The feast of Epiphany really is the Christmas of the Gentiles, the day in which the mystery of Christ's birth was revealed to all the nations (symbolized by the Three Wise Men). This feast, in the early Church, was celebrated with even more solemnity than Christmas!
The historical journey of the Magi is a model for our interior conversion as we progress through the spiritual life. First, the Magi must set out from a pagan land and people - even as we must abandon vain and worldly pursuits, setting out in earnest to gain the great good of holiness.
However, this first conversion of the Magi was not sufficient, for although they sought spiritual goods, they still had a worldly approach. They went to the palace, where the rich and powerful are found - but the Child was born among the poor in the city of Bethlehem. So also, when we begin to seek spiritual things, we tend to retain a worldly or secular approach to the faith and to the Gospel. We want to be faithful, we want to embrace the teaching of Jesus; but we also want to be popular, to be accepted by the world, or at least to be acceptable to our fellow Catholics. There is a tendency to want to be "middle of the road" and not "rock the boat" - seeking to be successful while also following the Lord. But like the Magi, we are not called to be successful, we are called to be faithful - Epiphany is an invitation to follow the Wise Men along a path of humility and fidelity to the Lord, seeking spiritual goods in a spiritual manner.
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