The Epiphany – A Call to Change
This Sunday, we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, a feast that reminds us of the Magi’s journey to meet the infant Jesus. These wise men, drawn by a star, undertook a long and uncertain journey, bearing precious gifts to honour the newborn King. But their encounter with Jesus did more than fulfil their quest; it transformed their lives. After meeting Jesus, the Gospel tells us that they “returned to their own country by another way” (Matthew 2:12). This decision was not merely a practical one to avoid Herod’s wrath but a profound spiritual shift—their encounter with Christ changed their course.
This change is not unique to the Magi. Throughout Scripture, we see how encounters with Jesus transformed individuals. Zacchaeus, the tax collector, resolved to give half of his possessions to the poor and repay anyone he had defrauded fourfold (Luke 19:8). The Samaritan woman at the well left behind her water jar to tell her entire town about the Messiah she had met (John 4:28-29). The Apostle Paul, once a fierce persecutor of Christians, became one of the faith’s most zealous apostles after meeting the risen Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-22).
The Epiphany invites us to reflect on our own encounters with Christ. Have they moved us to change our ways, as they did for the Magi, Zacchaeus, the Samaritan woman, and Paul? Perhaps we have moments when we, like the Magi, feel drawn to seek Jesus, moments when His presence shines like a star guiding us in the darkness. Do we allow those moments to alter our course, or do we return to our routines unchanged?
As we enter a new year, the story of the Magi challenges us to consider the paths we are on. Are we willing to take “another way” if it means following the truth we encounter in Christ? Changing our ways is not always easy. It may involve leaving behind comfort, confronting sin, or stepping into the unknown. Yet, as the Magi’s journey shows us, the reward of encountering Jesus is worth every sacrifice.
Let this Epiphany be a time of renewal. Like the Magi, let us come before Christ, offering Him not only our gifts but our hearts, open to transformation. And as we return to our daily lives, may we walk a new path, one illuminated by the light of Christ.