“The star was so beautiful, large and clear,
That all the other stars of the sky
Became a white mist in the atmosphere,
And by this they knew that the coming was near
Of the Prince foretold in the prophecy.”
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Three Kings
Since the time I was very young, I have always looked forward to the Feast of the Epiphany. The reason? Quite simply, one of my favorite hymns is “We Three Kings”. I love singing the verses and reflecting upon those Magi of old who traveled from afar in order to give their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus, the newborn King.
Quite often, that is the emphasis of the Feast of the Epiphany. We often reflect upon the Wise Men who met King Herod and disturbed him with their announcement of the birth of a rival. We think about their journey and about their presentation to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
But “epiphany” is not about the kings. The very definition of the word epiphany is much more. According to the dictionary, epiphany means an appearance or manifestation, especially of a deity. Hence, today is not about the Magi. It is not about Herod. It is not about Mary or Joseph.
Today is about the Lord Jesus Christ manifesting Himself to the world through representatives of the world: the Magi. The new King was born into the world and has been revealed to all.
Jesus’ manifestation would rock the world of His time. King Herod would do all in his power to assure himself that his rival was killed. He ordered the slaughter of the innocents just so that he could assure himself that the new king would die as well. He failed in his mission.
Throughout His life, Jesus would rock the world. Many would set themselves up in opposition against Him and some would even appear victorious as they were able to do what no one else had been able to accomplish: kill Him.
Yet, even death could not hold Christ the King. Three days after His death on the cross, Christ would destroy death and restore life to all by His resurrection.
Jesus manifests Himself to us in the lives of all those around us. Look for Him today. Thank Him for His great love. And do all that you can to be a loyal subject.
FAITH ACTION: Ask God to bless the journey of your life that you, like the Magi, may find Him.