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and death).

The Magi were the first pagans who received faith to recognize the Messiah and through centuries, successors and descendants of these Gentiles, western people have continued to celebrate their gift of faith. They did not look for political stability that aims to overthrow the Roman power or whatever but, for a light which would shine out from above to all creation so that, as the psalmist says, "In your light, we see light."

Reflecting on the meaning of today's feast of the Epiphany, it came to my mind when my mother was dying. I felt as though I were putting one foot in front of the other not knowing what's going to happen. I just kept quiet and pondered that what was required was to move on. There's no assurance, just a gift of faith to entrust her in God's hand. This seems to say that like the wise men, they did not know where the star would lead them. They just followed it until it brought them to Bethlehem where they found the Child Jesus. It is the same thing in our longing to be in connection with God. Many times he comes into our place with all its ordinariness where he meets us in our own life-experience. Every time we make God present in our lives, we have an epiphany. It calls us to step up on the plate and bring our own treasures ourselves to be a people for others regardless of color, nationality or culture because Jesus was a man for others. And this is what matters in our lives that we have this gift of sharing as we live each moment in silent celebration for the gift of relationships

[1] The word epiphany' derives from the Greek now phainei' to shine' or shining' with its super-enhancing prefix epi' to shine out. It means appearance,' a showing' or manifestation.' According to Webster dictionary, it is a sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something, an intuitive grasp of reality through something usually simple and striking. The coming of the Magi marks the time when God is manifested on Earth to the entire world through Jesus Christ. In other words, Epiphany is a season that shows Christ being recognized as the Messiah.

[2] Epiphany means "a manifestation," and by Christian thinkers was used to signify a manifestation of God's presence in the created world. However, it has become the standard term for the description, frequent in modern poetry and prose fiction, of the sudden flare into revelation of an ordinary object or seen.

[3] In the Greek text the wise men' are called magoi which is usually rendered in English as "Magi." Magi were a group or caste of scholars who were associated with the interpretations of dreams. Zoroastrianism, astrology and magic (hence the name magi'). In later Christian tradition they were called kings (We three kings of Orient are . . ") under the influence of Ps 92:10 ("May the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts"). We are told, too, that they came "from the east." This could be Persia, East Syria or Arabia or indeed any distant place. Another kingly psalm 47, speaks of God as "king over nations," and "the leaders of the nations rally to the people of Abraham's God."

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