EPIPHANY OF THE LORDWHICH STAR ARE YOU FOLLOWING?

The Solemnity of the Epiphany celebrates revelation. God reveals His Son—not only to Israel, but to the nations, to the Gentiles, to strangers. Saint Paul calls this moment “the stewardship of God’s grace”: the mystery once hidden is now made visible in human flesh.

Simeon had already sung it in the Temple: “a light to enlighten the Gentiles and give glory to your people Israel” (Lk 2:32). Today, that light appears again—not over palaces or centers of power, but over a child, in humility, drawing strangers from afar.

The Magi are foreigners. They do not belong. They are not part of the covenant people. Yet they see a star, and they move. Their question is simple and bold: “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage” (Mt 2:2).

That question immediately exposes a contrast. Two kings. Two stars. Two responses. Herod hears of Jesus and is disturbed. The Magi hear of Jesus and are determined.

Herod represents the fear that arises when faith threatens power. Sometimes persecution is openly evident; sometimes it hides behind politics, culture, or self-interest. Herod wants to control, eliminate, and silence. The Magi want only to adore.

Both see a “star,” but they follow different ones. Herod follows his own star—power, security, and self-preservation.  The Magi follow God’s star—truth, humility, obedience. And Scripture shows us the outcome: God frustrates Herod’s plans and quietly protects His Son. The Magi are warned in a dream and return home by another way. Those who follow God’s light are never abandoned.

The Magi—men of learning, observers of the heavens—search diligently. In a striking reversal, pagans recognize what many insiders miss. They teach us something essential: God is found by those who truly seek Him.

They shut out distraction. They refuse to be intimidated by power. They keep their eyes on the star.

The star shines not in noise, but in silence. In the quiet of the night, science bows before wisdom. Astronomy finds its meaning in the One who “determines the number of the stars and calls each by name” (Ps 147:4). That same God illumines not only the heavens, but the darkness of our souls. Jesus is “the true light that enlightens everyone” (Jn 1:9). When our interior world grows dark, His light does not fail.

When the Magi find Jesus, they remain silent. They kneel. “They prostrated themselves and did Him homage.” Worship is the natural response to revelation. They then offer gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh—acknowledging Christ as King, honoring His divinity, and foreshadowing His sacrifice.

Christ is encountered today in the sacraments—especially the Eucharist—in reconciliation, and in the poor, the displaced, and the stranger.

As we begin a new year, Epiphany leaves us with no neutral ground. In the spiritual life, we are always moving—either closer to Christ or farther away. By baptism, we have become stewards of God’s grace. The Magi would not let anything distract them from Jesus—and God led them safely home. Herod, consumed by himself, kept trying to see Jesus but never truly encountered Him.

The question remains for us: Which star are we following?

Christ’s star still shines when we adore Him in the Eucharist, return to Him in repentance, and serve Him in the poor. When we do, we ourselves become gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—for a world still searching in the dark. Those who truly seek Jesus always find Him.

Readings: 1^st- Is. 60:1-6; 2^nd- Eph. 3:2-3, 5-6; Gospel- Matt. 2:1-12

Reflection Questions

1.    Which “star” is guiding my life right now—God’s light or my own desires and fears?

2.    What is distracting me from truly encountering Jesus in prayer, the Eucharist, and the people around me?

3.    What concrete gift will I offer Christ this new year through worship, service, or mercy?