LET US ADORE THE LORD

HOMILY FOR EPIPHANY SUNDAY YEAR C 

R1: Ecclesiasticus 24:1-2,12-16

R/P:Psalm 147:12-15,19-20

R2:Ephesians 1:3-6,15-18

Gospel: John 1:1-18

LET US ADORE THE LORD

The Epiphany of the Lord is the Feast day that we celebrate the Theophany, the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ. The word “Epiphany” is taken from the Greek word (epiphanos) which means appearance or manifestation or showing forth. Epiphany then is the self - revelation of God and his Son to the world. This feast also celebrates the coming, the visit of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles.

In the first reading Isaiah 60: 1 – 6 mention is made of the non- Jews bringing their gifts in homage to God of Israel. Also the passage celebrates the Divine light emanating from Jerusalem and foresees all the nations acknowledging that light.

 

In the second reading, St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians said he has been entrusted by God with grace and by a revelation he has been given the knowledge of the mystery. We Christians have been entrusted with the message of light of Christ and we have to let this light shine through us (Mtt. 5:14 – 16)

In the gospel, the Magi who were Persian Priests who served kings and have skills of interpreting dreams and watching movements of the stars came to worship the new born King. They came with the gift of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. The Gold representing His Kingship as well as His divinity, the Frankincense a symbol of His Priestly role; and Myrrh a prefiguration of His death and embalming. 

According to Fr. Anthony Kadavil, the Epiphany can be understood as a symbol for our pilgrimage through life to Christ. The Feast invites all to see in ourselves the image of the Magi, a people on a journey to Christ. Today’s Gospel also tells us the story of the Magi’s encounter with the evil King Herod. This encounter symbolizes three reactions to Jesus’ birth; hatred, indifference and adoration. 

According to Pope Francis, worship – adoration is the end and goal of the journey of the Magi. The focus of the Solemnity of Epiphany reminds us that once we lose the sense of worship, we lose our direction in Christian life, which is a journey towards the Lord, not towards ourselves. When we are filled with hatred like King Herod who wanted to kill the Child Jesus, we cannot worship the Lord. When we are indifference like the Chief Priests and Scribes, we are incapable of worship. 

Adoration according to Pope Francis means putting the Lord at the center not ourselves. Worshiping God frees us from slavery to the Idols of today, which must not be worshipped; such as, the god of money, the god of consumerism, the god of pleasure, the god of success, the god of self. Today we are therefore called to surrender ourselves and like the Magi worship God; those who fail to worship God either worship themselves or created thing. May God deliver us from every form of Idolatry and lead us into His divine light. Amen

Reflection by:

Rev. Fr. Henry Ogueri, SMMM