Pastor’s Corner for the Epiphany of the Lord, Year A, by Rev. Fr. Nobert Munekani SJ
Epiphany is a meaningful time for us as Christians. One of the very first holidays (also called feast days) of the year, it comes on the heels of Christmas celebrations and is a time of joy and faith. After the 12th day of Christmas, we take down our festive decor.
Epiphany, also called Theophany, is a celebration of God manifesting as the baby Jesus and revealing Himself to the world. The holiday also marks the day the Magi visited the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. Jesus’ baptism is also celebrated during Epiphany.
Tied to biblical accounts of Jesus Christ’s birth and baptism, the holiday of Epiphany is a chance for us to reflect on the nature of God’s physical manifestation on Earth and pay homage to three important visitors in the biblical account of Jesus’ birth. (Often referred to as the wise men) who followed a star to see the newborn baby Jesus in Bethlehem.
The Magi brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Gold– Represents Jesus as King of Kings (Kingship)
Frankincense – frankincense a perfume representing divinity. Represents Jesus as God and High Priest (Deity).
Myrrh – an anointing and embalming oil that symbolized death. Represents The sacrifice Jesus would face to the point of dying on the cross (Suffering).
The message of Epiphany can be interpreted in several ways. Some believe it is a message of faith in divine light, which guided the Magi to Bethlehem. Others interpret it as a celebration of Jesus coming to unite the world as the true “king of kings” and that He came to be a savior to all people.
Whether or not the wise men themselves understood the full spiritual significance of their gifts, for Christians today for us they symbolize offering our entire being, heart, head, and hands, to Jesus Christ. We do this by loving God and the neighbor, believing in the truth that the Lord teaches us in the Bible, and living from that love, and by that truth, in our everyday lives. May God’s revelation to us enable us to live by the gospel and love as Jesus loved.
As we celebrate God’s revelation to us and the whole world let us remember to pray for the sick in our parish especially Elizabeth Mooi and Gloria Malunga.
Fr. Nobert Munekani SJ
