The Epiphany of the Lord, Sunday, January 4, 2026

I’ve listened to many stories of people who were overly self-reliant, hit rock bottom, and only then finally surrendered to Jesus. And almost without exception, they speak about how grateful they became for God’s mercy. They knew they had been ignoring God. They weren’t giving Him time during the day. They were depending almost entirely on themselves.

Some of those stories involved people getting drawn into astrology, things like tarot cards or fortune-telling. For a while, it gave them a sense of control over their lives, even a feeling of power. But when they eventually tried to step away from it, things became spiritually dark. I’ll leave it at that.


What followed was often a long period of prayer and suffering before they finally came to Jesus and surrendered to Him. And when they did, He freed them. He gave them peace.


In the same way, the Magi were astrologers. They studied the stars and looked to created things, not God, to give them direction in life. And, like so many things, that can work for a time but, in the end, it does not lead to fulfillment.


Yet, in His goodness, God led those Magi to Himself.


That is exactly what the prophet Isaiah foretells in our first reading: “Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance.” God draws even those far from Him, not by force, but by light.


In our own day, that same desire to control our lives apart from God is still very real. There is the temptation not to pray. The temptation to stay home instead of coming to Mass. The temptation to settle for watching Mass online, even when we are fully capable of being here in person.


And that temptation toward self-reliance becomes even stronger when suffering enters our lives. We see this today in the growing acceptance of assisted suicide, which shows how easily pain and fear can lead people to despair, and to trust in control more than God.


When the Magi finally encountered Jesus, the Gospel tells us they returned home by another way. In other words, their lives were changed. Once they met Jesus, they could not go back the same way they came.


That is the invitation for us today. If you want an encounter with God, seek Him honestly, and be willing to go another way; the way of Jesus.


And here is the good news: you are already in a far better position than the Magi were. You are already here. You already belong to Jesus. And because you belong to Him, you are known, you are loved, and you are precious to Him.


In just a few moments, Jesus will come to us, not as a sign in the sky, but truly present on this altar. Let Him meet you here, and let Him lead you by His way.

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