The Epiphany of Our Lord

"All they from Saba shall come bringing gold and frankincense
​and showing forth praise to the Lord."
Isaiah 60: 6, 1

Today we celebrate a feast of great Splendor: the Epiphany, or manifestation, of Christ to the Gentiles, "the festival of the eternal Word, clothed in the flesh, revealing Himself to mankind," (Roman Missal). As the Sacred texts are always applicable to our life today, it is not just to the Gentiles in that time that Christ manifested His divinity; He does so even now. ​

​"The Collect of today's Mass-mystery [indicates] that we are the Magi, guided by the star of faith and grace on our journey to Christ through the wilderness of this life, through the persecutions of Herod (the devil). There is this difference, however; we go to meet, not Christ in the Infant Bethlehem, but Christ the King in the glory of His Second Coming, a coming that is now fore wrought in the Mass, even as it was foreshadowed, as to its outward signs, in the extraordinary experiences granted to the Magi. " ​- Dr. Pius Parsch

Though we are not able to physically be at the Divine's Infant's feet, falling down to worship Him as the Three Kings did, it is through the Church and Her Liturgy that these historical events become present to us once again, and we are mystically transported to Bethlehem. Holy Mother Church depicts this reality when She instructs us in the Gospel to genuflect as the scripture reads, "and falling down they adored Him" 

"That story was not to remain a historical episode merely. Our very actions during the Gospel prove the opposite; for when we kneel at the words, 'falling down they worshipped Him,' we bear witness that we are not only listening to the narrative, but that we are, in fact, identifying ourselves with the Magi. Holy Mass repeats the scene at Bethlehem, makes it actual here and now ... We join eagerly, and with the Magi proceed to the altar. We too are kings and our gifts today are kingly gifts. But we also represent the whole Gentile world who comes to pay homage to the divine King." - Dr. Pius Parsch

​Yes, we come to the Word Incarnate, to the Divine Infant and King, however we come not with empty hands. Though we may not have the same gifts the Kings brought the Infant Christ, we come with gifts more precious than fine gold or costly oil: a contrite and humble heart that desires to conform itself perfectly with the Divine Will. And it is how we orient ourselves in giving these gifts that matters greatly: we must imitate the Kings and lay them at the feet of Jesus, surrendering them, offering them to Him; for it is in offering that we unite our actions with the greatest action, the offering Christ gave of His life of Calvary. 

"Those gifts now yield to that which they foreshadowed; the Church's sacrificial Offering is more precious than gold, frankincense, and myrrh - it is Christ Himself. Our offering in Christ, mirrored in our hearts in the gold-like purity of the love that attends our obtain; our offering of Christ, immolated like frankincense ... received at the sacrificial Banquet and entering our inmost soul like myrrh. " - Dr. Pius Parsch

Let us, today, hasten with the Kings to seek the Infant Christ and upon finding Him in every aspect of our life, rejoice with exceeding great joy. When we look for Christ, He will guide us to find Him, and in finding Him, may we offer our greatest treasures - all that we have and are - to Him Who is the cause of our heart's joy. 
​

O God, Who on this day, didst manifest Thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles by the guidance of a star, graciously grant, that we, who know Thee now by faith, may be led on even to contemplate the beauty of Thy Majesty." 
​- Collect for the Mass of the Epiphany