As we have just entered 2022, let us first wish you all the peace in the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Over the last year, the people of Hong Kong continued to struggle with Covid-19 and even the variant, Omicron, while medical experts continued to search for solutions. Although our daily life seems to be back to “normal,” travelling—the favourite activity of many Hong Kong people—has yet to be restored. Meanwhile, wearing masks has become a new normal and the old smiling faces are hardly seen underneath. In the light of all sorts of challenges, how can we find our ways to live our own lives?
In his Christmas Message for 2021, Bishop Stephen Chow Sau Yan, sj, observed that the Son of God was born human to walk with us and be with us. This love calls us to accompany those in need, to listen to them empathetically, feel for them, celebrate their achievements and failures, stand by them, look ahead with them, and point them to the hope and love that are of God. In doing so, we become God’s messengers.
Christmas celebrates the grace of the incarnation of the Son of God; the Epiphany celebrates God granting this grace to us and manifesting it to the entire world: “to bring the good news to the afflicted…to proclaim liberty to captives, sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,to proclaim a year of favour from the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19).
“Epiphany” comes from the Greek word, epiphaneia [ἐπιφάνεια],meaning, a glorious manifestation—in this case, of God.
After the Second Vatican Council, the name of this feast day was officially changed from “Three Kings” to “Epiphany.” It commemorates the manifestation of Jesus as God Himself, the King of all generations and his love for the gentiles, represented by the magi venerating the baby Jesus.
Epiphany calls all people to know Christ, to be baptised into the Church, become God’s children and undertake the part in the mission of proclaiming hte good news of salvation.
The magi followed certain astronomical signs and stars in making the long journey from the East to Jerusalem. They came from afar specially to visit and venerate the newly born King.
The magi symbolise humanity’s desire for the Lord Jesus, and the hope of finding peace and tranquillity in their hearts. In today’s world, the magi also represent those who seek the truth, justice and the enhancement of the quality of life and spiritual nourishment.
Behind the new normal of mask-wearing, we also discover people’s pursuit and desire for a change of mood. Even though we cannot clearly see if they are happy or not, we can see that the masks on their faces are more colourfully decorated with all kinds of cartoon figures and animal patterns.
These fancy masks show that people are becoming more positive and optimistic. Similarly, the long journey that the magi painfully took to see little Jesus represents humanity’s pursuit, confidence and hope for the future. SE
