Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

The Deacon's Bench

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Homily for January 5, 2014: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

Homily for January 5, 2014: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 4:34 pm by Deacon Greg Kandra

Homily for January 5, 2014: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord 2015-03-13T16:34:16-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

[Click here for readings.]

For those who may be keeping track, this marks the 12th day of Christmas – so there is still time to go out and get those 12 drummers drumming.

This is Epiphany Sunday, and the star of the gospel is – literally – the star. It is the original GPS device, guiding the magi from the east toward Christ.

One of my favorite Christmas symbols here in New York is that massive “snowflake” star that hangs over 57th Street, sponsored every year by UNICEF. Nothing symbolizes the hope and serenity of this season more beautifully.

Of course, it may be significant that if you follow that star today, it doesn’t lead to a stable and a baby. It takes you Trump Tower and Tiffany’s.

But nonetheless: that image beaming over New York City during this time of year captures the imagination. It reminds us of the reason for the season. The very word Epiphany means “manifestation.” I looked in Webster’s this morning and it elaborates: “an intuitive grasp of reality through something simple and striking.”

Something as simple as a child. Something as striking as a star.

History is silent about just who or what the magi in the gospels really were. In some translations, they are astrologers, in others they are kings or “wise men.” And, in fact, we don’t know exactly how many of them there were. But because they brought three gifts – gold, frankincense and myrrh – tradition has held that there were three of them.

It’s a meaningful number. Three is the number of the trinity. It is the number of days Christ spent in the tomb.

But it also signifies something even more meaningful and – for us this morning, much more important.

They are not solitary. They are a group. They are a community.

Again and again, when Christ revealed himself the world, he rarely showed himself to just one person at a time.

Think of Christmas night, when the news was announced to shepherds – another group, another kind of community.

And then, with the three magi, the incarnation was announced to this distinct “community” of people.

This will happen repeatedly. It’s the beginning of a pattern. At Jesus’s baptism, there will be a crowd of witnesses. When he preaches, he will speak to multitudes. When he performs his first miracle, it will be at a public gathering, a wedding. When he reappears after his resurrection, it will be to a roomful of believers. Even on the road to Emmaus, he presents himself not to one person, but to two.

That is part of the great message of Christianity. We are meant to receive the good news together…to live it together…to celebrate it and share it with one another.

The simple fact remains: Christianity is not a solitary experience.

Thomas Merton put it beautifully: “Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone. We find it with another.”

The other important thing to remember about the magi, of course, is that they didn’t come empty handed.

The gospel tells us “They opened their treasures.”

Like the magi, each of us has a treasure to offer Christ—and to offer the world.

The prayerful question we should ask ourselves this Sunday is: what is it? What do we have to give?

Sometimes the best present…is the gift of being present.

Some of you may remember the story of eight-year-old Delaney Brown, of Reading, Pennsylvania. Delaney was diagnosed with leukemia in May and was given only a few months to live. She underwent five rounds of radiation and therapy. Nothing worked. As the end of her life approached, she told her parents that one wish she had was to hear, once again, Christmas carols. Word spread on the internet and social media. A few days before Christmas, people started to gather outside the family home – first a few, then more, and dozens became hundreds, and hundreds became thousands. Eventually an estimated 10,000 friends, neighbors and strangers, were there, standing in the cold, to sing Christmas carols outside the house of a little girl most of them had never met. People who were there later said it was one of the most inspiring outpourings they’d ever seen. Delaney was drifting in and out of sleep. But her parents said she heard the carols. They posted a picture on Facebook of the little girl, eyes closed, giving a thumbs-up.

Just a few days later, on Christmas morning, Delaney died.

Thinking back on it, I don’t know who was given the greater gift that night – Delaney, or the people gathered on the street. In the commercial crush of the season, the story of Delaney Brown reminded the world: treasure isn’t just gold or frankincense or myrrh. Compassion is a treasure. So is time. So is solidarity with those who are suffering.

And so is prayer. At times, it is the most precious treasure of all.

No matter who we are, or where we come from, or what we do: each of us has a treasure to offer. The magi were just the first. They aren’t the last.

As we celebrate today Christ manifesting himself to the world, think of what that manifestation has meant to each of us—to this particular community of believers. And let’s ask ourselves what we can give in return – to God, and to one another. What are our treasures? What do we have to give?

Epiphany signals to us that Christmas season is drawing to a close.

But that doesn’t mean the season of giving is coming to an end.

Homilies

Previous Post

January 4, 2014

Report: surge in "late baptisms" in UK to get kids into Catholic schools

Next Post

January 4, 2014 Pope Francis abolishes title of "monsignor" for those under age 65

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism education Education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution Politics politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV Uncategorized uncategorized VATICAN Vatican vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How did Moses' mother save him as a baby?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Sent him to another city Hid him in a cave Dressed him as a girl Placed him in a basket on the river

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »