Reflection on the Readings

Today’s Feast of the Epiphany tells two stories. The first story is about the world with an all-too-common theme: a power-hungry, politically ambitious ruler who was motivated by greed and the maintenance of rule. The second story is one of faith and the search for truth. And I think that these are two stories that we can all relate to.

It’s not hard to see that Herod was someone who was overly preoccupied with the things of this world. He was concerned with how best to leave his mark and maintain his power; he was pensive with how history was going to remember him. The Magi, on the other hand, look to the sky beyond their immediate world – beyond themselves – in search of truth.

We can say that they follow this inner impulse of a God that led them on an incredible adventure.

I think that it’s obvious that the Church wishes us to associate ourselves with these Magi, in the hopes of being led by that same inner impulse leading to the Christ child in a manger. But maybe there’s a part of us that can relate to Herod and his preoccupation with the things of the world, things that can make our journey towards God less of a priority. Therefore, a good and sober question to ask ourselves on this feast is: What is it that’s keeping us from progressing on our journey of faith?

Friends, in the life of every person – especially the Christian – there’s this interior “star,” if you will, which calls us and leads us to Christ. But the trick is we must LOOK UP and recognize its presence!

The “star” of our faith is always in the night sky of our lives.

May you and I acknowledge its presence by looking up, by walking humbly like the Magi, with faith, even in the midst of uncertainty and doubt. May the Star of Faith always burn brightly in the night sky of your life.

Fr. David C. Santos, Pastor