Meditation

Today, the Solemnity of the Epiphany, we contemplate the episode of the Magi (cf. Mt 2:1-12). They undertake a long and arduous journey to worship “the King of the Jews” (v. 2). They are guided by the wondrous sign of a star, and when they finally arrive at their destination, instead of finding something magnificent, they see a child with his mother. They could have protested: “All this way and all these sacrifices, only to find themselves before a poor child?” And yet, they are not scandalized, they are not disappointed. They do not complain. What do they do? They prostrate themselves. “They entered the house,” says the Gospel, “and saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him” (v. 11).

Let us think of these wise men who came from afar, rich, cultured, and renowned, prostrating themselves—that is, bending to the ground—to worship a child! It seems a contradiction. It is surprising, such a humble gesture from such illustrious men. Prostrating oneself before an authority figure who presented himself with the symbols of power and glory was commonplace in those times. And even today, it would not be strange. But before the Child of Bethlehem, it is not simple. It is not easy to worship this God, whose divinity is hidden and does not appear triumphantly. It means welcoming the greatness of God, which is manifested in smallness: that is the message. The Magi humble themselves before the extraordinary logic of God; they welcome the Lord not as they imagined him, but as he is, small and poor. Their prostration is a sign of those who put aside their own ideas and make room for God. It takes humility to do that.

The Gospel emphasizes this point: it doesn't simply say that the Magi adored; it stresses that they prostrated themselves and worshipped him. Let us grasp this detail: adoration goes hand in hand with prostration. By performing this act, the Magi show that they humbly welcome the One who presents himself in humility. And it is in this way that they open themselves to the adoration of God. The caskets they open are a reflection of their open hearts: their true wealth lies not in reputation or success, but in humility, in recognizing their need for salvation. And this is the example the Magi give us today.

Dear brothers and sisters, if we always remain at the center of everything, clinging to our own ideas and presuming to boast of something before God, we will never truly encounter Him, we will never be able to worship Him. If our pretensions, our vanities, our stubbornness, our striving to distinguish ourselves do not fade away, we may end up worshipping someone or something in life, but it will not be the Lord! If, on the contrary, we abandon our pretension of self-sufficiency, if we humble ourselves, we will rediscover the wonder of worshipping God. Because worship comes through humility of heart, those obsessed with self-importance fail to recognize the Lord's presence. Jesus passes by and is ignored, as happened to many at that time, but not to the Magi.

Brothers and sisters, as we look at them today, we ask ourselves: How is my humility? Am I convinced that pride is hindering my spiritual progress? This pride, whether overt or hidden, often obscures our yearning for God. Am I working on my docility, to be available to God and others, or am I still focused on myself, on my own pretensions, with that hidden selfishness that is vanity? Do I know how to set aside my own perspective to embrace that of God and others? And finally: Do I pray and worship only when I need something, or do I do so consistently because I believe I always need Jesus? The Magi set out on their journey, looking towards a star, and they found Jesus. They walked a long way. Today, we can follow this advice: look to the star and walk. Never stop walking, but never forget to look to the star. This is today's advice; it is strong: look at the star and walk, look at the star and walk.

May the Virgin Mary, servant of the Lord, teach us to rediscover the vital need for humility and rekindle our desire for adoration. May she teach us to look to the stars and to walk.

SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD

POPE FRANCIS

ANGELUS

Saint Peter's Square

Thursday, January 6, 2022

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