Arise and shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and gross darkness the nations; but the LORD will rise upon you” (Isaiah 60:1-2)
In my Hispanic tradition, today, we celebrate Three Kings
Day. This day brings back beautiful memories of my childhood, as my siblings
and I prepared little boxes with grass and water for the camels, placing them
under the bed in anticipation of the morning to see what the kings had brought
us.
However, this day has another very important meaning; it is
also known as the Day of the Epiphany. What is Epiphany, many will ask? The
simple definition is manifestation or revelation. Today we celebrate the
manifestation or revelation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ, to some wise men
who came from the East to worship him.
In the Gospel of Matthew 2:1-2, we read: "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the
days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem,
saying, 'Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star
in the East and have come to worship him.'" The revelation of God
to these wise men represents the revelation of God to the Gentiles (any person
who was not Jewish was considered a Gentile).
When we read the words of the prophet Isaiah, we can
conclude that the meaning of this day of celebration is that Christ manifested
His Light to a world that lives spiritually in darkness. The birth of Jesus
represents a bright sunrise in a very dark place. When the sun rises in the
morning, its light dispels the darkness. When the Son of God enters the heart
of a person, He dispels the darkness of sin, and that life shines before God.
We all need an Epiphany. We are all sinners, and like these
wise men who came from the East, we all need to come and see the glory of God
that is revealed through the light of the Spirit and the person of Jesus
Christ. Just as the sun rises every morning in every nation, in every person,
regardless of nationality or skin color, in the same way, Jesus Christ reveals
Himself and illuminates our lives. His grace, His forgiveness, and His
salvation rise and illuminate the life of every person on this earth.
Every person is invited to believe in Jesus, to worship and
glorify His name, and to seek salvation in Him. It does not matter who you are;
He can take you out of the darkness and lead you to the light. May the Lord
bless you and keep you, and may these words help you renew your spirit.
Pastor Dimas
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