EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

The Epiphany is the revelation of the glory of the Lord to the world. It is the unveiling of the glory, resplendence and magnificence of God.  Jesus is the radiance of the glory of the God ( Heb 1:3). It the revelation of God’s salvation for humanity. "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God as the waters cover the sea" (Hab 2:14).

Though the Lord has revealed his glory to the nations, only those who have faith will see it. “We walk by faith and not by sight” (2Cor 5:7). The Lord will manifest his glory to those who long to see Him; those who seek him with their hearts; those who are disposed to welcome him with joy.

The Epiphany of the Lord produced opposite reactions in different people in the Gospels (Cf. Matt 2:1-12). The three wise men rejoiced when they saw the glory of the Lord in the manger but King Herod was angry and saddened. While the wise men were making effort to see the glory of the Lord, Herod was making effort to diminish the glory of God. The Epiphany can be accepted with faith or rejected because of unbelief

The Lord wants to manifest his glory in our lives. But are we ready to receive Him? Are we ready to welcome Him? Human existence is full of contradictions. We want light yet we hide in darkness (Cf. Jn 3:19). We yearn for truth but peddle falsehood (Cf. Ps 101:7). We want unconditional love but surround ourselves with the thick walls of hatred and malice (Cf. 1 Jn 4:20). We want to behold the glory of God but we are afraid of its brilliance (Cf. Ex 19).

If we want to experience the manifestation of Epiphany, let us do what the wise men did. Let us embark on the journey of conversion and self-renunciation. Let us leave behind the old way of life and embrace a new horizon. Let us fix our gaze on the Word of God as the star that leads us to the King of glory. Then the glory of God will be manifested in our lives. We will reflect the glory of God. We shall rejoice exceedingly.