January 6th - Feast of the Epiphany

Arise, shine out, Jerusalem; for your light has come,

and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

For darkness shall cover the earth,

and thick darkness the peoples;

but the LORD will arise upon you,

and his glory will appear over you.

Nations shall come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Lift up your eyes and look around;

they all gather together, they come to you;

your sons shall come from far away,

and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses' arms.

Then you shall see and be radiant;

your heart shall thrill and rejoice,

because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,

the wealth of the nations shall come to you.

A multitude of camels shall cover you,

the young camels of Midian and Ephah;

all those from Sheba shall come.

They shall bring gold and frankincense,

and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.

Isaiah 60:1-6

Today we celebrate Epiphany which is feast day that celebrates the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ. On this feast, Western Christians commemorate principally the visitation of the Biblical Magi to the Baby Jesus, i.e., his manifestation to the Gentiles; Eastern Christians commemorate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, seen as his manifestation to the world as the Son of God. It is also called Theophany, especially by Eastern Christians.

St Matthew tells us (2:1-12) that Wise Men came from out of the east seeking the new born child as the Messiah of the whole world not just for the people of Israel. Their homage to him upon locating him in Bethleham is representative of the whole world who adore the Holy Child and recognise his Divine Kingship, he who is the Light of the World.

"The light that shone in the night at Christmas illuminating the Bethlehem Grotto, where Mary, Joseph and the shepherds remained in silent adoration, shines out today and is manifested to all. The Epiphany is a mystery of light, symbolically suggested by the star that guided the Magi on their journey. The true source of light, however, the “sun that rises from on high” (cf. Lk 1: 78), is Christ.

In the mystery of Christmas, Christ’s light shines on the earth, spreading, as it were, in concentric circles. First of all, it shines on the Holy Family of Nazareth: the Virgin Mary and Joseph are illuminated by the divine presence of the Infant Jesus. The light of the Redeemer is then manifested to the shepherds of Bethlehem, who, informed by an Angel, hasten immediately to the grotto and find there the “sign” that had been foretold to them: the Child, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger (cf. Lk 2: 12).

The shepherds, together with Mary and Joseph, represent that “remnant of Israel”, the poor, the anawim, to whom the Good News was proclaimed.

Finally, Christ’s brightness shines out, reaching the Magi who are the first-fruits of the pagan peoples."

Pope Benedict XVI, Epiphany 2008, continue reading here
We join with the psalmist (Psalm 44) and the Magi and all the Heavenly Court in praising the Prince of Peace:

My heart overflows with noble words.

To the king I must speak the song I have made,

my tongue as nimble as the pen of a scribe.

You are the fairest of the people on earth

and graciousness is poured upon your lips,

because God has blest you for evermore.

Your throne, O God, shall endure for ever.

A scepter of justice is the scepter of your kingdom,

Your love is for justice, your hatred for eil.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you

with the oil of gladness above other kings;

your robes are fragrant with aloes and myrrh.

From the ivory palace you are greeted with music.

The daughters of kings are among your loved ones.

On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

An interesting take courtesy of the English Dominicans of Epiphany from the point of view of Grumpy the Camel of Melchior.

The Vatican Observatory's views on the Star of Bethleham - Looking for the Star or coming to adore?

To all the ladies out there, every blessing and enjoyment for Nollaig na mBan