While many of our brothers and sisters from the Eastern Churches celebrate Christmas Eve today, the Roman Catholic Church is observing another festivity today. According to the established tradition, sometime after the birth of Christ, visitors came from the East to find the child in order to pay him homage. This visit from afar has become known as the Epiphany, or the visit of the Magi.
Like all people of faith, the Wise Men as some people know them were on a journey. They had heard of the birth of a King and were seeking to greet him in the customary fashion, offering him gifts befitting his rank.
Within the liturgical season of Christmas, the Epiphany gives us all pause to consider that the journey is not yet complete, and that each of us is also in search of the King. When we meet, the encounter has the power to change us, to provide us with countless sources for reflection, and even with the possibility of recognizing the gift of love and forgiveness.
As in days of yore, it is still the custom in many cultures that when people meet, they exchange gifts. Sometimes these gifts are of great and significant importance, but at other times, they are mere formalities that we observe out of courtesy. One would hope that if and when we have the opportunity to meet the One who came among us to unite us all in love, we might have something to offer as a token of gratitude.
Perhaps we would do well at this time of gift giving to consider what gift we are willing to offer when the opportunity arises to meet Him, and we might even have an idea or two about the gifts we would hope to receive in return.
As always, the text of my reflection, shared with the parishioners at the Church of Christ the King is available in printed format as well as podcast format. Whichever format you choose, I hope that these few reflections are helpful in planting the seeds of wonder within the hearts of those who are on the journey.
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