Epiphany, Year A
Isaiah 60:1–6
Psalm 72:1–2, 7–8, 10–11, 12–13
Ephesians 3:2–3a, 5–6
Matthew 2:1–12
Rise up in splendor! This invitation to Jerusalem in the reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah calls to mind a moment of great joy. Israel is imaged as a bride dressed in her finest garments, made ready to experience an encounter full of promise. The prophet, aware of Israel’s experience of exile and loss, calls upon God’s people to be ready for a change in status.
The antiphon of the Responsorial Psalm proclaims the reason for this joy, the fulfillment of God’s promise to Israel to be a light to the nations. “Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.”
St. Paul tells the Ephesians the joyful news, acknowledging the gift of his own stewardship as an Apostle. He explains that the “mystery was made known to me by revelation. It was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”
The Gospel of Jesus Christ, which fulfills prophecies entrusted to Israel, is addressed to all human beings. God’s plan includes a unity that goes beyond anything experienced before.
The Gospel of Epiphany brings forward the mysterious figures of the Magi from the East, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. As stand-ins for the nations, they offer a welcome to “the newborn king of the Jews.”
They have been searching the stars, and one bright star leads them to the place where the Child was born. The Magi implicitly express the longing of people near and far for a fulfillment that goes beyond what this world can offer.
Traditionally, Epiphany is a celebration of the first of three events in the life of Jesus that allow His glory to shine through the human nature He shares with us. The Coming of the Magi, the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan by John and the first miracle of the Wedding Feast of Cana all make known that there is a splendor in the very Person of Jesus that changes the world.
Gold is the gift appropriate for a King. Frankincense implies the presence of God. Myrrh, the surprise gift, hints at what will be revealed in the Passion of the Lord, the power of suffering to lead us to glory. The Child in the arms of His Mother is King, the Son of God and the Savior Who will suffer, die and rise for us.
The Baptism of the Lord is also celebrated as a separate feast. This year, because Christmas fell on a Sunday, it is observed on the Monday after Epiphany (Jan. 9, 2023). It is the official close to the Liturgical Season of Christmas.
At the moment of the baptism, Jesus’ public ministry began. He is acknowledged as God’s Beloved Son, endowed in His humanity with the fullness of the Spirit of God. John the Baptist’s action allows Him to be in solidarity with sinners who are willing to repent, though He is sinless.
The Wedding Feast of Cana does not have its own feast, but in Year A, the account of the first miracle serves as the Gospel for the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time. It is on this occasion that we are told that the disciples of Jesus first began to see His glory and to believe in Him.
These three themes together remind us that Jesus is our Savior through His own humanity. He assumed our nature, uniting it to His divine nature, and became for us the means of salvation.
The Solemnity of the Epiphany calls us to believe in the unity of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – in the work of our salvation. It also calls us to accept and to revel in the great mystery that salvation is offered to all, Jews and Gentiles alike. We are called to share this Good News to all, so that every nation on earth will adore the Lord.