Reflections from the Heart – January 8, 2023

The Epiphany of the Lord
by Fr. Ivan Olmo

“Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you.” Our lives and even life in general is often compared to or described as a journey, a trip, a pilgrimage, an adventure. We seem to be in a constant flow of movement, moving from one place to the next.  Always in a continuous state of movement towards something so much greater than us and ever beyond our reach.  Rather, better stated, we are moving towards someone so much greater than us and ever beyond our reach. However, we are destined one day to arrive to our true homeland and to encounter him who has already come and will come again in glory to be our judge and our guide. Our journey begins anew each year with our own advent. That is, our coming to the realization we are loved with a love beyond all telling but in such a need of life saving and redeeming grace.  Sin has caused so much darkness, blindness, confusion. We have lost our way and all sense of direction. We need God to advent again.  We need God’s light, his love, and his gift of salvation. We search for mercy.  We seek forgiveness.  We hope for pardon and peace.  We need our Savior to come to our rescue and be the hope, peace and joy we desire, long for, look for and need.  We come to realize that without him, we do not really know where we are going.  We do not really know the way to obtain his gracious gift and the grace he so graciously offers us.  We are encouraged during our journey and pilgrimage to be still, silent, to pray and be prepared for the coming of the Lord. To wait, wait for the Lord who advents to us once again. He promises to come one day and save us, his children.  He asks us to walk, walk by faith not by sight. To trust Jesus truly is the way, the truth, the life we seek and need. To wait patiently for the day of our Lord’s next arrival and to be faithful in preparing for the journey home. Until then, Jesus continues to come gloriously as light that shines upon us in scripture, in prayer, in person, in Eucharist.  We began our adventure with joyful anticipation singing, “O come, O come, Emmanuel.” We continue our pilgrim journey coming to “behold him, born the King of Angels” adoring him, thanking him for coming as the Light of the World and shining his glory upon us.