It’s one of those feasts not everyone celebrates on the same day. Then again, what feast does everyone celebrate on the same day? Not even New Years!

The Epiphany for we Christians is celebrating the three wise men coming from the East to see the baby Jesus. Apparently, there was a fourth wise man, but he got lost. Turns out he wasn’t all that wise..hmm.

An “epiphany” is a revelation, a sudden discovery or realisation; like when we’re driving along and see a police car and receive an epiphany that keeping under the speed limit is a really good idea. 

The three wise men saw a bright star they’d never noticed before.

They didn’t believe in the one God as Christians, Jews and Muslims do today, but rather, like the Aztecs, they sought direction and timing in this world from the constellations of the stars.

The brighter the star, the more significant the coming event.

Is that right? Well, if a meteorite the size of the earth was heading for the earth, I’d say definitely.    

There’s a story of an ugly man that no woman at his work even looked sideways at.  

One day he noticed these women grabbed the newspapers at morning tea to read their daily horoscope. So he got an idea.

He found out all the girls’ birthdays, and thus their star signs, and started making their horoscopes and his dreams come true.

For example, if the Sagittarius in the office “is to receive love with the softness of violets” this ugly guy would wear a purple shirt to work and hang out at her desk all day.

If the Gemini girl’s horoscope told her “your true love will soon take you into beautifully uncharted waters” he’d invite her on a mystery boat ride.

Pretty soon the planets really lined up for this ugly guy with all the women in the office in love with him, until the same newspaper and astrology page exposed the ugly man’s scam. What happened when these nice ladies found out? Armageddon.

Fortunately, the three wise men fared much better. Why? Sincerity.

The wise men searched for the “King of the Jews” as they put it, and they saw his star rise in the East.

Their sincerity of heart in finding him was most admirable as the journey would have been long and tedious, but the joy upon finding him and their faith confirmed by the manifestation of the divine before them would have been great. They even brought him gifts!

Jesus taught that wherever your treasure lies, there will you find your heart. 

Remember when your mother would say “Get the butter out of the fridge (please)” and you’d reply “I looked and it’s not there!” then she’d say “Yes it is! It’s in a yellow container!” and you’d say “No it isn’t! I just looked!”

Then your mother goes to the fridge and picks up the butter container that was right in front of your face all along. 

Why didn’t you see it?

You looked, but not with sincerity.

You had a “guy look” because finding that butter was no big deal to you, or maybe you didn’t want it to be there.

The three wise men were sincere in their search and so found the one all the evil king’s soldiers couldn’t.

Whatever good you’re searching for in life, you’re more likely to find it if you search with sincerity. 

FATHER BRENDAN LEE

Twitter: @frbrendanelee