January 7, 2018
In an age of globalization, the celebration of Epiphany takes on more importance than ever. The vision of Christ is to provide a light for the whole world, it calls together the whole world and all its peoples, it calls for a healing of divisions and for openness to learn from all people, it calls for a just world order. I think in 2017, we had enough opportunities to see that many of these visions were violated – many of them lost their importance this last year. The Feast of the Epiphany invites us to celebrate Jesus who came as a light to all people, not just to some subset of the human race - be it the rich ones, the white ones, the Christian ones…. No subset of the human race can claim to be nearer to Christ and his vision than another subset. Thus, the categorical exclusion of anyone contradicts the good news of Jesus Christ: racism, stereotyping, discrimination, xenophobia, ethnic violence is all wrong. The behavior of Herod in our gospel reflects the behavior of one who is afraid. The news about a new child to be "king" threatens the kingship of Herod. Rather than learning from the wisdom of the foreign visitors, Herod is afraid, and seeks to destroy what they came to discover. The behavior of the foreign visitors is the behavior of those who seek the truth at great cost. The child offers a vision that is worth traveling a long distance to experience. Jesus offers a light that is worth sharing. In the wisdom of a child born in humble circumstances, the three foreign visitors find a wonderful light, good news, and a liberation from sin, injustice, and prejudice. The foreigners experience the power and the gift of Christ. They also bring gifts with them - gifts that are given to the child but also "gifts" that open our eyes to the experience of the light of Christ as a gift for the whole world. This mutuality is part of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Giving and receiving happen at the same time. And this must find its echo in our lives as friends of Jesus, as sons and daughters of God. The story of the three foreign visitors has implications for many aspects for our lives, for the life of the Church. No one is to be excluded from the light of Christ. Whether we are young or old, female or male, rich or poor, black or white, immigrant or native born, from the south or the north, from the east or the west, educated at a famous school or a very ordinary one, employed or unemployed, healthy or sick, we are all invited to experience the Epiphany, we are all invited to see the light God wants to give to our world
Fr Wolfgang Felber