Lessons from the Three Wise Men
Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72; Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Matthew 2:1-12
Today, the church celebrates the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. Epiphany means manifestation or showing forth. Basically, our Christian vocation is to reflect Jesus and his glory to the world. Today’s gospel tells us of three wise men who went to visit the new-born King. We can learn so much from this experience.
1. FROM THE STAR TO CHRIST: These men witnessed the star. The star is judged by some teachers as a certain constellation (regular stars you see), while others see it as a miraculous phenomenon. What is certain is that they followed a sign, and when they saw Jesus, they stopped following the sign. We must now focus on Jesus, not the star. Today, many Christians still follow the reading of the star, scorpion, palm reading, and many others. Beloved, follow Jesus, and be saved.
2. ENDURANCE: Anyone who wants to manifest his God-given talent must learn to endure. Following the sign must have been a tedious task, but these men persevered, went through the valley, and traveled night and day all to pay him homage. We too should not be discouraged by the distance we cover just to come to church; we should not be discouraged by the trials we go through in order to worship Jesus truly. By endurance, you shall win your lives (Luke 21:19).
3.LOOK UP: To see the star, one has to look up. Beloved, look up and be lifted up. Do we really take time to look up? Often times, we are weighed down by our worries and anxieties. When we don’t look up, we miss our direction. To look up is to be hopeful; a man traveling who is not looking ahead will miss his direction. As Christians, we are on a journey to heaven. We must look up and see ahead; we must remove our eyes from lust, material things, and distraction. Col.3:2 Paul says, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Again, to look up is to be focused. Beloved, this year, make a decision to be focused. If the wise men had given in to the distractions of King Heros, they wouldn’t have located Jesus. Don’t give in to the distractions of the kings and queens, whether they slay or not. Deal with your distractions this year, be they financial, emotional, physical, etc.
4. MAKE A U-TURN: These wise men departed by another way. The Gospel says in Matthew 2:12, “And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.” These men departed by another road as instructed by the angel, not out of insecurity but because they must not go back to Herod. We must not go back to Herod. Anyone who has found Christ must not go back to Herod. Herod depicts wickedness, immorality, and darkness. Anyone who encounters Christ in the sacraments, prayer, and charity must not go back to Herod. If we have truly repented, we must not go back to our former ways of life. We must not go back to lust and immorality. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old man has passed away. Behold, the new has come!” It’s a new year; what is new in your heart?
5. SINCERE WORSHIP: When they found Christ, they worshipped him. Have we come to worship? The wise worshipped; it will be unwise for us not to worship. The wise did not worship with empty hands; it will be unwise for us to come and worship with our hands empty. Men of old knew this; they worshipped with the best of their produce. Genesis 4:4: “And Abel brought the best, the choicest parts of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering.” Genesis 8:20: “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.” Exodus 23:19 For the three annual festivals, Moses tells the people, “The best of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the Lord your God.” Beloved, we too must learn the art of sincere worship.
6.LITURGICAL GESTURE: These wise men prostrated and adored. The response to the psalm developed this theme further when it said, “All nations of the earth shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.” Let us learn to worship. Today, even those who are physically fit find it difficult to kneel before the Blessed Sacrament. It is a pity they are not wise. Wise men could prostrate; it will be unwise for us to disregard liturgical gestures. Even the reverence of standing still for the Angelus prayer is almost forgotten today.
7. RELIGIOUS ACTS: These wise men brought costly gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold depicts Christ’s kingship, frankincense, his divinity, and myrrh, his humanity. The gifts represent the various stages in Christ’s life. But for us, gold means love, frankincense means prayer, and myrrh means mortification. Therefore, the life of a true Christian should give expression to love, prayer, and penance. Without these factors, the Christian life suffers separation from God.
8. RISE AND SHINE: The first reading from Isaiah tells us to arise and shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Beloved, are you still sitting in darkness? Arise! Are you still living in sin or partnering with the world? Arise! Arise, wake up from that addiction, wake up from that dangerous sleep, wake up from that darkness—your light has come. Paul says in Rom. 13:12, “The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” Isaiah reiterated, “Though thick darkness may cover the world, upon you the light of God will shine.” Matt. 5:14–16 says, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do people light a lamp and put it under a table.” 1 Thess. 5:5 calls us children of light. We are children of light, not of night or of the dark. Let us desist from every dark act and manifest as light. Let your light shine. To shine is to manifest—epiphany, to manifest Christ. Rom. 8:19 says, “For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God.” Let us manifest Christ. Manifest the fruit of the Spirit.
Let us pray.
O God, who on this day revealed your Only Begotten Son to the nations by the guidance of a star, grant in your mercy that we, who know you already by faith, may be brought to behold the beauty of your sublime glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
