Star of Wonder, Star of Light . . .

. . . Star With Royal Beauty Bright!

The Magi were wise to spy the star, invisible to anxious Herod.

The star is still proceeding, still leading.  How can we see it?

Epiphany's first reading (Isaiah 60:1-6) advises: "Raise your eyes and look about."  A guiding star rises above Herod-like, mundane, cares and concerns. Looking up reveals the only guide through life's thicket: a heavenly one.

The star leads us to a perfect light, the true "star" of the show, God himself, incarnate in his baby son, Jesus, born a gentle king on Bethlehem's plain, to "govern . . . from sea to sea . . . with justice.  . . and profound peace."  Ps. 72. 

If I am wise enough, I will, like the magi, as the good news says (Mt. 2: 1-12): "be overjoyed" and "prostrate[] [myself] and [do] him homage."  For in that baby, I will see God our Father's love beautifully and perfectly manifested in a rule that gives all "clear sight" and "true affection" (closing prayer).

And I will want to respond, want to give him the gift he wants most . . . my very self, my love for him, poured out for others.

Epiphany actually describes the entire Christmas season and then some.  Alice Camille in Living With Christ (p. 20 in the January 2013 issue) points out that "the season of Epiphany" includes Christmas, the magi feast, the baptism of the Lord, and every third year, the wedding feast of Cana.  "All of these epiphanies honor the Christian revelation of God as realized by the four evangelists.  Humanity and divinity join hands across eternity in Jesus."

We Three Kings of Orient Are

We three kings of Orient are;
Bearing gifts we traverse afar,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

Refrain

O star of wonder, star of light,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never,
Over us all to reign.   Refrain

Frankincense to offer have I;
Incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, voices raising,
Worshipping God on high.   Refrain

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom;
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying,
Sealed in the stone cold tomb.   Refrain

Glorious now behold Him arise;
King and God and sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia,
Sounds through the earth and skies.   Refrain