Reflection For The Epiphany Of The Lord

In today’s Gospel we hear the story of the magi, those three distinguished visitors from the East, who followed a star that would lead them to the newborn King. Along the way they visited Herod, who out of fear, tried to trick them into finding the newborn Jesus and reporting back his location so that Herod could have him killed. Eventually, the magi encountered Jesus, and they gave him reverence and gifts. Then in the very last line we hear words that should move us deeply. We hear that, “having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they  departed for their country by another way.” They were told to change course because there was something wrong with the road they were about to travel. 

Throughout Advent our scripture readings also encouraged us to change course, to make changes, and to navigate our life down a different path. What is the different way that our Lord is asking us to travel?” That’s a very appropriate question for today since most, if not all, of us are making New Year’s resolutions… deciding what we are going to change for the New Year. Let me pose this question. What changes will you make that will help you become the person that God created you to be? What new roads are you willing to travel to achieve the perfect peace that only comes when you bring Christ into the center of your life?

You know, throughout our lives we take lots of wrong turns. Turns that lead us into danger physically,  spiritually, and emotionally. But one thing we need to remember is that whenever we make a wrong turn God is always there to lead us back by a different way. God’s grace is like a navigation system in our lives. If we trust it, it will lead us down the right path. And when we do make a wrong turn, like we all will do, it gently prods us,
recalculates for us, and gives us a different and better road to follow. 

Bishop Barron writes that “When that stubborn voice in our lives sometimes takes over and says “Yeah God, I heard your voice in scripture, at Mass, in the sacraments, in my prayer life. I heard your voice, but I know better, so I’m going to make the turn that I want to make.” God allows us to make the mistake, but if we’re  listening, we will find that He always offers us a recalculated route that leads us back to safety. God’s direction comes to us in a hundred different ways every day. When we open our hearts to hearing his voice and when we learn to trust him and follow his directions, our path is made smooth and straight.

It occurs to me that Herod can be likened to the destructive voices in our culture today. False words encouraging us to do the wrong thing; to travel down the wrong road. Through God’s grace, the magi recognized that something wasn’t right with Herod. They listened to God and avoided returning to Herod. They left by another way. By listening to Gods voice they saved the life of infant Jesus thereby allowing the salvation story, the story of Gods great love for us, to move forward. God comes to us where we are, He illuminates our hearts, He opens our eyes…and through our encounter He changes our lives completely.

The fact is that all of us, like the magi, are pilgrims on a journey. The wise men traveled to places  unknown, guided by wonder. Where will life’s journey take you? Where will you find Jesus in your own daily lives? What path are you travelling that He is asking you to abandon? How do you open yourselves up so that His  presence illuminates the darkness allowing you to see life’s choices more clearly?

Like the magi whose encounter with Jesus changed them and led them home by a different way, in this New Year filled with hope and promise, let us resolve to encounter Jesus in a special way. In a way that changes us and leads us down a different road; a road that leads to perfect peace, happiness, and love.



May God bless you in this new year and forever.

Deacon Anthony