The homily of Father Robert (Bob) on this Epiphany of the Lord. The feast of the Epiphany has always been among the favorites of many people, especially in Latin cultures like Italy and South America.
We love seeing the appearance of the Magi before the manger, with their elegant clothes and precious gifts. All of this is so oriental and exotic.
Saint Matthew devotes a lot of time to this story. I think he did so because the Magi represent two things for him. First, they are strangers who are not "**in their place**". They were not Jewish. They were not people of the Covenant. No, they came from a distant country, from a different tradition. The local people were not supposed to trust them. They were not like us.
Do such strangers exist today? Yes. A young man in recovery told me he almost killed a "**Filipino**" because another addict said that people of that "**guy's**" kind caused the 9/11 attacks. He said:
"**That guy was different from us. That skin, their eyes, their clothes, who can trust them? To me, he was a foreigner, not an American.**"
It was only at the last moment that I saw the crucifix on a chain around his neck.
At the manger, there were no strangers, no racism, no blows. Jesus welcomed them all, oxen, donkeys, shepherds, and Magi. Poor and rich, Jews and Gentiles, He came for them all. He rejected no one and accepted the unique gifts of everyone. What a shame if His disciples do not always treat strangers as He did. This is truly part of the Gospel. That is why Matthew included it.
Second, the Magi are seekers. They journeyed through the desert in doubt. They were not sure what they were looking for. They read the stars, made inquiries, and perhaps, in the end, they found nothing. But they continued the journey. A teacher at the Catholic school once told me:
"**I feel like a hypocrite. I have so many doubts about the faith and the Church.**"
My ear caught the word "**hypocrite**" because I knew many people felt that way. They confuse that term with seeking. True hypocrisy means not only that people do not practice what they preach, but that they are calculating about it.
Seekers are different. They practice what they preach, but not out of total conviction, or perhaps out of minimal conviction and comfort. They say prayers, go to Mass, but still have real difficulties. They are just going through the motions, have difficulties with the practice of the faith or with faith itself, or perhaps feel spiritually lifeless.
The seeker might say:
"**How can I believe in a God who allows children to be killed at school?**"
Or again:
"**My spouse left me, my parents were killed in a car accident, my prayers remain unanswered. I pray, but it's like I'm talking to myself. I do the right thing. I go to church, I receive communion, but I'm not sure. I feel empty, dried up, what am I doing here? I feel like a hypocrite**."
This is not hypocrisy. It is a journey and a search. It is a discipline of keeping up appearances, not of deception. It is a test, not to win applause, but to get a sign from God that He is there and that He cares for us. It is a journey for the spiritually numb who hope for a thaw.
It is the quiet and joyless duty of someone going through what the great saints called the "**dark night of the soul**". These are people trying to be faithful, even if they get nothing out of it. These people are not hypocrites. They are seekers of the truth. They are loved by God. They are Magi in search and Magi accepted. Matthew wants us to know this.
Also read | 1.5 million participants took part in the largest street nativity scene
Thus, this familiar story turns out to be our story, which explains its appeal. These Magi are strangers and seekers. Their journey is over. They found what they were looking for. They entered the stable in silence, for words could not express what they had found. They knelt and looked upon the face of the Messiah. And so shall we.
Homily for this Sunday by Father Robert Warren, Franciscan Friar of the Atonement, Garrison, NY