Feast of the Epiphany – Cycle B
January 7, 2024 – 5pm
Our Lady of Grace Parish, Parkton
The Magi’s Darkness
So, we have this story about the Magi or Wise Men from the East.
We assume that there were three of them since they brought three gifts to the newborn Jesus. We are told that they are led by and are following a star.
I have to imagine that they looked up to the heavens and saw maybe a lot of stars. But it was still dark on the ground where they were, and the sky was dark with the exception of the small twinkling stars.
In that darkness, the magi discern one star that stands out and attracts them. They stick with that star and follow it in the midst of darkness.
Our Darkness
I believe that each of us has had or someday will have some darkness in our lives.
I do not mean the darkness of a January night or the darkness in our homes when the electricity goes out. Here I mean personal darkness.
For example, grieving the death of a husband or wife. Feeling alone or lonely.
Losing my job. Feeling overwhelmed about financial problems.
Worry about growing older. Feeling anxious about a doctor’s report.
Suffering with a serious illness. Finding my marriage falling apart.
Being bullied by a classmate. Feeling rejected and that we don’t belong or fit in.
Questioning my basic life choices. Questioning my faith.
I think that many of us can identify a time of darkness in our lives. I can, especially from a time in my early years as a priest.
The question is: what do we do when we find ourselves in this darkness? Over the years, I have come to see two things as important.
1. Remember the Light
The first thing to remember light.
Remember the times of light that we have had. The sense of direction and clarity we once had.
Remember the experience of being loved and of loving. The closeness of family and friends.
Remember the consolation of faith and religion and Church. The feeling of security and closeness to God in our prayer.
So, remember the times of light. That’s the first thing to do when we are in the darkness.
And, by the way, it is good to note and be aware of these times of light when they are happening and be thankful for them. It’s like putting some money in the bank that we can use on a rainy day.
2. Focus on a Light
And then, the second thing is: focus on a light.
The magi stayed focused on this one star. We may only find a glimmer of light, the faintest of lights in our darkness, but we need to hold on to it and stay focused on it.
I, of course, recommend that this would be a prayer, maybe some prayer that we learned a long time ago or some prayer that we have just recently come across. Or maybe some word that can sustain us – like the word “Emmanuel”, which means “God-with-us,” or the words about Jesus in our Profession of Faith, that he is “Light from Light.”
Repeat the prayer or the words every day, even when we don’t feel like it, even when it feels just like empty words, but keep doing it anyway. I, for one, can identify with this from that one time earlier in years as a young priest.
Let this prayer or expression be for us the star. Let this be the glimmer of light to lead us through the darkness.
It may take time. After all, the magi probably came from modern-day Iraq.
It is a trip of 645 miles from Baghdad to Jerusalem. So, they travelled far and long, but they got there and they are an inspiration for us when we are in darkness.
If we do this, we can find or re-find the light. We can find the One who is Light itself.
In Summary
So, maybe the Epiphany message comes down to this:
Know that there will probably be experiences of darkness.
Feel hope that there is and can be light.
And Act on that hope with steady faithfulness.
