The Epiphany of the Lord
“They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the housethey saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselvesand did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered himgifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:10-11
This may be surprising to a lot of
people, but the Church is still celebrating Christmas! The Christmas
season extends beyond December 25th.
The Christmas season concludes with the Feast of the Baptism of the
Lord, this year celebrated on the Church Calendar on Monday, January
8th. This is
all part of what many consider the three manifestations of Jesus to
the world.
The
first was on Christmas Day. He was made known to those around him.
Once born the Shepherds heard of the birth of Jesus from the choirs
of Angels announcing the good news of His birth. They came and did
him homage.
The
second manifestation occurs on the Feast of the Epiphany, this year
celebrated on Sunday, January 7th,
2018. The three wise men traveled a great distance, following the
star as they went in search of this great event: the birth of Jesus
in Bethlehem. After consulting with King Herod, they found the Christ
Child. This was the second manifestation: these three foreigners came
at a great distance and discovered God’s presence in the form of
Jesus Christ. They did him homage, giving Jesus their treasures.
How often do we come into Christ’s presence at mass and give Him
the attention that He deserves? The Three Wise men realized the
special gift that was in front of them. When we’re at mass, we need
to realize the gift that’s in front of us and give Christ our
complete attention and love. The treasure that Jesus is searching for
is our whole being, dedicated to loving Him and serving Him in how we
live our lives.
The
final manifestation is on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, when,
while being baptized by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit descended
upon Jesus in the form of a dove, and God the Father says, “You aremy beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Mark 1:11). Here God
manifests Himself and shows that God is a Trinity of persons: Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit.
As
we conclude this Christmas season, with the three ways God manifested
Himself to us in history, let us continue to develop that
relationship with Him by making Him the center of all who we are. We
are to be focused on Him at Mass and worship Him as the three Kings
did, and then we are to leave Church, with Christ in our hearts, to
remind the world that Christ is in our midst.
Praise
be Jesus Christ, now and forever, Deacon Tom Tortorella
