THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY

Mt 2:1-12

Dear Friends, Known as the feast of the Three Kings, today’s text mentions neither kings nor the number of wise men nor the racial make-up of the group. These various cultural expressions were added centuries after the event. Perhaps these additions have helped us understand the gospel message of the feast which is that all peoples are invited to the heavenly banquet. Jesus, in his teachings and ministry, would make this lesson of the Epiphany clear and concrete. There were no outcasts nor individuals rejected because of false labels. Jesus would proclaim only one label for all of humanity: children of the heavenly Father.

Over the centuries, the gospel message has always been wrapped in cultural and folkloric expressions. These additions often have been enlightening and liberating to the basic message of salvation. On the other hand, probably more often, the message has been deeply distorted with the overlay of pietistic exaggerations and, even contradictions, rooted in national and cultural prejudices.

One of the major hopes of Vatican II was to get us back to the central gospel message set free of all historical and cultural prejudices. One of the most important developments of that holy gathering occurred a decade later when Pope Paul VI gave us one of the all time great papal documents. It was on the topic of Evangelization.

Paul VI pointed out that the message of the gospel is never free of cultural expressions but that we have to work to always go beyond any particular cultural, national or racial expression that limits the gospel. Whether it is the St. Patrick’s Day Parade or the celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe or the Cristo Negro de Esquipulas, they all have a pull to limit the gospel to one group or nation. Today’s feast of the Epiphany calls us to include everyone. This is no small challenge, no easy task.

Today’s Gospel story of the Magi is much more than a lovely account about strange visitors coming in a peculiar way to a poor family. This is a story of Good News that tells us that this child is the long awaited Son of David, the promised ruler and savior of Israel and through Israel, all the world. The Magi are a symbol of all Gentiles. Their search was an expression of the deep hunger for God rooted within every human heart. Jesus has come to open the gift of salvation to all people. All are welcome at the table. There are no strangers at the crib!

In today’s world, the gross injustice of poverty comes in good part from the unequal distribution of income. This, in turn, has led has to an unprecedented world-wide crisis of immigration.

The story of the Wise Men has two simple but essential messages for us. We need to share the gifts. This includes personal, familial, communal and national efforts to erase poverty. We need to welcome everybody. Today’s Gospel story tells us to build bridges not walls. If we do these things, we all will be richer for it.

The story of the Magi holds an acute truth about our daily experience. We simply need to follow the star of God’s Word. It will reveal Jesus in the flow of our daily life. Jesus is all around us. Our God is always challenging the false boundaries and selfishness and prejudices that we are constantly creating and embracing. “Not in my backyard” is the cry of denial of today’s feast of openness and acceptance of all the wonders of God’s presence in our neighbor.