Dear friends, this is the question that the Church wishes to awaken in the hearts of all men: who is Jesus? This is the spiritual longing that drives the mission of the Church: to make Jesus known, his Gospel, so that every man can discover in his human face the face of God, and be illumined by his mystery of love. Epiphany pre-announces the universal opening of the Church, her call to evangelize all peoples. But Epiphany also tells us in what way the Church carries out this mission: reflecting the light of Christ and proclaiming his Word. Christians are called to imitate the service that the star gave the Magi. We must shine as children of the light, to attract all to the beauty of the Kingdom of god. And to all those who seek truth, we must offer the Word of God, which leads to recognizing in Jesus “the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20).

—Benedict XVI.

It is Epiphany. These are the three Magi from Ravenna, from the Adoration of the Magi from Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, dated to c. 504/560 and later. #MosaicMonday pic.twitter.com/XtpCtzaI13

— Ulla Rajala 💗 #Dig4Arch 🇺🇦 (@UllaMR) January 6, 2025

There are 26 in total,

take a look at them all.

A man takes a dip in icy waters during the #Epiphany celebration, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in #Kyiv, #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/6oG9kLwKt9

— Hans Solo (@thandojo) January 7, 2025

O God, who by the guidance of a star didst manifest to the Gentiles the glory of thine only begotten Son: Grant us grace that, being led by the light of thy Holy Spirit, we may, in adoring love and lowliest reverence, yield ourselves to thy service; that thy kingdom of righteousness and peace may be advanced among all nations, to the glory of thy name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

¿Eran Reyes?¿Eran Magos?¿Eran sabios?…👑👑👑
¡Eran astrólogos! 🌠
Te contamos el origen de la historia de los Reyes Magos.👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
📸 Libro de Horas de Clintonhttps://t.co/DzYbalQEkY pic.twitter.com/AVCm7lsq5w

— Biblioteca Nacional de España (@BNE_biblioteca) January 5, 2025

“Recently we celebrated the day on which the Lord was born of the Jews; today we are celebrating the one on which he was worshiped by the Gentiles; because salvation is from the Jews (Jn 4:22); but this salvation reaches to the ends of the earth (Is 49:6). On that day the shepherds worship him, on this one the Magi. To those the message was brought by angels, to these by a star. Both learned about him from heaven, when they saw the king of heaven on earth, so that there might be glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will (Lk 2:14).”

For he is our peace, who made both into one (Eph 2:14). Already from this moment, by the way he was born and proclaimed, the infant is shown to be that cornerstone; already from the first moments of his birth he appeared as such. He began at once to tie together in himself two walls coming from different directions, bringing the shepherds from Judea, the Magi from the East; so that he might establish the two in himself as one new man, making peace; peace for
those who were far off, and peace for those who were near (Eph 2: 15. 17). Thus it is that those hurrying up from nearby on the very day, and these arriving today from far away, marked two days to be celebrated by posterity, and yet both saw the one light of the world.

–Sermon 199, On The Lords Epiphany

6th January is the feast of the Epiphany. Here is depicted the epiphany of the divine in the three gifts of the Magi, and the transformation of water into wine at Cana.

Bamberg State Library Msc.Lit. 1; Sacramentary; early 11th century; Fulda; f.30r pic.twitter.com/mxULlj8Ufi

— Ennius (@red_loeb) January 4, 2025

Listen to and ponder it all–more than once.

You may find the full text there (note that the audio is TS Eliot himself reading the poem).

Listen to and ponder it all–more than once.

You may find the full text there (note that the audio is TS Eliot himself reading the poem).

O Blessed Jesus, who by the shining of a star didst manifest thyself to them that sought thee: Show thy heavenly light to us, and give us grace to follow until we find thee; finding, to rejoice in thee; and rejoicing, to present to thee ourselves, our souls and bodies, for thy service for evermore: for thine honour and glory.

'Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, 'Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage''
Matthew 2: 1-3#Epiphany pic.twitter.com/8SLCelXN3b

— Westminster Abbey (@wabbey) January 6, 2025

For thus says the Lord: “You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money. For thus says the Lord God: My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there, and the Assyrian oppressed them for nothing. Now therefore what have I here, says the Lord, seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Their rulers wail, says the Lord, and continually all the day my name is despised. Therefore my people shall know my name; therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here am I.”

–Isaiah 52:3-6

Wow, that sky at sunrise!
Happy Tuesday 🤩
Waterbeach 🧡 pic.twitter.com/tM7fYnQCPr

— Veronica in the Fens 🧚🏼‍♀️ My Heart in Nature (@VeronicaJoPo) January 7, 2025