The Lesson of the Wise Men

Growing up as a child my family looked forward to  the Epiphany which we traditionally he celebrated on January 6th.  For us children it was the chance to move the wise men figurines which we modeled from clay to the nativity scene. But more importantly we were able to open the remainder of the gifts from the Christmas season.  Symbolically we gravitated towards the scene with excitement as each of us found our remaining present much like the wise men were led to Bethlehem. The childlike enthusiasm of opening gifts still exists today, but for many the message of the Epiphany is lost.

Our journey towards the Savior resembles that of wise men.  Some us have ventured off the beaten path and were lost in a godless society full of moral relativism. Others have had to overcome personal tragedies and loss.  Sounds familiar. The wise men overcame the fears and trepidations of travel through foreign lands, leaving their familiar surroundings to seek a new guiding light. Our common bond with these three men is our faith.  No matter what difficulty we encounter on the road to discovering the author of our existence and our shelter we can rest assured that our faith we guide us as we navigate our own road to Jesus. I am sure people mocked the three men as they left their respective homelands. After all who would go out and seek something or someone they don't know much about or even see. As we also leave the comforts of our own existence we are mocked by a society that can at times insult people of faith.  "Why do you think like that?" we are challenged by those who see Catholicism as old fashioned and out of touch with the present.  Yes our journey is full of obstacles.

The last words of today's Gospel "they departed for their country by another way" leave an indelible mark on what our own map should resemble.  We must travel another route now that we have found Jesus.  It may be unfamiliar, but the knowing that we have found the King and we will be protected we venture on. Happy Epiphany.