Vincent Leclercq asked for baptism at 42 years old. Born in Paris, he was indifferent to the faith as he was growing up. But seven years ago, he had a spiritual awakening. A friend opened his eyes to the beauty of the Christian Faith. He confirmed that he had an experienced of being enlightened by Christ such that he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. It was like a “Damascus Experience”. He started a journey of faith by reading scriptures. For a year now, he had been attending catechism classes twice a week in their parish in Oman where he is based. Vincent experienced an epiphany of the Lord!
Today we celebrate the epiphany of the Lord. It is a Greek term which denotes a “visit of a god to earth.” When Jesus was born on Christmas, we contemplated the incarnation of God. The child in the manger is an extraordinary child; the Son of God. His given name is “Jesus” because he will save his people from their sins. A bright star appeared when he was born. Through it, he manifested his divinity to all humanity and all people. The Magi came to adore him and brought symbolic gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts manifested his kingship, his priesthood and his vocation as messiah who will redeem humanity through his sacrificial death.
The Magi believed that stars carry messages from God. The presence of a bright light indicated God’s presence in the world. When God called Moses into a closer relationship with him, he used the burning bush to manifest his presence. When the Magi saw the bright star in the firmament, they responded as Moses did. The Star of Bethlehem continues to be a sign that manifest God’s presence in the world today. It challenges us to draw near, to seek more and to discover his fuller message. French philosopher Blaise Pascal once wrote: “there is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God the Creator made known through Jesus Christ.” He is the star that enlightens and fills up our lives.
Prayer:Lord, may I constantly be open to your light and courageously step forward to embrace you. Amen.
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