Feast of the Epiphany
Cycle A
January 8, 2023
Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton 5pm
A Star
Today I am thinking that each of us has a star.
What I mean is that each of us has something leading us either from inside ourselves or from outside ourselves toward some goal. Today’s gospel passage tells about the Magi following a star and that star is leading them to the newborn Christ.
Recently, a single mom told me about her plans to go back to school to get her degree in social work. A high school senior told me about his plans for majoring in biology in college with the idea of eventually getting into the medical profession.
They are both following a star that is leading them to use their God-given abilities. So, the question is: what is our star?
And whatever our star is, will it in some way be like the star that the Magi are following? Will it in some way lead us to God or make God more present on this earth?
Journey
Now the Magi in today’s gospel are on a journey.
The passage says that they come from the East, maybe present-day Iran or Iraq. They have left their home and are on a journey.
This journey image is a good way for all of us to understand our lives. And this usually makes some demands on us.
It may mean that we uproot ad leave the home where we have been living. It may simply mean that we read or participate in a Bible study program as a way to come to a closer relationship with God.
Seeing our lives as a journey is challenging, but also life-giving. So, the question is: what are the demands of the journey that we are on right now?
Hurdles
Notice also that the Magi have to deal with a hurdle on their journey.
Their hurdle is King Herod. Herod pretends to be interested in this newborn child, but the Magi sense that he has violence in mind.
There will also be hurdles for us as we follow our star and make our journey. Maybe we will be tempted to give up when things get challenging and.
Or maybe someone is trying to discourage us from following the star that we believe is right for us because we won’t make a lot of money doing that. So, the question is: what hurdles do we have on our journey?
Giving
Then the gospel tells us that the Magi give gifts to the newborn Christ.
Maybe this is a good test of the star we are following and the journey we are on. Does it lead us to be giving?
Maybe our giving is simply taking good care of those in our family. Or maybe we can give some of our time to God’s work beyond our family.
Maybe we can bake casseroles for a soup kitchen or give time teaching religion to children. So, the question is: What are we giving to God on our journey?
Change
And finally, the gospel tells us that the Magi had to change their plans.
After seeing the child, they are warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, but to return home by another route. The insight here is that getting close to Jesus may also change us.
In fact, change and growth seem to be what the star and the journey are all about. For example, maybe we are being led to see things more from the perspective of those who are different from us.
The differences between the magi and the shepherds in the story of Christ’s birth lead me to think of this. So, the question is: How is our star or our journey calling us to change?
Conclusion
I guess what I am really saying is that this simple, little story of the Magi is really packed.
It is our story. It is the story of human life, especially of living life in relation to Jesus.
The star, the journey, the hurdles, the giving, and the change – all the pieces of this story may reflect our life experience. They may lead us to some good reflection today.
