Epiphany of the Lord 2017

Published: January 7, 2017

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor preached the following homily at St. Edward Church in Texarkana and Our Lady of Good Hope Church in Hope on Jan. 7-8, 2017.

Bishop Taylor

One of the strengths of our Catholic faith is that though our theology is highly developed, we know that our relationship with God involves far more than just a list of theological concepts that we believe.

We also believe in miracles and in apparitions of the saints, and encounter God in our worship and through the sacraments. We are a Church of theologians and mystics. Our beliefs are clearly articulated, but in living our faith we are encouraged to follow our star down whatever path the Spirit of God leads us.

In today's Gospel, three men follow a star down the path the Spirit of God leads them. These Magi were astrologers. Their job was to decipher what the stars had to say about current and future events. One day there appeared a star whose movements didn't fit into their tables and graphs.

This star behaved so strangely that it just had to be announcing something really big and so they began to follow it wherever it led. As they followed their star westward toward Jerusalem, they soon realized that this amazing star had to be announcing that the Jews' long awaited Messiah had finally been born. It had to be him, there was no other explanation.

The word "epiphany" means "manifestation" and today through the Magi, the identity of the Messiah and his fate are revealed for the very first time, But how did they know to bring along gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh? These were certainly not typical gifts for babies.

The gold and frankincense reveal the identity of the Messiah and fulfill what Isaiah prophesied in today's first reading: "Dromedaries from Midian and Ephah, all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense and proclaiming the praises of the Lord."

But Isaiah makes no mention of myrrh. Even so, the Magi somehow knew to bring it along too, because the myrrh reveals the fate of the baby sent by God to be our Savior.

What does the gold and frankincense say about Jesus' identity? That he is King and God. Gold for the Messiah, King of the Jews and King of the Universe. And incense with which to worship this Messiah as God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.

And what does the myrrh say about Jesus' fate? That he will die: Myrrh was used to anoint bodies for burial. That though immortal and eternal as God, this Messiah will embrace death in order to save us. And that unlike any other king, this Messiah's throne will be a cross and his crown will be made of thorns.

He will be dressed in royal purple and proclaimed king only by his torturers, who in mockery hung above his head the words: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, INRI." Torturers whom he forgave, for whom also he died, for whom also he came to save.

So gold for a king, incense for God and myrrh because he will die to save us.