The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-01-07
THE EPIPHANY.

THE EPIPHANY.
In the Church's liturgy the festival
of the Epiphany is intimately asso-
ciated with that of Christmas. The
ssblaze of song which summoned the
Judean shepherds to the crib heralded
the Christ-Child's manifestation to the
chosen people. But since He came to
be the Savior of humanity at large and
not of favored portion of it, it was
fitting that He should, at an early
date, give proof of the universally OF
His mission by revealing His advent
to those who were not of the seed OF
Abraham. This manifestation took
place on Epiphany, the day on which
the outside world-the vast realm OF
human beings which the Jews called
GentiIe-first saw in the face of the
Hebrew Messiah the worlds Re-
deemer."
On this day the Christian Church
commentaries the three-fold manifes-
tation of the Savior's divinity as evil
denced in the reception of the Three
Kings, in His baptism at the hands of
John and in the beginning of mir
acles.''
ST. Matthew gives a graphic account
of the visit of the Magi. AS we read
it we are borne in spirit to the dis
tant East where, about the time of
the Nativity, there was a conviction
prevalent that before long there would
appear in Judea a Monarch destined
to rule the world. A star of unusual
brilliancy which illumined the heavens
attracted the attention of three kings,
or wise men, who, in response to It's
silent invitation, set forth in quest OF
Him whose advent was thus por-
tended. Their journey brought them
to Jerusalem where from the lips OF
King Herod they learned that the ex-
pected One was to appear in Bethle-
hem. Thither the herald star led them
and at length it stood over the toWiy
home wherein the .Child-King dwelt.
AS these wise men entered it's humble
throne-room their faith was subjected
to the same test as that of the I'M
tutored shepherds; and, like them,
t'they staggered not by distrust." They
did not falter when confronted by the
evidence of His plebian birth, nor
did they hesitate to recognize the
Iong-desired of nations in the person
of the Virgins Son. In token OF their
recognition ard of the homage of
alteration which welled up from their
glad hearts they offered gifts of gold,
of frankincense and of myrrh to this
King of men who lay enthroned in the
lap of chastity.
In later years His glory was pro-
claimed anew when, at the moment of
His baptism in the waters of the Jor-
dan, a voice from heaven babe the
multitude behold in Him the Son of
the Most High, and the descending
Spirit of God crowned Him King OF
souls.
Again, at that memorable marriage
feast in Cana of Ga1i1ee He demon.
strated His sovereign power over the
forces of nature when, in response to
the request Of His Mother, He anti
cipated the time of His first miracle
BY changing water into wine.
These three events which show
forth His glory and attest His divinity,
are linked together in symbolic union
and made the vehicle for tidings OF
universal import. The Goldman came
to teach all truth, to appeal to all
nations, to abide for all time. His
message of salvation was for all with
out exception. 1t was truly catholic:
no region so inaccessible that it could
not be borne thither; no people so IL
literate as to be unable to grasp its
meaning; no century so distant that ii
could not bridge the Intervening
chasm. No horizon could intercept
the passage of the beams which ir
radiated from the Star of Jacob, fol-
"that was the true light which en-
Hghteneth every man that cometh into
the world" Wherever it shone there
freedom flourished "There is neither
gentle nor Jews-bond nor Free" The
golden clasp of Christianity was to
bind His purchased people in universal
brotherhood.
The Epiphany, therefore, reunited
the children of men and rendered pos
sible reciprocal manifestation-one
in which they can demonstrate theil
acceptance of Christ's teaching by
coming to Him as the Magi did despite
the obstacles which an alluring world
places in their pathway. By the light
of His grace freely and generously
bestowed all generations are enabled
to recognize Him as their kingly
Savior and are permitted, nay rather
exhorted, to offer Him out of the treas
ure-house of their souls the gifts rep
resented by those of the eastern kings
the gold of love, the myrrh of pen
ance, the frankincense of prayer.
THE HOW MASS, AMI REHEMp