Reflection on Today's Readings, Epiphany of the Lord, Sunday 3rd January, 2021
Texts: Is. 60:1-6; Ps. 72:1-2.7-8.10-13; Eph. 3:2-3.5-6; Matt. 2:1-12
Today's celebration is about the manifestation of our Lord to all nations, which is the fulfilment of God's word: "I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I'" (Is. 65:1). The celebration has similar history with Christmas. The brief note on the feast in the Daily Missal reads: "The feast of the Epiphany was first celebrated in Africa, in Egypt, where it replaced a pagan feast that celebrated the victory of light over darkness." The manifestation of the Lord to the Gentiles is a victory of light over darkness.
In today's first reading, the manifestation of the Lord is expressed in term of light being shone and His glory risen upon us. The light will triumph over darkness. Isaiah puts it thus: "For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you." The darkness represents despair, failure, ignorance, violence, moral lassitude, evil and sinful practices.
The light is a kind of inner illumination and strength from God which bring about understanding, moral rectitude, renewal and salvation. Prophet Ezekiel expresses it thus: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh" (36:26).
Isaiah reminds us that the light of the Lord that rises upon us is a wake-up call to responsibilities, to respond to His goodness, to reflect the light and the glory. He puts it this way: "Rise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you." At baptism we have been enlightened and strengthened, let us reflect the light. We shine as the children of God when we reflect His light and glory that rise upon you; we shine when we reflect His goodness.
St. Paul, in the second reading, takes further the message of spiritual illumination, when he says, "Brethren: I assume that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit".
It is by the revelation of the mystery that the Gentiles become fellow heirs, members of the Church, and partakers of God's promise in Christ.
The mystery that is revealed to St. Paul is the gospel. This means the gospel is the light that enlightens all men. He says, "the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ through the Gospel." This tells us that the Gospel is the light through which the Gentiles come to God. Hence, we rise and shine when we allow the gospel to illuminate us; this happens when we live it out.
While the second reading points to the Gospel as the light, today's gospel reading points to Jesus Christ, Himself, as the light. The gospel is the light because it is about Jesus Christ of whom St. John says, "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and darkness has not overcome it" (John :4-5). Jesus Christ is the true light who has come to banish ignorance, to give peace, to dismiss despair, to deliver us from evil and power of sin, to renew us and grant us His salvation.
Lord our God, illuminate our lives that we may rise and shine in you. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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