Happy Epiphany to you all! I have a close friend from college who used to celebrate the Epiphany with his extended family that couldn’t gather on Christmas Day, and they would all revel in the gifts brought to them by the mythical Epiphany camel. In other parts of the world this feast day maintains its significance as an integral part of the Christmas season. Here in the states it is largely glossed over by the secular culture, but it is a rich source of meditation for us nonetheless.

One could reflect on the determination that these wise men put into searching out the Savior, or the fact that myrrh was used in embalming, which foreshadows Jesus’ death on the Cross. But perhaps the most significant point of reflection for Christians in the modern world is the wise men’s relationship with Herod. We hear about how they heed the warning not to return to Herod and return to their homes via a different path. Who knows what kind of temptation there was to ingratiate themselves with Herod by betraying the Holy Family? They were given the choice between giving their allegiance to a powerful earthly king and serving a child that seemingly had no status or power, and they chose to serve the Lord.

Our choices may not seem as dramatic as those of the Magi, but every decision we have to make follows the same basic pattern. We can either choose to serve Jesus or betray Him in ways large or small to accumulate money, power, or status in this world. It might be in the form of choosing whether or not to wear our faith on our sleeve while in the office or perhaps avoiding potentially awkward conversations where our beliefs or the Church’s teachings are challenged. Either way, we choose between Jesus and the metaphorical Herods of our life every day.

Spreading the Faith and evangelizing is a challenge in every day and age, but it’s fair to say that the world in which we live is particularly hostile to Catholicism. There is no shame in being intimidated by the task at hand, but it does not excuse us from the responsibility of making disciples. If all you need is a push to go out and share your Faith, then by all means, consider this that push. But if there is something else in the way, then take this opportunity to identify those obstacles and do the work to eliminate them. Do you feel like you don’t know enough about the Faith to have these conversations? Then learn more; use Formed, listen to Sacred Heart Radio, read more catechism, check out all the great Catholic podcasts out there. Are you uncomfortable praying with people? There’s no other way to get comfortable with it besides jumping in feet first and praying with the people around you about what’s going on in their lives. The parish should be a school of prayer, and if we don’t do the work of the Church, then no one will. You might be the only opportunity that someone has to be prayed with. Don’t waste that opportunity.

As we continue the celebration of this Christmas season, we ask God for the grace of zeal for souls. May we always be on the lookout for opportunities to share the message of the Gospel, and seize them with the same openness as the wise men.
Prayers always,
Fr. McC