Readings: Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12
As we celebrate the Epiphany (manifestation) of our Lord, the readings show us that this is also the celebration of the unexpected. Perhaps one could say that if there is a sudden manifestation it was obviously not expected. However, although that is true, it is not what is meant by unexpected in this context. Also, by unexpected we are not speaking of our Lord’s birth because, given the timing, the coming of the Messiah was expected by those who were faithful to God’s revelation.
In this case, the unexpected comes in several ways. In the first reading, when talking about the Jewish people returning from the exile, we suddenly hear about the Gentiles who will come to Jerusalem, filling the city with camels and dromedaries and, most unexpectedly, these Gentiles will be proclaiming the praises of the Lord.
In the second reading, we have the revelation of a mystery that was hidden from previous generations. Far greater than what we heard in the first reading about the Gentiles praising the Lord, St. Paul reveals that the Gentiles are now coheirs, members of the same Body, and copartners in the Promise of Christ Jesus through the Gospel.
In the Gospel we could see the Magi as the fulfillment of prophecy recorded in the first reading, so perhaps that was not completely unexpected. The birth of our Lord, although expected, seems to have caught many off guard. More than that, the star, although foretold in the Book of Numbers, was certainly not anticipated and the town of Bethlehem, although foretold in the Prophet Micah as we read in the Gospel, was certainly not where the Magi expected to find the newborn King.
However, there was something even more unexpected that occurred after the Magi left Herod. They now had knowledge of the location for which they were searching and the star appeared, apparently unexpectedly, and even stopped over the house where the Holy Family was residing. But the most unexpected aspect of this entire story came when the Magi entered the house. They came to pay homage to a king; unexpectedly, they found God. They had brought gifts for the new king, but they prostrated themselves and worshipped the King of the universe. They still offered their gifts, but now instead of being an external token of congratulatory intent, their gifts became external signs of their internal worship and obeisance.
For these Magi, to have chosen to make their journey to pay homage to a king, and to be rewarded with the spiritual insight to recognize this Baby was God, must have changed their lives forever. But what occurred in the lives of each of us has changed us forever, but how much to we allow this change to be manifested in and through us? This change happened on the day we were baptized, the day we became coheirs, members of the same Body, and copartners in the promise of Christ. On that day, we became members of Christ, the King the Magi recognized to be God.
The Magi spent a short time with Jesus and Mary, but the way their lives were impacted by this encounter would have affected every aspect of their lives. We have the privilege of spending great amounts of time with our Lord and our Lady; perhaps we have begun to take this for granted and we pay little attention to the extraordinary nature of this privilege. Perhaps, even worse, the old saying that familiarity breeds contempt might apply to some.
We need to reflect on the unexpected. In this case, not merely that the Gentiles are coheirs with the Jews, but that you are a coheir to the promises God made to the Jewish people and fulfilled through His Son. You are a member of the Mystical Person of Jesus; you participate in His divine nature and share His divine life through sanctifying grace. You are a son or a daughter of God Himself! How unexpected is that?
We are told of the joy the Magi felt upon seeing the star as they left Herod’s palace, but the only thing we are told about their reaction to seeing Jesus with Mary is that they prostrated themselves and worshipped Him. Perhaps this speaks more of awe than it does of joy. Given what was mentioned in the previous paragraph, we have great reason for joy. However, we have even greater reason to be filled with awe and reverence.
If we have fallen into the trap of making the extraordinary into something ordinary, something exceptional into something normal or routine, then we need to pray for an epiphany: that God would manifest to us the extraordinary and unexpected nature of His gift to us, so that filled with reverence and awe, we would prostrate ourselves and worship Him.
Fr. Altier’s column appears regularly in The Wanderer, a national Catholic weekly published in St. Paul, Minn. For information about subscribing to The Wanderer, please visit www.thewandererpress.com.
