Epiphany

"A cold coming we had of it
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter."
- T.S. Eliot, Journey of the Magi

Eliot’s picture is not the one we grew up with - three kings, lavishly dressed, bearing wonderful and symbolic gifts.

"On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage." - Matthew 2:11

Scripture tells us that when they saw that the star had stopped, "they were overwhelmed with joy." And so they might be. The long, hard journey described by Eliot was over; God had shown himself to them at last.

Each of us has many epiphanies, many times when God shows himself to us. But, too often, we do not realize what is happening.
We are caught up in the cold coming, the deep ways and the sharp weather. Many days feel like "the very dead of winter."

But... there is the epiphany: God revealing himself to us in hidden and unexpected ways.

We’ve read it many times before: "Whatsoever you do to the least... you do unto me." But it is good to recall it, these cold winter days. God is only too happy to manifest himself to us - in the neighbour who needs a battery boost, the woman with both children and parcels who needs help to get all of them through the door safely, the older person who would appreciate a visit. Even the other half-frozen people waiting at the bus stop could do with a smile.

Now is the time to do him homage, to recognize him in each person we meet, in the often tedious situations in which we find ourselves.

"And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it...
And I would do it again... "
- T.S. Eliot, Journey of the Magi.

Mary Buckley CSJ

For other prayers, see this page