The Epiphany of the Lord, 2019

“Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance.” Isaiah 60:3

Imagine the three kings at a rest stop in the desert still miles away from Bethlehem, giving the camels straw and making sure their gifts are still packed away. Caspar stretches and complains aloud about his inability to read on the camel while Balthasar urges him to be patient. Melchior, with charts in hand, reminds them that they had studied the night sky so thoroughly and that their conviction was holding steady through the clouds. No hesitation. “Come on camels, time to move,” prompts Balthasar. No turning back. How could they stop until they reached the King whose star was surely guiding them by its shining radiance? Then came Herod, a roadblock, who pretended to be humble to grasp his power in fear. In authentic humility, however, the kings pressed on until they were prostrate before the true king, offering their gifts to Jesus.

If a star in the sky could inspire the magi to complete their long journey with resolve, how much more can we set out on the way with our eyes fixed on Jesus himself? For indeed, in these last days, God has “spoken to us through a son” (Hebrews 1:2). Like the magi, we will surely experience the long stretch of road in front of us, and even encounter those who, like Herod, attempt to thwart the plan of God for their own purposes. Like these pilgrim kings, we are sure of our trek because our light has come. We have more than a star to set our course. We have Jesus, our destination and our path; the best reason we could have to set out again on the journey today.