By Leon Bent –
“In his goodness and wisdom God chose to reveal Himself and to make known to us the hidden purpose of his will (cf. Eph 1:9) by which through Christ, the Word made flesh, man might in the Holy Spirit have access to the Father and come to share in the divine nature (cf. Eph 2:18; 2 Pt 1:4). […]The deepest truth […] about God and the salvation of man shines out for our sake in Christ, who is both the mediator and the fullness of all revelation” (Placuit Deo, n.1; Second Vatican Council, Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum, 2). This serves as a fitting introduction to the feast of Epiphany.
The feast of Divine Manifestation of our Lord (revelation of Christ), or Epiphany, or Theophany, or Three Kings’ Day, is traditionally celebrated on the 12th day after Christmas, January 6th, in the Catholic Church. Epiphany takes its name from the Greek ‘epiphania’, which denotes the visit of a god to earth.
The Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches emphasize the visit of the Magi when they celebrate the Epiphany. The Eastern Orthodox churches focus on Jesus’ Baptism. It was celebrated since the end of the second century, before the Christmas holiday was established. In many Western Christian Churches, the eve of the feast is celebrated as Twelfth Night. It is one of the oldest Christian feasts.
The feast of Christ’s divinity completes the feast of His humanity. It fulfils all our Advent longing for the King “who is come with great power and majesty.” We see that whereas Christmas is the family feast of Christianity, Epiphany is the great “world feast of the Catholic Church.”
The first idea of the feast is the manifestation of Christ as the Son of God. “Begotten before all ages, the Lord our Saviour is this day made manifest to the world.” The feast unites three events in the life of Christ when His divinity, as it were, shines through His humanity: the adoration of the Magi; the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan; and the first miracle at the Wedding Feast at Cana. Moreover, at Epiphany the Church looks forward to the majestic coming of Christ, when His embodiment as God will be complete.
A second important idea in Epiphany is the extension of Christ’s kingship to the whole world. The revelation of Christ to the three kings at Bethlehem is a symbol of His revelation to the whole of the Gentile world. Epiphany presents to us the calling of not merely a chosen few, but all nations to Christianity.
Closely linked to both these themes of divine manifestation and world kingship is a third idea running through the Epiphany feast: that of light. During Advent, the world was in darkness, and we prayed and waited in the spirit of the Jewish nation, which lived in expectation of the Coming Light during thousands of years. At Christmas the Light shone forth, but dimly, seen only by a few around the crib: Mary and Joseph and the shepherds. But at Epiphany the Light bursts forth to all nations and the prophecy is fulfilled: “The Gentiles shall walk in Thy light, and kings in the brightness of Thy rising.” The mysterious star of Epiphany, “flashing like a flame,” is still another facet of the light-motif, a symbol capable of being interpreted in a dozen different ways.
The star of Epiphany is a light, and light reveals what has been covered with darkness. But, in the hymn we all sing this feast day, the star is first pronounced a “star of wonder.” Before the light of the Gospel shines on human nature to see what it discloses, stop and inculcate a sense of wonder and awe. That, for me, is what Epiphany is all about and I wish you all a, literally, ‘wonderful’ feast (Pope Francis).
“Arise [Jerusalem], shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you” (Is 1:1).
On the Solemnity of Epiphany, this is how the prophet’s words resound. The ancient, evocative oracle of Isaiah, in a way, foretells the light that shone on the stable in Bethlehem on Christmas night, anticipating the angels’ song: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased” (Lk. 2:14). In a certain sense, in pointing to the light the prophet is pointing to Christ. As it shone for the shepherds seeking the newborn Messiah, so this light shines today on the path of the Magi, who came from the East to adore him who was born King of the Jews.
The Magi represent the peoples of the whole earth who, in the light of the Lord’s birth, set out on the way leading to Jesus and, in a certain sense, are the first to receive the salvation inaugurated by the Saviour’s birth and brought to fulfilment in the Paschal Mystery of his Death and Resurrection.
When they reached Bethlehem, the Magi adored the divine Child and offered him symbolic gifts, becoming forerunners of the peoples and nations which down the centuries never cease To Seek and Meet Christ (Eucharistic Celebration On The Feast Of The Epiphany, Homily Of The Pope John Paul II, Monday, 6 January 1996).
Dear and venerable Brothers, at this moment I like to think of you beside the Magi as you adore the King of peace, the Saviour of the world, and see the hand of the Child Jesus guided by that of his holy Mother in the act of blessing each one of you. It is the Lamb of God, the Shepherd of Shepherds, who is asking you to extend and spread his charity in the wondrous Body of the Church and in every part of the world. Strengthened by his help, go forth without hesitating: be faithful and courageous apostles of Christ; proclaiming and witnessing to the Gospel; about the light that illumines all peoples. Do not be afraid! Christ is with us every day, until the end of the world (cf. Mt 28:20; Ibid.).
Now, this gold nugget! One can almost say that the Epiphany season is paired with miracles of the Lord and His Divine power. It might be a great time for all of us to open our eyes and our hearts to the miracles and Divine power of Christ in our own lives, beginning with the Sacraments and ending with prayer life and the whole community in which we share—and look more closely for His miracles. They are all around us…if only we use our “eyes of faith.”
And this final flourish! Father, you revealed your Son to the nations by the guidance of a star.
Lead us to your glory in heaven by the light of faith.
Leon Bent is an ex-Seminarian and studied the Liberal Arts and Humanities, and Philosophy, from St. Pius X College, Mumbai. He holds Masters Degree in English Literature and Aesthetics. He has published three Books and have 20 on the anvil. He has two extensively “Researched” Volumes to his name: Hail Full of Grace and Matrimony: The Thousand Faces of Love. He won The Examiner, Silver Pen Award, 2000 for writing on Social Issues, the clincher being a Researched Article on Gypsies in India, published in an issue of the (worldwide circulation) Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection, New Delhi. On April, 28, 2018, Leon received the Cardinal Ivan Dias Award for a research paper in Mariology.