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January 9, 2023Abu Dhabi.
Today we celebrate the solemnity of the Epiphany by commemorating the Magi's journey from the East to Bethlehem to adore the Child Jesus.
Who are the holy Magi? They are called by the gospel “Wise men”. Foreign men, pagans, not belonging to the people of Israel. They let themselves be attracted by a star with an unusual glow; The Magi leave their homeland to make a long journey.
Travel / Journey are important words: Journey is an excellent symbol describing life; the human being is a wanderer because he is a seeker; what we possess is never enough. We always want more: the heart of man and woman seeks a goal, direction, and meaning in what they live.
A desire moved the Magi. A star drives them: the word desire, from the Latin word Desidera, has to do with the stars. Without desire, there is no journey. We are all on the way: today is the day to ask ourselves: where is our journey? And where are our deepest desires? Are we faithful to our deep longing for the fullness of Life and Happiness?
In the Gospel, the Magi sought a king, a ruler, and found a child in the poverty of the hut, surrounded not by luxury but by shepherds and their livestock. They saw Mary with the baby Jesus, both guarded by the care of Saint Joseph, a just man of faith.
The Magi had asked King Herod an embarrassing question: "Where is he who has been born, the king of the Jews? We have seen his star appear, and we have come to adore him." King Herod is disconcerted and upset by this announcement. For him, it is not an announcement of joy. It seems instead a threat to his power. Herod's bewilderment is opposed by the great joy of these Magi at seeing the star.
Every day we, too, have to choose between the fear of Herod, who fears a child and his light, or the courage of the magi, who embark on a journey from their land to honour this strange child king.
Already in the Old Testament, we find the prophecy in Israel of this meeting with the Magi: Arise, shine out, Jerusalem, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord is rising on you, though night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples. The nations come to your light and kings to your dawning brightness.
Here is another powerful symbol: darkness, lack of light, and disorientation while on the road. This symbol is not just from the past; it is a sign in all times of the difficulties and closure that we can experience in our lives before the word of God; it is the anguish of the present time that grips our hearts, it is the worries that make us look to the future without hope. There is war in many parts of the world, and people suffer and die. There are many worries, for family life, for children, worries for work, for the many changes in the world.
We, too, are invited to wade into the new light of the star and to make an inner journey from darkness to the light of Christ, from despair to reliable hope on which to build a good life, in our families, between parents and children, between husband and wife, in our communities, among the various social realities present in our area, to promote a more fraternal and humane world.
The holy Magi show that the light of Salvation is for all peoples: as Saint Paul tells us in his letter: pagans now share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same promise has been made to them, in Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters, this mystery is seen clearly in our Church, made up of different peoples. We are one body but composed of people with different histories and traditions. Our Church in this region is a bit of a continuation of the journey of the Magi.
Today's Gospel concludes by recalling that the Magi returned to their own country, avoiding going to King Herod because they were warned in a dream by an angel. We can imagine their journey after that meeting. They were pilgrims. They were moved by the revelation of a star that told them of imminent news for everyone. These wise men crossed immense spaces with camels, dromedaries, and servants in tow. That encounter with God's humility and mercy changed their lives.
We can imagine that as they returned home, they began to wonder if that birth was not also a request to change their bad habits. With that birth, they felt compelled to change their mind about God and reality. Thus, they began to change their way of thinking.
The Epiphany indicates the manifestation of God's grace that changes the lives of all those who welcome it without exception. Jesus never imposes himself. He proposes everyone's freedom; this proposal needs to be answered. The Magi responded, and the shepherds responded and changed their lives; King Herod refused, and his life became a hell of torment and doubt, closed in fear of losing his power.
Therefore, the Feast of the Epiphany is an invitation to let ourselves be changed by this new light. Let us ask the Mother of God to open our hearts to the divine beauty of Jesus so that we, too, can become a humble sign of God's glory that enlightens all peoples and all the world.