January 2, 2024

Though Christmas Day is past us, as Catholics we know that the holiday season does not truly conclude until we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany on January 7. On this special day, we acknowledge the revelation that Jesus was born as the Son of God.  

We can learn more about this revelation through the gospel of the three wise men who traveled to visit Jesus after his birth. They embarked on a journey of faith, following the star of Bethlehem until they reached Jesus’s manger. The gifts they brought along symbolized their revelation of his divinity: gold, which marked Jesus as a king; frankincense, which was used in worship and symbolized the holiness of Jesus; and myrrh, a perfume used for embalming, which symbolized that Christ would one day die for our sins. 

Though the story of the three wise men has become an important part of the Christmas season, it is one that we can take along with us into the new year. The start of a new year is a time for rejuvenation. It is time when we can make our own revelations. And, as the wise men did so many years ago, we can continue our own journey of faith throughout 2024. 

The wise men had a revelation that the Son of God was coming, and they were not afraid to follow their hearts. I hope you will have the courage to do the same. When we consider the name, “epiphany” means a sudden revelation. What could be more appropriate than the understanding that God came to us in human form through his son Jesus? This is something that changes each of us forever. It changes the world forever. It is why we are able to find hope, love, peace, and joy all year long. Knowing that God came to earth for our sakes, not his own, should fill us with a sense of amazement. 

That is why it is so appropriate for us to celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord this January. The revelation of God’s saving action is not just a past event to remember. Instead, it is a present and ongoing reality—something we can celebrate each and every day. We know that God’s plan always included salvation for us. This is an incredible and startling revelation. The life of the Church and every Christian is also an epiphany—a way to see the saving Lord in our everyday lives. 

This January, as you make New Year’s resolutions, I hope you have a rediscovery of God’s saving love for each of us. May 2024 bring you peace and hope. And from all of us here at Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, a very happy New Year! May the Lord bless you and your loved ones this year.