The Epiphany of the Lord
Reading I: Isaiah 60:1-6
Responsorial Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13
Reading II: Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6
Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12
Today’s solemnity is popularly known as “Three Kings.”The gospel speaks of wise men, sometimes called magi. It does not speak of kings; it does not say there were three. These details were added over the centuries by popular stories. The true name of today’s feast is “Epiphany of the Lord,”which means manifestation of Jesus to the world. The Gospel tells us that the magi had to travel. They had to travel to meet Jesus. This makes their story our own story. We too are travelers in this life. After seeing Jesus, they had to travel more and go home by another route. There is no moment in life when we may believe we have reached the end of the road. To accept Jesus in life is not a moment to say, “I am saved, I belong to Jesus. It is accepting Him as a companion on the road, making sure one does not get ahead of Him by jumping to human conclusions or lag behind and losing track of Him when there is a bend or choices.
The wise men asked questions along the way. Wise people ask questions. Mary had a question for the angel during the Annunciation. Jesus had questions for the teachers in the temple when He was twelve. A wise person wants to learn and to understand. Asking questions can be an opportunity for us to grow in wisdom. If we have questions about our faith, we should not worry. They are signs we want to grow in understanding. When our doubts or questions make us believe we are losing our faith, let us instead thank the Lord for these occasions and look for the answer. Maybe the Lord will answer them in prayer, or we have to ask the right person.
Efren Tomas
In 2004, Father Efren arrived on Maui, Hawaii to be the Pastor of Christ The King Catholic Church in Kahului, Maui until 2012. He calls Christ The King his home because this was his first parish in Hawaii.
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