Epiphany of the Lord
In many ways the Solemnity of the Epiphany also follows a similar pattern, at least with the wise men. They are drawn to a far-off land, perhaps a land they had never seen before. But when they actually encounter the goal of their journey, the young King of the Jews, they are not the same. The Gospel relates that an angel warned them not to return to their country by the same way because of King Herod, but encountering Christ also made them go back not just on a different road, but changed.
Hopefully this rings true for us as well. Christ always draws us closer to Himself. Whether we are baptized as an infant and grow up in the Catholic faith, or whether we joined the Church as an adult, Christ draws us to Himself. He drew the Magi by a star, because that is how they would come. When Christ calls us, He does it through means that, more often than not, appeal to our natural predispositions. Maybe we’re hurting and we recognize in Christ a source of healing. Maybe we’re looking for meaning and we recognize in Christ a way of life that will satisfy us. Maybe we’re reaching out for something greater to whom we can pledge our life, and we recognize in Christ the God who is worthy of all our loyalty and dedication. Whatever way it is, Christ calls us to Himself. And He often does it through means that we can accept.
But this draw also continues throughout our life. Accepting Christ means a great deal, but it’s not a once-and-done encounter. Each day, each week, each month, each year Christ wants to draw us closer. Until we get to heaven, we can always grow closer to Christ. And the closer we get, the easier and harder it is. Easier, because we have a solid foundation and at least can intellectually know that God will truly satisfy every need in our life. Harder, because we sometimes have to walk away from things that also delight us, however less, and sometimes it is hard to let go. But no matter how much we accept, or how much we delay and hedge our bets, Christ always calls us closer to Himself.
When we have encountered Christ, whether for the first time or for the myriad of times after that, the encounter should change us. Change is easier to note when it comes to monumental moments in our life, like when we were baptized or confirmed. Whether we felt it or not, the power of the sacrament changed us from a pagan to a Christian (baptism), or from a mere follower to a soldier of Christ and proclaimer of the Gospel (confirmation). Ontologically, which means at the level our being, God changed us.
But we don’t always experience that change in our day-to-day life. Even when it comes to the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, which we receive at Mass, we don’t always recognize the change it has in us. That can either be because it’s hard to notice little changes day by day, or because of lack of fruitfulness, which means that, while the Eucharist wants to change us, we’re putting up some sort of block because of our sins or our will that does not allow the change that God wants to affect in us. God never forces His grace on us, so if we don’t want to accept the change that He wants in us, it will not happen.
But we can also experience God through means other than the sacraments, like daily prayer, reading Scripture, serving the poor, etc. And sometimes we notice the change, but sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we notice the change after months of our sacramental or devotional practices, like a virtue exhibited when earlier we would have given in to vice. Patience is not a virtue at which I always excel. I have noticed some growth though, and can appreciate it when I notice that earlier I would have chewed someone’s head off for some stupid thing, but now I’m more understanding. I’m still growing, and wouldn’t call myself a paragon of patience, but I have noticed growth that has happened since I started working on being more patient.
