Epiphany- the Day of Gifts to Jesus

Epiphany- the Day of Gifts to Jesus

Matthew 2:1-12

                The star appeared over the place where Jesus lay. When

Jesus was born he was lying in a manger in a barn near a hotel in Bethlehem. No doubt Mary and Joseph were tired from their journey, tired from the birth of their baby and just overwhelmed wondering how to care for themselves and this infant. They did not expect Mary to deliver the baby while away from home and family. Yet here they were new parents in a strange town and welcoming their infant son. 

                A short time later they receive visitors who have been outside tending sheep. They tell the new parents their story about angels and how they came to see what this was all about. They are overjoyed at seeing Jesus and they leave changed. A new reality begins for this family. Mary cannot travel with such a young baby on a donkey and so they decide to stay in the community where he was born. They adjust to life in Bethlehem and Joseph earns money somehow to keep them. Maybe just maybe he finds some family members who he has not known for a while and they make connections. We just do not know. All we do know is that they did not stay in a barn.

                But a star still shone in the sky where the baby was born. It was a bright star noticed by astronomers, learned people from the east who knew that this star was not just a star but a significant sign of something important having occurred.  The prophets had written that a star would shine and that Israel’s light would shine for all. These wise men then travelled west to see the long awaited Messiah. For they knew that a messiah was to be born as this was part of their knowledge taught by Daniel who had faithfully served God while serving the kings of Babylon and later the kings of Persia.

                Daniel’s teaching led those Wise Men to Bethlehem where they found the place where Jesus was. Mary and Joseph hear a knock on the door and they welcome these learned men from the east. They receive them into their home where they offer gifts to Jesus as they worship him as the promised one not only as King of the Jews but the one who is King of Kings. They followed the sign of the star and believed in the promised one who was to come, Jesus was born and they worshiped him. And by worshiping him, they were changed and returned home differently. They did not go back to Jerusalem and tell King Herod yet they were changed from within for they had seen the Child born to become the Saviour.

                As Christmas celebrations become memories and are cherished as such let us take the time to reflect on this Manger King. Jesus’ birth impacted the lives of many people- not only his parents. And Jesus’ life would only continue on to impact the lives of people- those who came to see him, those in the temple and eventually all who believed and followed him as the King of kings. As we remember and celebrate his birth let us not leave Jesus in the manger nor at the house where the Wise Men worshiped him. Let us remember him as the teacher, healer and one whose purpose in coming was more than to be a cute baby. He is the Son of God who lived, died and rose again for our sakes. Let us give thanks for his birth and rejoice that he is alive forevermore!

REFLECTION:

How do you see Jesus in these moments of Epiphany. Is there something that stood out as a special moment as you celebrated His birth with family and friends? Were you spiritually moved as you sat with family and opened gifts and did you feel Christ’s love?

When the Wise Men presented gifts to the infant king they offered to him what he would need in his life- gold for monetary reasons, frankincense- to sustain him and myrrh which would aid in his burial. Are we will to experience His story and follow in faith? Or are we there only for the cute baby whose birth is celebrated worldwide yet whose death and resurrection are just to difficult to understand.

What do you believe about Jesus? And where does his life impact yours? Let us remember this as we enter into the season of Epiphany when God reveals himself to others through Christ and in Christ.

PRAYER

God of mercy and love, we thank you for Jesus and this day of Epiphany when we remember the Wise Men and the gifts they gave to Jesus after their long journey west. We thank you for the star that lit up the sky and we thank you for Jesus who is the light of the world if we truly believe and follow. We ask this in Jesus’ name Amen.  

NOTE: Next week we start another topic on death and dying and euthanasia~!