Merry Christmas to all of you.
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Ephipany. With this celebration we call to mind the magi and their journey to encounter the Christ child. The journey which they undertook was long and it was not easy. Nevertheless, they successfully made it to the manger and it was there in which their life was forever changed.
We too find ourself upon this same journey to encounter Christ. Life takes many twists and turns, but despite all of this we are still called to encounter Christ in all things. Once we encounter Him our life is forever changed and thus despite the temptation to turn back which may arise we must continue to move forward with the confinedence of faith.
The magi looked upwards upon the star and it was here in which light was cast in order that they may accomplish their journey. We are not cast off to live out our daily life as if we have been left all alone. Rather, we must look upwards towards Heaven and thus trust that God continues to provide for us in this day and age.
God continues to provide for us through the gifts in which we call Sacraments. The Sacraments bestow grace upon us in order that we may come to know Christ and follow after Him. To order our life after the Sacraments such as the Eucharist and Confession we will be drawn towards Christ and His infinite mercy. We these Sacraments illuminate our life in order that we may journey forward towards Christ.
The light of the star brough the magi to the manger and it was here that they surrendered their life unto Him. From this encounter they came to know and understand the infinite mercy of our Lord. Our Gospel states that "they prostrated themselves and did him homage." To think that these three kings would lower their self to a little child. And yet the one whom they do homage to is God who has taken on our human flesh as a gift of love.
Do we truly understand and believe what we come to profess during this season of Christmas? How has our life been changed by our encounter with Jesus Christ? What are we still in need of surrendering at the manger of our Blessed Lord in order that we may truly come to do him homage by the way in which we order our life?
On this celebration of the Ephiphany may we allow our life to be inluminted in order that we may come to see Christ more clearly. May we thus allow ourself to gather around Him always and do Him homage.
