Like the Magi

A happy and holy New Year.

On Sunday, the Church celebrates the Epiphany of the Lord. As it so happens, this year it is immediately followed by a celebration of the Christ Child’s Baptism.

We can use this moment as an invitation to consider and reflect on the profound mystery of the incarnation. It may well serve as a reminder, in these apparent times of doom and gloom, that we are called to be people of renewed hope and faith. In the Gospel of Matthew, we encounter two significant events that reveal the identity of Jesus and invite us to respond to His presence in our lives.

In the first passage from Matthew 2:1–12, we witness the arrival of the Magi from the East. These wise men, guided by a star, journeyed to pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews. Their journey symbolises our own spiritual journey towards Christ.

Like the Magi, we are called to seek the Lord with all our hearts, to follow the light of faith that leads us to encounter Him. As the Magi approached the child Jesus, they prostrated themselves and offered Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

These gifts hold deep spiritual significance. Gold represents the preciousness of Christ’s kingship, frankincense signifies His divinity, and myrrh foreshadows His sacrificial death.

Through their actions, the Magi teach us how to approach the Lord. We too are called to offer Him the gold of our love, the frankincense of our faith, and the myrrh of our willingness to die to sin and rise to eternal life. Using Matthew 3:13–17, from Year A reading, recounts the Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. As Jesus emerges from the waters of the Jordan, the heavens open, and the Spirit of God descends upon Him like a dove. Then, a voice from Heaven proclaims, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:17). This powerful moment reveals the identity of Jesus as the Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Through His baptism, Jesus inaugurates His public ministry and sets an example for us to follow.

Just as Jesus humbly submitted Himself to the Baptism of John, we too are called to embrace the Sacrament of Baptism and live out our baptismal promises. In baptism, we are united with Christ, becoming sons and daughters of God, and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is through baptism that we are incorporated into the body of Christ, the Church, and are called to share in His mission of love and salvation. These two passages from Matthew’s Gospel invite us to reflect on the identity of Jesus and our response to His presence in our lives.

Like the Magi, we are called to seek the Lord with all our hearts, to follow the light of faith that leads us to encounter Him. And like Jesus, we are called to embrace our baptismal call, to live as beloved sons and daughters of God, and to share in His mission of love and salvation.

As we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord, let us remember that the light of Christ has come into the world, shining brightly in the darkness. Let us imitate the service of the star, shining in this dark world like a bright star through our faith, praise, and good deeds.

Let us journey in this new year towards Him with faith and humility, offering Him the gifts of our hearts. And may we, like the Magi, go forth from this place by another route, leaving behind the ways of the world and embracing the path of discipleship.