Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Epiphany. The word “epiphany” comes from the Greek epiphainen, a verb that means “to shine upon,” “to manifest,” or “to make known.” Thus, the feast of the Epiphany celebrates the many ways that Christ has made Himself known to the world. The Epiphany celebrates four different events: the Baptism of the Lord; Christ’s first miracle, the changing of water into wine at the wedding in Cana; the Nativity of Christ; and the visitation of the Wise Men or Magi.
Each of these is a revelation of God to man: At Christ’s Baptism, the Holy Spirit descends and the voice of God the Father is heard, declaring that Jesus is His Son; at the wedding in Cana, the miracle reveals Christ’s divinity; at the Nativity, the angels bear witness to Christ, and the shepherds, representing the people of Israel, bow down before Him; and at the visitation of the Magi, Christ’s divinity is revealed to the Gentiles—the other nations of the earth.
The visit of the Magi is emphasized on Epiphany Day, and Christ’s baptism is celebrated the first Sunday that follows.
Be Our Daily Star
God of all heaven and earth,
From the breath of your love came the creation of the world.
We are amazed at the vast beauty of the night sky and at the intimate nature of the love you have for us your children.
Be our daily star,
Guiding our lives to search for kingdom love.
May we always follow your light of truth in all that we do,
Forever trusting, hoping and believing in your word.
Lift our eyes tonight to see your eternal life shining brightly,
Leading us home.
Amen.
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