The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord celebrates the great revelation of God’s love to all nations. The Gospel according to St. Matthew tells us of wise men from the East who followed a mysterious star until it led them to Bethlehem, where they found the newborn King of the Jews. In this humble Child, they recognized the divine light that illumines all humanity. Their journey represents the search of every heart longing for truth, goodness, and meaning — a journey that finds fulfillment only in Christ.

The Magi were not part of Israel; they were foreigners, seekers of wisdom. Yet, through their openness to God’s signs, they discovered the Savior. Their story reminds us that God’s grace knows no boundaries — He calls every person, regardless of origin, culture, or past, to encounter His Son. The Epiphany, therefore, is not only a celebration of Christ’s manifestation to the Magi, but a celebration of universal salvation: “The Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus” (Eph 3:6).

When the Magi reached Bethlehem, they found not a royal palace, but a poor dwelling; not a crowned ruler, but a Child in His mother’s arms. Yet, they recognized in this Child the true King — and falling to their knees, they worshiped Him. Their gifts — gold, frankincense, and myrrh — express their faith: gold for a king, incense for God, and myrrh for the One who will suffer and die for our salvation. Their act of adoration shows that faith is not about seeing greatness, but about believing in God’s hidden presence.

The journey of the Magi also reveals two ways of responding to God’s revelation. Herod heard the same message but reacted with fear and hostility, threatened by the idea of another king. The wise men, on the other hand, were filled with joy and humility. Each of us faces this same choice: to close our hearts like Herod or to open them like the Magi.

As we celebrate the Epiphany, let us allow the light of Christ to guide us. Each of us has a “star” — a moment, a person, or an experience — through which God invites us closer to Him. Like the wise men, let us follow that light with courage, even when the road seems long or uncertain. When we finally find Christ in the simplicity of our lives — in prayer, in the Eucharist, in the faces of the poor and the suffering — may we, too, fall on our knees and offer Him our gifts: our love, our time, and our faith.

The star that once guided the Magi still shines today. It shines through the witness of those who live in truth, compassion, and peace. To follow that light is to walk the path of joy — the joy of knowing that Christ, the Light of the World, has come for all.

“We saw His star at its rising and have come to do Him homage.” (Mt 2:2)