I had an Epiphany

Happy Feast of the Epiphany

Did you know:

In the ancient Western Church and in the East, Epiphany was more important than the relative latecomer Christmas. 

Epiphany is from the Greek word for a divine “manifestation” or “revelation”.  

There are many “epiphanies” of God in the Scripture.  Think, for example, of the burning bush encountered by Moses.

               

That Epiphany was thought to be not only the day the Magi came to adore Christ, but also the same day years later when He changed water into wine at Cana, and also when He was baptized by St. John in the Jordan.  In each mysterious event, Jesus was revealed to be more than a mere man: He is man and God.

The three wise men (Magi) are symbols of the three sons of Noah – Shem, Ham, Japheth – who repopulated the earth after the great flood.

The three wise men are symbols of the Three Ages of Man: childhood, maturity, old age.

That you experience an epiphany each time you go to Mass.  Just as Moses encountered God in the burning bush, you encounter Jesus in the Eucharist.