Tuesday 6 January 2026
Lectio Divina:*
Meditatio:
“When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with
joy.“ (Matthew 2:10)
‘Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of
the Lord has risen upon you.. (Isaiah 60:1)
‘’ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome
it” (John 1:5)
These two verses speak powerfully to us at the start of another calendar year, especially when it feels as though our world is sunk in darkness and the light has been overshadowed for a time in the depths of our Northern winter. Christmas draws to a close with the feast of the Epiphany — from the Greek theophaneia, meaning the appearance of God to human beings. The story of that first epiphany is rich in symbolism, and we do well to read it in that spirit, without trying to fill in every historical gap. Matthew invites us into a larger narrative, one that asks for imagination as well as faith.
The journey of the wise ones — the magi —
was anything but easy. Travel in such conditions demanded stamina, hope, and
trust that the destination was worth the hardship. Their world, like ours, was
marked by danger and the schemes of powerful figures who manipulated and oppressed.
To reach Bethlehem, the pilgrims from the East needed discretion, courage, and
perseverance to navigate Herod’s deceit.
Astrology, then as now, attracted those
searching for meaning and reassurance even if we see it as a sign, today, of gullibility
and false religion. But the star that guided the magi was of a different order
to man-made fables. It acted like an inner light, a magnetic pull drawing
strangers across hundreds of kilometres of barren desert to a humble place
where they found more than they could have imagined. Matthew tells us they were
not merely joyful but “overwhelmed with joy.” And they travelled not alone but
together. When they reached the place where the star rested, they joined
Joseph, Mary, and Jesus — and where two or three were gathered, the Messiah of
Israel was already in their midst.
The magi made their arduous journey, found
what they sought, and returned home transformed. In simple terms:
- ·
They sought love;
- ·
They discovered they were
loved;
- ·
They remained in grace-given
love;
- ·
And they returned love.
The alignment of events that brought them
to Bethlehem likely took years of searching, missteps, and renewed effort. And
their journey did not end at the manger. What they found sent them back to
their own lands with a deeper purpose. How many stories did they tell? How many
lives were touched by their witness?
They could well have prayed with the psalmist:
O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name.
Or they might have anticipated Augustine’s
later confession:
Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new. You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you.(Confessions, 10.27)
And so we continue our own journeys,
seeking meaning, renewal, and connection. Like the magi, we must attend to the
stars — both within and without — that guide us. We find that inner light when we
cultivate a disciplined attentiveness shaped by compassion. “Mindfulness” may sound
like a cliché, yet it remains a genuine spiritual challenge. Let’s start this
new year with Mary who “treasured all these words and pondered them in her
heart” (Luke
2:19). Mary becomes the first disciple not by
speaking, but by listening.
Oratio
Collect
O God of light and
leading, who drew the magi from distant lands by the brightness of a star, guide
us also by the radiance of your Word. As
they sought the Christ with courage,
found him with joy, and returned transformed to their own places, grant that
we, too, may seek your truth with open hearts, recognise your presence in
humble places,
and walk the paths you set before us in love. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Footnotes
*
These readings are taken from the Sunday lectionary used in most
Catholic churches. The source is BibleGateway.com:
A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages (using
the New Revised Standard Version - anglicised catholic edition). Psalms in this
Blog are numbered according to the Hebrew (Masoretic) text with the Greek
Septuagint/Vulgate numbering in parenthesis where applicable.
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