As the people of Israel reach the end of their exile in Babylon, the Lord sends the prophet Isaiah to raise their spirits: Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come; the glory of the Lord shines upon you! God is bringing the people back to their home blanketed with his light, with his splendor, with his glory, that they might be beacons of light, a veritable revelation, so that all the world might be drawn to the God of Israel: nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. They are now a people of light, rather than a people of darkness, and will be radiant, so much so that their heart shall throb and overflow in praise of the Lord. Psalm 72 reminds us that the king himself is called to remain open to revelation, that he might be filled with judgment, that justice and peace might fill the earth. In all of these examples, God is at work, from the greatest kings to the poor and the afflicted. All will bask in his light and, in turn, become a revelation of his goodness to the world.
In Matthew’s Gospel, another light reveals what has been hidden in darkness: the star the magi had seen at its rising had preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. Having seen the star, the magi now journey to see the glory of the Lord revealed in the birth of Jesus, and their joy confirms the divine revelation. The gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh offered by the magi recognize the divinity of the child, but also his coming ministry and eventual death. Only the Jewish puppet king Herod rejects the revelation, even as he secretly fears it might be true, and the magi prudently depart for their country by another way. To reveal the child’s whereabouts to Herod would lead directly to disaster; Herod is not yet open to God’s revelation.
Paul will recognize, in his Letter to the Ephesians, that a mystery was made known to him by revelation, not, this time, the mystery of the birth of the Messiah, but rather the true extent of his kingdom: it has now been revealed, Paul says, that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus. Thanks to the light that shines through Christ, and, through his Body, unto our world, God is still at work, and the activity of the Holy Spirit is manifest when all can share in the blessings through union with Christ in his Body. The Incarnation – a revelation of the depths of God’s love – is meant to alter our vision, for we too have seen a great light. But has it? The magis’ journey is our journey… our journey to see the Lord, our light, active in our lives, a lifelong voyage to the unknown, but one ever illuminated by his light, the Light of the World, for all. It can only shine brightly if we allow it to do so, through our lives and through our love.
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