Can you hear it: The happy sigh of 2021 being over and the beginning of 2022 just a few days ago? It is the sound of Hope Revealed just like Epiphany is the revelation of the Savior, Jesus, who brings hope to the world.
The question for us is: Can we recognize this Hope Revealed after being downtrodden by the Covid-19 pandemic for the last two years? To date in the United States, 50 million plus have been infected, more than 800,000 have died, millions lost their jobs and are not able to pay their bills, a stand for racial equality has caused civil unrest, political upheaval has brought us confusion and fear and thousands of children are being challenged to learn remotely and in person depending on the adopted vaccination protocols for their schools. Because, in truth, even with the approved vaccines currently being distributed, it will take most of 2022 to return to what we might deem as close to normal as reported by both government and medical authorities.
Given this scenario, how does hope become a reality? Our answer as Baptized Catholic Christians: Trust God in His love for us so we can love all that He has created. That’s why we gather to worship God and offer up our lives as disciples so we can be present to those in need. How else can we get through the tough times unless we believe that God has a purpose and we need to fulfill that purpose with the gifts He has given us at our disposal like the Magi gave to Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
Epiphany is about our journey to find that God is always present and freely given to all. St. Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians writes: “…the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel.” Isn’t that the crux of the meaning of Epiphany, God is no longer limiting His relationship to a certain race, but is giving His promise to all who seek God in Christ and then becoming members of the same body of Christ.
The wise men did not know where the star would lead them. They just followed it until it brought them to Bethlehem and to Jesus. They never, I am sure, regretted their decision. If we can only have the courage and the trust to follow their example, I doubt if we will have regrets either. If we have not already done so, today is the day to make that start: To accept and believe in the Epiphany that gives us Hope Revealed.
Reading 1: Isaiah 60: 1-6
Reading 2: Ephesians 3: 2-3a, 5-6
Gospel: Matthew 2: 1-12
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