REFLECTION ON THE READINGS ON THE SOLEMNITY OF  THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD.

1st Reading Isaiah 60: 1-6     2nd Reading Ephesians 3: 2-3.5-6     Gospel Reading Matthew 2: 1-12

The Gospel reading on the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord offers us the beautiful
story of the long journey of the Magi, who want to see, to welcome and adore the Lord Jesus.
Indeed, their long and tireless journey is a call for conversion of heart and the epiphany of human
desire to be in connection with our God and creator.
“After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod,
some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east.” This is a precise indication about the place
and the time of birth of Jesus. It is in this context that the Magi being guided by a star came to
Jerusalem from the east. “Where is the infant king of the Jews? “ The question of the Magi does
not have a satisfactory answer from the people of Jerusalem who seems to ignore the birth of the
Messiah foretold long ago by the prophets. It is the Magi or pagans who announced the birth of
the Lord King.
The message of the Magi is not good news for Herod and the people of Jerusalem.. ‘’ Go
and find out all about the child, he said ‘and when you have found him, let me know, so that I
too may go and do him homage.” Herod is full of hatred and jealousy concerning the birth of
Jesus. He wants to destroy an innocent life for the sake of his power. He wants to see Jesus not
to do him homage but in order to kill him. White teeth are not always white heart. Let us beware
of fake people or brothers around us who pretend to love us and to care about us. They are silent
killers who have neither mercy nor compassion.
“And going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary and falling to their
knees they did him homage.” It is by accepting to enter into the house that the Magi saw the
greatness of the Lord and knelt down in sign of adoration. My dear brothers and sisters, the
more we stay away from God, the more we are distant from the reality of life of our brothers and
sisters. The Gospel reading of the Solemnity of Epiphany narrates us how the Magi went far
away from their land. It is about a journey of faith. We must be animated by the desire to meet

and to know the Lord. And let us not forget that we are all pilgrims on a journey. The exodus
never ceased.
The star is a central point on this physical journey of the Magi. It is through the guidance
of the star that the Magi were able to reach at their final destination. Throughout the Bible, stars
appear as signs of blessing, glory and manifestation of God who does not forget and abandon his
people. Let us allow Jesus to become our star that guides our footsteps in our long and arduous
journey of faith. At the end of their journey, the Magi offered to the Infant Jesus their precious
gifts. As the Magi, we are called to offer to God our precious gift. This precious gift is not any
more gold, frankincense and myrrh; it is our life which surpass far away gold, frankincense and
myrrh.
“The Magi returned to their own country by a different way.” Indeed, our encounter
with God must transform and change our life, our direction and even all of being. But they were
warned in a dream not to go back to Herod. It is a way of telling us that God is able to read our
mind and to destroy the plan the evil one. There is no need to prepare our defense when some
people hate us and jealous us for no reason. God will never allow his chosen one’s to be
manipulated or benumb by the evil one. May the Epiphany or the manifestation of the Lord
change our jealousy into love, our pain into joy and our solitude into communion with God and
fellowman.