The term epiphany comes from the Greek term epiphaneia, which means “manifestation, striking appearance.” For us it is to say that God manifested or appeared in Jesus Christ. This feast is powerfully symbolized in the “arrival of the three wise men who offered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” That is to proclaim the child born to Mary in Bethlehem is the “long awaited Messiah and King.”
Live as the children of God, accepting everyone as our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.
We know and experience creation, especially our surrounding nature, as an Epiphany of God. Creation reveals God’s presence. Great mystics of our times have said that the world is charged with God (Gerard Hopkins) and saw creation as the Divine milieu (Teilhard de Chardin). We realize that we are created in the image and likeness of God, so we reveal God’s presence. We belong to God and we are an epiphaneia – a striking image of God. In the Scriptures, especially, St. John often refers to each one of us as God’s Children. We belong to God and truly the family of God.
Do we live like God’s Children? That question each one of us has to answer before God. So let’s live as the children of God, accepting everyone as our brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.
Today, God becoming one like us in Jesus Christ helps us to deepen our awareness of God’s presence. As Christ fully revealed God’s presence, we, baptized Christians, are called to reveal and proclaim the presence of Christ to all. May the feast of the Epiphany deepen our awareness of God`s presence in this world. We may become God’s instruments of love, peace and joy to everyone in this world. O’ Come Let us adore Christ our Lord. In the Huron Christmas Song: T’was in the Moon of Wintertime (written in 1642 by Jean de Brebeuf) the Magi are portrayed as “Chiefs from afar” who bring Jesus “fox and beaver pelts.”
What gifts are you bringing to honor Jesus, Our Lord? What does God want from us?
Reflections by Rev. Wilson Andrade, CSC
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