Shikrot Mpwi – Sunday Synopsis
Fr. Justine John DYIKUK
Dear friends in Christ,
On the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord and Day of Prayer for Justice and Peace, Year A (4 January 2026), I bring you greetings and God’s blessings!
Theme: Celebrating Our Common Heritage
Introduction
Beloved in Christ, the Epiphany, or manifestation of Jesus to the world, is a miniature Christmas. The Magi represent humanity in following the Star of Bethlehem to identify the Lord, present him with gifts, and worship him as God. Epiphany from the Greek Epiphania means the visit of God to Earth. It reveals Christ as the Son of God and unites three key events in the life of Jesus: the adoration of the Magi, the baptism of Christ in the Jordan, and the first miracle of Jesus at the wedding feast in Cana, Galilee.
Epiphany refers to the visit of God to earth, the divine union of Christ with humanity. It shows that great things happen when God mixes with us – “Today, the Church is joined to her heavenly Spouse, for Christ has cleansed her crimes in the Jordan. With gifts, the Magi hasten to the royal nuptials, and the guests are gladdened with wine made from water.”
The prophet Isaiah tells how everyone in Sheba would offer gold and incense to God and sing his praises. St. Paul narrates the revelation of God’s mystery, which Epiphany unravels and celebrates. The gospel fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy. Epiphany prepares us for the second coming of Jesus in glory, reminding us that “God is presently present to present presence to those who are presently present in his presence.”
Review of the Readings
In the first reading (Isaiah 60:1-6), the prophet Isaiah reveals that everyone in Sheba would offer gold and incense to God while singing His praises. It stresses that the nations and kings have come to the light of the world. The text foretells how the Magi would be led by the star of Bethlehem to the birthplace of the saviour.
The second reading (Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6) talks about the revelation of God’s mystery, which the solemnity of Epiphany unravels and celebrates. It suggests that the mystery is revealed by the spirit, which is why Gentiles can also lay claim to God’s inheritance, part of the same body and promise through Christ.
The gospel (Matthew 2:1-12) is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah. It details that the Magi did not return to Herod because he wanted to eliminate the child Jesus. They were thrilled at the star which guided them to the manger. Their mystic gifts would go down in history as artifacts (sacramentals) of faith: Gold signifies His kingship, myrrh stands for His death, and frankincense signifies His priesthood.
Takeaway Lessons
1. We are called upon to bow down and adore the Lord in common worship as well as offer Him our total loyalty, even as we revere Him as signified by the gifts with mystic meaning.
2. We are urged to let Christ, our Star, guide our pilgrimage journey just as the star of Bethlehem led the Magi to the manger.
3. The message of St. Paul in the second reading that the mystery [of the Epiphany] has indeed been revealed by the Spirit, which is why Gentiles can also lay claim to God’s inheritance, demonstrates that we are part of the same body and promise through Christ, which urges us towards celebrating our common heritage.
4. On this day, Christ is revealed to the three kings at Bethlehem as a symbol of His revelation to the Gentiles as king of the universe – an indication that, as heirs of the kingdom, we are urged to embrace the Christian faith and spread the Good News of God’s kingship everywhere.
5. According to tradition, the biblical Magi named Balthazar, Gaspar, and Melchior represent the continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa, thus symbolizing the universal call to holiness and salvation.
Conclusion
At Epiphany, Christ, the light of the nations, bursts forth to all nations as the fulfilment of the prophecies of old, namely: “The Gentiles shall walk in Thy light, and kings in the brightness of Thy rising.” Like the three wise men, we are challenged to develop the courage to draw others to the light of Christ in our journey of faith. That the star led the Magi to Bethlehem, which means House of Bread, signals that the new born king would eventually feed the world with the Bread of Life in the Holy Eucharist.
In his 2018 homily for the Solemnity of Epiphany, Pope Francis stressed that we must emulate three actions of the Magi, namely, seeing, setting out, and bringing gifts to the Lord. Therefore, we must learn to see the star, set out, and offer our gifts to God now and always as we proclaim Christ as the light of the nations. He surmised that we should “…Imitate the Magi: looking upwards, setting out, and freely offering our gifts.” Today’s liturgy reminds us that “God is presently present to present presence to those who are presently present in his presence.” May God help through Christ Our Lord. Have a terrific week ahead!
