Prayer of the Day

Feast of The Epiphany of the Lord

January 6th, 2016

There is a sense of mystery about the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. Some commentators tell us that these men came from Persia and that they belonged to a group of magicians who were also experts in astrology, astronomy, and dream-interpretation. Some kind of inner call summoned them to make this extraordinary journey. We are reminded of the call of Abraham to leave his home and make a journey into the unknown. What followed for Abraham and his descendants was a growing consciousness of the one true God. The Magi represent the Gentile world who live in fear of powers greater than themselves which they call gods and which they try to control by ritual. Now that Jesus is born all this will change. So the Magi begin their journey guided by a star and end it guided by the scriptures. They bring gifts to Jesus and falling on their knees they adore him. Significantly we are told that they “returned to their own country by a different way.” A real encounter with Jesus changes our whole direction.