C Cycle – Feast of the Epiphany 24

Is.60:1-6

There is much we do not know about these three wise men and what we do know is not verified in the scriptures. For instance, the scriptures do not mention three wise men but do confirm “wise men came from the east.  The scriptures do not give us their names, but tradition has given them names.  What we should know is this story in the scriptures, like in all the writings of scripture are a revelation of God. It is recorded and given to us for our own spiritual growth as well as to reveal God to us. 

What we do know is that their appearance confirms the prophecy of Isaiah we heard in our first reading.  “Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you (vs.1). Nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising (vs.3). A multitude of camels will cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba will come; They will bring gold and frankincense and will bear good news of the praises of the LORD (vs.6).

If we focus our thoughts on events which happen before they begin their journey, we can apply their journey to our own spiritual journey.  They obviously had heard and believed Isaiah’s prophecy. They were able to connect that unusual bright stars’ appearance with Isiah’s prophecy. Logic would tell us that they were familiar with the writings of Daniel and his visions.  We know from the scriptures that while Daniel was in prayer Gabriel came to him and spoke of the coming “anointed one.” Daniels writings speak of the timing of the time of the coming Messiah with accuracy and confirms the sovereignty of God and His plan for our redemption. 

More important for the Magi is Daniel writings points to six purposes that will be fulfilled including the reconciliation for man’s “iniquity” and an end to “sin.” All revelations Daniel records are specific and are scheduled to happen over a period of 483 years. These wise men knew this, and the fulfillment of the final of Daniel’s revelations was immanent, and they were awaiting its arrival.  In their own words to Herod was how they began their journey when they “saw the star at His, the Messiah’s, arrival.”   

Consider their motivation as they begin their journey.  Jesus’s birth was foretold and His mission to reconcile the world was prophesized and they eagerly awaited the sign of His coming.  When that star appeared, they acted on a belief they longed to experience, and they acted on its arrival.  Just consider their motivation; a prophecy almost five hundred years old and they were eager for its fulfillment.  Because they believed they began a dangerous journey, to “give Him homage.”  They were not going to see if it was true but because they knew it was real they wanted “to give him homage.”  What did they do after they left Bethlehem and returned to their own land, and we have nothing to tell us how encountering Jesus impacted them.  They had believed in Jesus before they began that journey, so it is likely they became the first disciples proclaiming Jesus as the “promised one of God.” 

This story should move us beyond the wise men and gifts.  It should make us think about our own response to the presence of Jesus.  We profess to believe everything the Magi believed about Jesus.  What are we offering Him in response to His willingness to set aside His divinity to become human and die for us to be reconciled to God.  So, we can stand in righteousness before God.    

Their journey was motivated by a belief in an ancient prophecy.  Our belief is founded on the witness of those who have encountered Christ.  Sinful men and women who experienced the healing touch of Jesus, experienced forgiveness and the love of God poured into their hearts by the Holy Spirit.   But there must come a time when faith passed down to us becomes a reality in our lives.  There must come a time when we begin our own journey to encounter Christ. 

At that moment, our belief becomes more than an intellectual belief, but it must become a reality flowing from an inner conviction.  We need to be motivated by a desire to feel and experience total and absolute forgiveness.  That moment is the catalyst creating a realignment of our image of ourselves.  Sinful and unworthy of forgiveness and yet receiving it because it is God’s desire to transform us from sinners into saints.  It is God’s desire for us to realize the sacrifice of Jesus was necessary because without out we could never be righteous before God.

We strive for holiness without realizing our concept of holiness is not God’s standard or His desire for us.  We fail to realize that our striving to be “holy’ according to our own standard has made us into Pharisees whom Jesus called “whitewashed sepulchers.”  The wise men in today’s gospel understood God’s desire.  They are recorded in the scriptures as a powerful image pointing to what God desires of us. Their journey is to be our journey.  Their acknowledgement of Christ as the Anointed One who was sent to earth for the atonement of sin is a necessary part of our journey as we seek to encounter Christ.  If we follow their example, we first need to believe in the plan of God for our redemption involves the sacrifice of Jesus.  Second, we like them must acknowledge Him and give Him homage, and risk everything to b