The Epiphany of the Lord - January 5, 2025

St. Matthew tells us that the Magi came on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage” (Matthew 2:3). St. Matthew concludes the story, “And on entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11).

I would like to highlight three parts of the human body involved in the story of the Magi: eyes, feet, and hands. They saw the star with their eyes. They used their feet to reach the place where the newborn child was. They used their hands to carry gifts for him.

In the Gospels the Lord warns us: “If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away… And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away” (Matthew 18:8-9). These three parts of the body often enable our sin. Temptation often enters through the eyes; feet lead us to the desired object, and the hands grab it. The Magi give us a demonstration of how to use these body parts for virtue.

Firstly, the Magi used their eyes to look at the heavens. They had a desire for the transcendent. They teach many of us, who spend our time looking at things evident on earth and do not consider things above, to look for God. Their openness to the transcendent led the Magi to recognize the marvelous star. That star was the reason they set out on the journey toward God.

Prayer is a privileged moment where we lift our eyes above and seek God. The psalmist teaches us: "I lift up my eyes to the mountains: from where shall my help come? My help shall come from the Lord who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 120).

Secondly, the Magi used their feet to set out on the journey, their pilgrimage. They acted. They moved from the comfortable to the unknown in search of God. Again, the star set them out on their way, seeking God among the people. Prayer makes us walk alongside others and find God among them, especially in the marginalized, those who do not count in society.

Thirdly, the Magi used their hands to carry gifts for the newborn king. The Magi give us an example of generosity. Our treasures are not to be kept for ourselves but to be shared with others. This is the great paradox of faith. When we give to others, especially to the needy and the poor, it is to God himself that we offer our gifts.

Like the Magi of 20 centuries ago, today we also seek the transcendent; we seek God. This is the reason why we are in church today. The star of faith has guided us today to this holy place. We have entered the house of God and have seen the Son of God no longer as a child but crucified on a cross for love of us. We see him truly present in the sacrament. We bow down before him in adoration. We present to him our gifts, material gifts in the collection, and our own lives in service to Him and to others.

Let us humbly ask the Lord to give us grace to imitate the Magi, raising our eyes to the divine, finding Him in our neighbor and sharing our treasures with Him.