Epiphany — The Light Is for the Nations,Vigil, St Edward’s

The Feast of the Epiphany tells us something essential about God.

He does not keep Himself hidden.

He reveals Himself —
not only to one people,
not only to the familiar,
but to the nations.

That is what epiphany means:
a manifestation, a making-known.

The prophet Isaiah speaks into real darkness —
confusion, fear, instability.

And he says: “Arise, shine, for your light has come.”

Notice what Isaiah does not say.

He does not say, create your own light.
He does not say, wait until things improve.

He says: the light has already come.

Darkness does not retreat because people become better.
Darkness retreats because God acts.

That is the first truth of Epiphany.

Isaiah goes further:

“Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by the brightness of your dawn.”

This is not Israel expanding its influence.
This is God drawing the world to Himself.

Epiphany is not about curiosity.
It is about attraction.

Light attracts.
Truth draws.
Grace calls.

And the Church has always seen this fulfilled
in the coming of the Magi.

The Magi arrive quietly — but decisively.

They are not part of Israel.
They do not know the Law.
They do not have the Scriptures.

But they recognise a sign.
And they move.

This is important.

God does not reveal Himself only to those already inside.
He reveals Himself to those who respond.

The Magi do not have perfect knowledge.
They have obedience.

They follow the light they are given.

Then the Gospel places Herod beside them.

Herod knows the Scriptures.
He knows the prophecies.
He knows where the Messiah is to be born.

But he does not move toward the light.

He resists it.

Epiphany gives us this warning quietly but clearly:

It is possible to know about Christ
and still refuse Him.

Knowledge without conversion
hardens rather than saves.

The Magi say something very simple:

“We saw His star and have come to do Him homage.”

They do not say, we saw His star and discussed it.
They do not say, we saw His star and formed an opinion.

They came to worship.

And when they find the child, the Gospel is careful:

“They fell down and worshipped Him.”

Before they offer gifts,
they offer themselves.

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh
come after adoration.

St Paul explains what is happening beneath the surface.

The mystery hidden for ages
has now been revealed:

The Gentiles are fellow heirs.
Members of the same body.
Sharers in the promise.

Epiphany tells us what the Church is.

She exists
so that the light of Christ
may reach every people,
every culture,
every life.

Faith cannot remain private.
Light is meant to shine.

Then the Gospel ends with a line that should never be rushed past:

“They went home by another way.”

That is not geography.
It is theology.

Encountering Christ
always changes direction.

As Fulton J. Sheen once put it:

“The wise men came to Christ by one road,
but they went home by another.
That is always the way with Christ.
No one ever meets Him
and goes home the same.”

That is the question Epiphany places before us.

Have we truly encountered Christ —
or only the story of Him?

Because if the light has been received,
something changes.

Not everything at once.
But direction.

Tonight the Church proclaims something bold:

The light has come.
The nations are invited.
Christ is revealed.

And that light still shines — here, at this altar, in the Eucharist.

The child the Magi adored
is the Lord we worship tonight.

May we not be like Herod —
knowing but resisting.

May we be like the Magi —
seeking, responding, and worshipping.

And having encountered Christ,
like the Magi,
may we go home by another way —
not the same as we arrived.