Epiphany Reflection
By Fr. Jim McDougall
St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Ann Arbor

+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
After Jesus' birth in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of King Herod, astrologers from the east arrived one day in Jerusalem inquiring, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We observed his star at its rising and have come to pay him homage." At this news King Herod became greatly disturbed, and with him all Jerusalem. Summoning all of the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. "In Bethlehem of Judea," they informed him. "Here is what the prophet has written: 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the princes of Judah, since from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel."' Herod called the astrologers aside and found out from them the exact time of the star's appearance. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, after having instructed them: "Go and get detailed information about the child. When you have discovered something, report your findings to me so that I may go and offer him homage too." After their audience with the king, they set out. The star which they had observed at its rising went ahead of them until it came to a standstill over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house, found the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their coffers and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They received a message in a dream not to return to Herod, so they went back to their own country by another route. The Gospel of the Lord.

Perhaps you've seen the touching Christmas episode of The West Wing which first aired two years ago but was recently repeated. A few days before Christmas, Toby Ziegler, the President's acerbic communications director, receives a call from the D.C. police asking if he knows a homeless man who had died in the cold the night before. Toby has no ideas who the man is. The police find Toby's card in the coat the man was wearing -- Toby had given the coat to a shelter long ago. Toby discovers that the man was a decorated Vietnam veteran; his only survivor is a brother who also lives on the streets. Toby uses his Presidential connections to arrange for the man's internment with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery on Christmas Eve. During the last five minutes of the episode, the scene switches back and forth between a children's choir -- surrounded by beautiful poinsettias and candles -- performing for the President and the White House staff, and the austere Arlington honor guard laying the homeless veteran to rest, attended only by Toby, the man's brother, and the President's secretary. At first, you only see the children's choir singing The Carol of the Drum; but as the scene cuts to the hearse pulling up to the grave sit at Arlington, the orchestra begins the relentless bass rum-tum-tum, rum-tum-tum of the carol. In those last few moments of the program, the same drum beat that celebrates the birth of the Christ child accompanies a homeless veteran on his last journey.

The haunting drums on that episode of The West Wing mirrors the paradox of the Epiphany. We rejoice with the magi at the Messiah's coming, but the work of the Messiah will lead to rejection, ridicule and death. The light of Christ will shatter the darkness, but the darkness will not disperse willingly. Jesus, who will preach compassion and forgiveness, who will welcome the poor and rejected, who will bring healing and joy into the lives of the hurting and lost, will be brought to ruin by the Herods and Judases. But the promise of Epiphany is that the light of Christ will ultimately triumph. As the magi depart, and we get back to "normal life," let us be resolved to walk with Christ from the manger in Bethlehem all the way to the hill outside of Jerusalem; to follow not just the beautiful star of Christmas but the hard road of the Gospel; The drums of the Christmas carol will be muted as the Christ event unfolds; but they shall beat once again in joy on Easter morning, the day of the Messiah's complete victory over the darkness.