The Epiphany of the Lord
As we enter the New Year, right away we think of all the New Year’s resolutions. We get excited to start off a fresh new year. I set some goals to accomplish each year right away and hope to accomplish my goals by end of the year. Sometimes I set goals that I don’t accomplish because they are either too hard, or I just didn’t get a chance to work on them. Then I get upset and wonder why I couldn’t stick with my goals. Some of these goals are practical, but I try to set spiritual goals as well.
One of the goals I set every year is to be the light in dark times. When there is negativity around me or when something goes wrong during the day, I try to stay positive and bring light to the issue. In the first reading this week it mentions, “Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you.” This shows us that with the grace and goodness of God, and his light that shines upon us, we should reflect that light to others around us who need it the most.
Another goal I set is to proclaim the word of the Lord and live by His word. Both readings tell us how important it is to share the good news, to live everyday with his presence and light. The second reading tells us that we witness God’s word and spirit through his word in the gospel and it being shared by His apostles. As his Daughters and Sons, we are charged with being those leaders to spread the good news.
And as we come to the end of the Christmas season and have celebrated the birth of Jesus, we continue to hear how this affects us. The Gospel this week explains how the King Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem saying “Go and search diligently for the child.” I love the meaning of that phrase that we can infer for ourselves too; that each of us needs to go and search diligently for Jesus.
The magi set out again in search of the child, and were guided by the star, just as we seek to be guided by the light and to be that light for others. And we also have to be open to God having different plans and goals for us than we do for ourselves. The magi had intended to go report back to Herod, but they were warned in a dream to depart for their home by another way. God also warned Joseph to take his young family to Egypt to keep Jesus safe.
So for 2020, you heard it here first, my goal is to follow God’s light wherever it leads, whether I expect to go that way or not, and that I might light the way for others along the way!
