to all, not only to the chosen one. However, in order to recognize it, one must have a real longing and determination to follow the Light. Nothing can be gained from belonging to the chosen people, in our case to the Church, or to an order, or being a priest. God's light is revealed only to those who truly seek it. It all depends on our attitude, whether we are open to the living God or, on the contrary, we close ourselves in our vision of God and a piety that cannot see the Light, which seems to be the smallest and most fragile.
May the Lord bless our homes, families, and friends this year. May He guide each of our hearts with the brightness of that special star, and may we open our eyes and hearts to follow His light like the Magi.
Father, hallowed be your name, not my image of you, not my ideals, but your name, which you reveal to us as you want it to be. YOU alone are the Light that enlightens us.
fr. george