Dear Esteemed brothers and sisters in Christ,

This Sunday, we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, one of the four feasts surrounding the nativity of Jesus. The other three are the Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth, the Feast of Mary, Mother of God, and the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

First, let's remind ourselves of the meaning of the word "Epiphany." The term epiphany-derived from the ancient Greek word epiphaneia-means the divine manifestation of Jesus as our Lord, God, and Savior. In its entirety, the term refers to all biblical events in which our Lord Jesus Christ was revealed as God. Some of these events include: (a) The nativity: "And the angel said to them, 'Be not afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy ... for to you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:9-14); (b) The Baptism of Jesus: "And the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, 'You are my beloved Son; with you, I am well pleased'" (Luke 3:22); (c) The Transfiguration: "And behold, a voice from heaven said, 'This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 17:5). Today, however, our focus is on the Epiphany as revealed through the three wise men, or the Magi.

The Magi were people renowned in ancient times for interpreting dreams and foreseeing the future by studying the stars and observing the flight of birds. They were able to discern God's will from the events around them. It is not surprising, then, that the Magi interpreted the appearance of a star as a message from heaven.

Tradition often stipulates their names as Melchior from Persia, who presented the gift of gold to Jesus; Gaspar from India, who brought frankincense; and Balthazar from Arabia, who gave myrrh. These were precious gifts in Jesus' time, and they were both prophetic and epiphanic in nature-revealing the divinity and various offices of Jesus. For instance, gold was a gift for kings. Seneca notes that in Parthia, it was customary for no one to approach the king without a gift. Therefore, gold, being the king of metals, is a fitting gift for the King of kings. So, we see that Jesus was "the God-Man born to be King."

Frankincense was a gift offered to a priest to be presented to God. This sweet perfume was used in Temple worship and during sacrifices. You might recall that Zechariah, from the priestly tribe of Levi, was offering frankincense in the Temple when the Angel Gabriel appeared to him to announce the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:8-15). The Latin word for priest is pontifex, meaning "bridge-builder."A priest serves as a bridge between humans and God. That is precisely what Jesus came to do; He opened the way to God and made it possible for us to enter into the very presence of God.

On the other hand, myrrh symbolizes the gift for someone who is to die, as it was used to embalm the bodies of the deceased. The gospel recounts that Jesus instructed Mary Magdalene to keep the costly myrrh she used to anoint His feet for His burial, after Judas Iscariot suggested selling it and donating the proceeds to the poor (conf. John 12:7). This signifies that Jesus entered the world not only to live for humanity but ultimately to die for humanity. He came to offer both His life and His death for our salvation. In general, the three gifts given to Jesus summarize what would happen to Him in the future and play a significant role in an epiphany of His identity.

So, what can we learn from these events? The wise men followed the star, and it was by following this star that they encountered God, the Newborn Savior. Similarly, we have guiding stars that can lead us safely to God. The first is the Word of God, or the Holy Scripture. If we meditate on the Word seriously and put it into practice, it will illuminate our path to God, as Scripture says, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105). Secondly, we have our guardian angels and the examples set by the saints; these, too, serve as stars for us. If we allow ourselves to be guided by guardian angels and imitate the lives of the saints, we can be assured of seeing God face to face at the end of our earthly pilgrimage.

The three wise men presented Jesus with very valuable and meaningful gifts. This raises a fundamental question that I would request each of us to ask ourselves: What do I usually give to God? Do I offer Him valuable gifts as I should? What gifts am I planning to present to Jesus this year? One valuable offering I suggest is giving Him what He needs most from you: YOUR TIME. The Jews at the time did not make time for Jesus. The Magi arrived expecting everyone in Jerusalem to know of the Savior's birth, yet they were shocked to find that neither King Herod nor his close advisers knew of it; they had no idea where the Holy Family was. It had long been prophesied that Jesus would be the King of the Jews, the desire of all nations; yet no one seemed to know of His birth. They were indifferent and had no time for Jesus.

As for us, let us dedicate our time to Jesus. We can do this by attending Mass every Sunday. How I wish that after sharing this message with you, I would see the church filled with worshippers every Sunday, just as it was on Christmas Day! Additionally, consider giving Jesus at least 15 minutes of your time in prayer each day, especially if you feel too busy. Here is a saying you can rely on: "A prayer a day will keep all my problems away."

Yours in the Newborn Savior,

Fr. Thomas Kagumisa

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