The Epiphany of the Lord

And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

No matter who we are, we all choose to follow something in our lives. It can be a person, an idea, a vice, or any number of worldly things. However, it is only when we follow God that we can truly find our way to eternal life. It is in Him that we will find never-ending joy and fulfillment. Everything else is nothing compared to what awaits us in heaven. Sometimes, like the Magi, we might lose our way, but as long as we continue to seek God, He will lead us to where we need to be. And when we arrive, we shall find a peace and happiness which cannot be lost as long as we trust in God and give Him the gold of our acts of charity, the frankincense of our prayers, and the myrrh of our fasting.

Are we lost spiritually? How can we regain our bearings? When we do discover what we are called to do, do we pay homage to God and offer Him the fruits of our labors?

O Lord, lead us by your light to where we need to be.

Amen.

The Epiphany of the Lord

And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The wise men traveled far from their homelands following a star they believed would lead them to a king, but what they found when they arrived at Bethlehem could have disappointed them. And yet, they were not disappointed with the humble surroundings of the newborn king. They prostrated themselves, paid him homage, and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They did not let appearances interfere with their belief in Jesus as the king of the Jews. Like the wise men, we are all called to believe in Jesus in spite of not always understanding God’s ways. We might not know why sorrow and suffering occur in our lives or why the things we have prayed for have not come to pass as we had hoped. However, if we trust in God and His Divine Wisdom, then we will discover just like the wise men that Jesus does not need to make himself known with trumpet blasts or great signs. Instead, he shows himself to us with humility and in the little graces that come into our lives every day. We have only to open our eyes, see the light of his love, and to know Jesus is the king of all hearts and will give us exactly what we need to do God’s Will, precisely when we need it the most. So let us turn over our time, talents, and treasures to the Lord, and let Him transform them into what He needs to manifest His Love, Mercy, and Grace in the world.

Do we pay homage to God for all He has done for us? What gifts can we give to God in thanksgiving for His Love? Do we keep our eyes open for opportunities to do God’s Will in our lives?

O Lord, we prostrate ourselves before you and give you homage.

Amen.

The Epiphany of the Lord

They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

We can learn a lot from the Three Magi about how to pay God homage. They approach Jesus in humility and with hands outstretched with their gifts. They offer these gifts to Him as symbols of his kingship and divinity. They also remind us of the three missionary callings all Christians have: kingly, priestly, and prophetic. The gold represents our kingly mission to shepherd the world through our actions. The frankincense represents our priestly calling to pray for the world. The myrrh represents the prophetic mission to proclaim the healing power of the Gospel to the world, even though it might cost us our lives.

How often do we prostrate ourselves physically, mentally, or spiritually to God? What are the gifts we have to offer to God? How do we fulfill our kingly, priestly, and prophetic missions in the world?

O Lord, we offer you all our gifts and talents to do with as you Will in accord with the kingly, priestly, and prophetic missions you want us to undertake for your Glory.

Amen.