Epiphany
January 2010
Today’s story of the wise men from the East following the light (the star) until they found the king of the Jews is a symbolic narrative.
The Israelites believed that the one true God was their God. He was not interested in other peoples. The Messiah, when he came, would restore the kingdom and power of Israel as it was in the time of David and Solomon.
Even the Apostles and the other disciples of Jesus clung to the same belief. It was only after the Resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit that their eyes were opened and they began to understand that their God was the God of all peoples.
This is the message of the feast of the Epiphany.
The King of the Jews is revealed to be the universal King; The God of all peoples.
The three wise men from the East were foreigners. They had no prior contact with the Israelites or with their God yet they were led by the Light a see and offer homage to the King of the Jews who was now also their King and their God.
An epiphany means a showing of something or a revelation of something. Today we celebrate the showing or revelation or epiphany of Jesus of Nazareth as the universal King - as the God of all peoples and all nations.
This was a huge step for the first Jewish Christians. St. Paul caused all sorts of trouble when it became known that he was receiving Gentiles (non-Jews) into the Church. Even St. Peter was only convinced when he received a revelation from God that it was ok. (cf. The incident of Cornelius in Acts 10.)
That is why some countries in Europe celebrate Christmas on the Feast of the Epiphany. On Christmas Day God was revealed to the Jews. On the feast of the Epiphany God was revealed to the Gentiles - that is us.