January 7, Sunday, Epiphany of the Lord
Daily readings: Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6, Matthew 2:1-12
Our God is a God of revelation. He reveals Himself to the Gentile world in the person of Jesus Christ on this day. The Magi, or three kings or astrologers from the East, are people who not only identified the star with the birth of the Messiah King, but they also undertook a long and troublesome journey to arrive at the presence of the newborn baby. They had to overcome not only natural adversities but, more importantly, a crooked king like Herod the Insane.
The day is known for the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah, which portrays Jesus as the light, and the wealth of the nations shall come to his feet. “They shall bring gold and frankincense and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord” (Isa 60:6).
St. Paul, in his Letter to the Ephesians, speaks of the significance of the day when he says that “the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel” (Eph 3:6).
The Gospel Reading manifests the actualization of the visit of the Magi to Baby Jesus at the manger in Bethlehem. Contrary to Herod and the wise men of Jerusalem, who failed to understand the mystery revealed in their midst, the Magi are given the grace to identify Jesus as he is. It is good to remember the words of Jesus: “Blessed are the pure in heart; they shall see God!” (Matt 5:8).
The wickedness of Herod kept him away from the mystery of incarnation and God’s revelation in Epiphany. The holy and royal city of Jerusalem also could not receive him with all its cults, wealth, and power, but the humble town of Bethlehem was made worthy to receive the ruler who is to shepherd God’s people, as predicted by the prophet Micah (5:2).
Call to Action for Catholic Living: St. Paul boasts of divine communications and manifestations in Gal 1:15–16 when he says that God “was pleased to reveal his Son to me.”. God reveals Himself to us in many and various ways, provided the eyes and ears of our hearts are alert and open.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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