Three Kings Day

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem

2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”...

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.

10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

- Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11

It may be January, but we’re not quite done with the Christmas story! Happy Three Kings Day! Today is the Feast of the Epiphany, a holiday commonly celebrated in Spanish-speaking countries that marks the day that the three kings, or magi, finally completed their journey and presented their gifts to Jesus.

Whether this holiday is a common tradition in your family or one you’ve never heard of, it has powerful implications for our faith. And in the spirit of not letting the nativity story be confined to just December, it’s a holiday I don’t want us to miss.

Epiphany is a Greek word that means manifestation. We recognize the arrival of the magi as the first manifestation of God in human form to non-Jews or Gentiles. God has manifested through baby Jesus to these three men as they offer their gifts. There are two beautiful things we can observe on this holiday. First - the three kings displayed great courage in their quest. They traveled far, through unknown and war-ravaged lands, to find this Savior. And second - Jesus unites the world, He unites Jews and Gentiles, different kingdoms, and men from all backgrounds, as He is recognized as the one true “King of kings.”

Epiphany is a day with fun traditions that resemble many of our favorite Christmas traditions, such as receiving gifts, eating a special cake, or leaving salt and straw for the animals of the magi. But more than another day of celebration, it is an opportunity to recognize the bigger meaning of the birth of Jesus. The coming of Christ is not confined to December. He is not limited to a fun story and a couple of nostalgic movies.

The coming of Christ is a radical shift in the direction of the world. What sin left divided, siloed, and hostile, Christ redeems, reconciles, and restores.

At the birth of this Savior, three kings put aside their differences and persevered through danger just to get a glimpse of His face. That is the power of Christ, that is the truth of Jesus, that is the Spirit we champion as we enter a brand new year.

In a world that feels endlessly divided, constantly terrorized by disagreements over masks, opinions, and Facebook fights - we see Ephiphany, the manifestation of Christ. The King of kings. The One to whom all must submit, the One who brings us all together.

2021 wasn’t easy, and along the way, a lot of bridges were burned. Let’s make 2022 different. Our God is one that brings people together, that shows up in the dark spaces and invites us to choose love above all. That’s what the three kings did. They did anything to see Jesus. They let go of their agendas just to get a glimpse of His face.

This year, would you do the same? Let’s put the same old stale arguments to rest. Let’s submit our less important opinions for the most important truth: a Savior was born, a Savior rose from the dead.

And through Him, we can all know the kind of love that overcomes everything.

Cristina Schmitter

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