Epiphany, the celebration of the manifestation of God in our midst, is traditionally associated with the coming of the Magi to Bethlehem, offering their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. The passage from the St. Matthew’s Gospel, where this account is found, uses this event as a prelude to the rest of the Gospel, and in a sense prepares us for what is to come. Most of the key dogmatic summaries as to the nature of Jesus can be found here: King of the Jews; Christ or Messiah; the Good Shepherd and Son of God are all introduced here. We also anticipate Jesus’s Death in the presentation of the gifts of the magi. 

In his Epiphany homily in 2008, then Pope Benedict XVI stated: “The arrival in Bethlehem of the Magi from the East to adore the newborn Messiah is a sign of the manifestation of the universal King to the peoples and to all who seek the truth. It is the beginning of a movement opposed to that of Babel: from confusion to comprehension, from dispersion to reconciliation. Thus, we discern a link between Epiphany and Pentecost: if the Nativity of Christ, who is the Head, is also the Nativity of the Church, his Body, we can see the Magi as the peoples who join the remnant of Israel, foretelling the great sign of the ‘polyglot Church’ that the Holy Spirit carried out 50 days after Easter. The faithful and tenacious love of God which is never lacking in his covenant from generation to generation is the ‘mystery’ of which St Paul speaks in his Letters and in the passage from the Letter to the Ephesians which has just been proclaimed: the Apostle says that this mystery ‘was made known to me by revelation.’ 

“This ‘mystery’ of God's fidelity constitutes the hope of history. It is of course opposed by the impulses of division and tyranny that wound humanity due to sin and conflicts of selfishness. The Church in history is at the service of this ‘mystery’ of blessing for all humanity. The Church fully carries out her mission in this mystery of God's fidelity only when she reflects the light of Christ the Lord within herself and so helps the peoples of the world on their way to peace and authentic progress. Indeed, God's Word revealed through the Prophet Isaiah still continues to apply: ‘darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you’ (Is 60: 2). What the prophet proclaimed in Jerusalem was to be fulfilled in Christ's Church: ‘nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising’ (Is 60: 3). 

“With Jesus Christ, Abraham's blessing was extended to all peoples, to the universal Church as the new Israel which welcomes within her the whole of humanity. Yet, what the prophet said is also true today in many senses: ‘thick darkness [covers] the peoples’ and our history. Indeed, it cannot be said that "globalization" is synonymous with ‘world order’ - it is quite the opposite. Conflicts for economic supremacy and hoarding resources of energy, water and raw materials hinder the work of all who are striving at every level to build a just and supportive world. There is a need for greater hope, which will make it possible to prefer the common good of all to the luxury of the few and the poverty of the many. ‘This great hope can only be God... not any god, but the God who has a human face’ (Spe Salvi, n. 31): the God who showed himself in the Child of Bethlehem and the Crucified and Risen One. If there is great hope, it is possible to persevere in sobriety. If true hope is lacking, happiness is sought in drunkenness, in the superfluous, in excesses, and we ruin ourselves and the world. It is then that moderation is not only an ascetic rule but also a path of salvation for humanity. It is already obvious that only by adopting a sober lifestyle, accompanied by a serious effort for a fair distribution of riches, will it be possible to establish an order of just and sustainable development. For this reason, we need people who nourish great hope and thus have great courage: the courage of the Magi, who made a long journey following a star and were able to kneel before a Child and offer him their precious gifts. We all need this courage, anchored to firm hope. May Mary obtain it for us, accompanying us on our earthly pilgrimage with her maternal protection. Amen!” 

Father Garry Koch is pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Holmdel.