EPIPHANY 2026
Homily for the Feast of the Epiphany (Year A)
My dear brothers and sisters,Have you ever been to a party where you felt like you didn’t quite belong? Maybe everyone else seemed to know each other, and you were the new person. It can be a little uncomfortable.Today’s feast, the Epiphany, is like the opposite of that. It’s the celebration of a party where the guest list turns out to be… everyone.In the Gospel, we meet the Magi. They were not part of the "in-crowd." They were foreigners, from a faraway land. They didn't worship the God of Israel. They probably had different customs, different food, different ways of seeing the world. And yet, God put a star in the sky just for them. He invited them to the party.
1. This is the first, and most important, message of Epiphany: God’s light is for everyone.
It doesn't matter who you are, where you come from, or what mistakes you’ve made. God finds a way to reach you. For the Magi, it was a star. For us, it might be the kind word of a friend, the beauty of a sunset, or a quiet moment in prayer when we suddenly feel we are not alone. God is constantly shining His light, inviting us to come closer. The Magi teach us what to do when we see that light. They didn't just sit at home and admire the star. They got up. They went. They made a long and difficult journey. Faith isn't just something we think about; it’s something we do. It’s taking that first step. But their journey wasn't perfect. They made a wrong turn. They went to Jerusalem, to the palace of King Herod, because they figured a new king would be born in a palace. It was a logical guess, but it was the wrong place. It was a place of earthly power, not divine love. How often do we do that? We look for God in the wrong places—in power, in wealth, in popularity. But God gently corrects us. He uses the Scriptures—the words of the chief priests and scribes—to point the Magi, and us, in the right direction: to Bethlehem, the humble house of bread. And when they finally found Him, something amazing happened. The Gospel tells us they "prostrated themselves and did him homage." And then, it says, "they departed for their country by another way."
2. This is the second beautiful message: An encounter with Jesus always changes our path.
You can’t meet Jesus and stay the same. You can’t look into the face of God’s love and go home the exact same person you were before. Your priorities shift. Your heart changes. You find a "different way" to live— a way with more kindness, more patience, more hope.My friends, as we begin this new year, the story of the Magi is our story. God is shining His light for you. He is inviting you to seek Him. And He promises that when you find Him, He will set you on a new path— a path that leads to life. Let's pray for the grace to be like the Magi: to have the courage to follow the light, the humility to look for Jesus in the humble places, and the faith to go home "by another way."
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Rev. Fr. SHADRACK MALO