Vatican City, Jan 6, 2025 / 12:05 pm (CNA).
The star the Magi followed to find the Christ Child is a symbol of God’s love for all people and not a sign of the power and fame of those who think of themselves as “stars,” Pope Francis said on Epiphany.
In his homily at Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Jan. 6, the pope said the Magi “were satisfied by a different kind of light, symbolized by the star, which illumines and warms others by allowing itself to burn brightly and be consumed.”
“The star,” he continued, “speaks to us of that unique light that can show to all people the way to salvation and happiness, namely that of love. This is the only light that can make us happy.”
The solemnity of the Epiphany marks when the Magi, also called the Wise Men or three kings, arrived at the birthplace of Jesus bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. According to Scripture, when the Magi, who had been guided by a star from the east, found the child Jesus, they “prostrated themselves and did him homage.”
Italy and the Vatican celebrate Epiphany on the traditional date of Jan. 6, while in the United States, its celebration has been moved to the Sunday between Jan. 2 and Jan. 8.
Pope Francis in his homily explained that the light that makes us truly happy is, above all, “the love of God, who became man and gave himself to us by sacrificing his life.”
He asked Catholics to think about how they can be this same light for others, becoming with God’s help “a mutual sign of hope, even in the darkest nights of our lives.”
“Are we radiant with hope? Are we able to give hope to others with the light of our faith?” he said.
Part of the papal Mass for Epiphany, after the proclamation of the Gospel, was the announcement by a deacon of the dates of “moveable feasts” in the Catholic Church in 2025, beginning with Easter Sunday, which will be April 20.
“From Easter flow all holy days,” the deacon said, as he also proclaimed the dates of Ash Wednesday (March 5), the Ascension of the Lord (May 29), Pentecost (June 8), and the first Sunday of Advent (Nov. 30). These are “moveable feasts” because their observance falls on different calendar dates in different years.
In his homily, the pontiff also recalled two other characteristics of the Star of Bethlehem: that it was visible to everyone and that it pointed the way.
“The star, which shines in the sky and offers its light to all, reminds us that the Son of God came into the world to encounter every man and woman on earth, whatever ethnic group, language, or people to which they belong, and that he entrusts to us that same universal mission,” he underlined.
Francis reiterated that “God calls us to reject anything that discriminates, excludes, or discards people and instead to promote, in our communities and neighborhoods, a strong culture of welcome, in which the narrow places of fear and denunciation are replaced by open spaces of encounter, integration, and sharing of life.”
The star is in the sky not to be “distant and inaccessible,” he said, “but so that its light may be visible to all, that it may reach every home and overcome every barrier, bringing hope to the most remote and forgotten corners of the planet.”
That the Star of Bethlehem indicates a direction is also a helpful point of reflection during the Jubilee Year 2025, the pope said.
He noted that one of the main features of the newly-begun holy year is pilgrimage, and the light of the star “invites us to undertake an interior journey that, as St. John Paul II wrote [in a 1999 letter], frees our hearts from all that is not charity, in order to ‘encounter Christ fully, professing our faith in him and receiving the abundance of his mercy.’”
“By looking at the star, we can also renew our commitment to be women and men of ‘the Way,’ as Christians were referred to in the first years of the Church,” Pope Francis said.
In his meditation before the Angelus shortly after Mass, the pope asked Christians to reflect on whether they are more like the shepherds and Magi who actively sought Jesus or those who, despite living in Jerusalem, remained at “their ‘desks.’”
“Are we more similar to the shepherds, who on the very night [of Christ’s birth] itself go in haste to the grotto, and the Magi from the east, who set out confidently in search of the Son of God made man; or are we more similar to those who, despite being physically very close to him, do not open the doors of their heart and their life, remaining closed and insensitive to Jesus’ presence?” he said.
After leading the traditional Marian prayer, which he did standing at a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square, Francis offered his warm wishes to the Eastern Christians who will celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7.
“I assure in a special way my prayer for those who suffer as a result of ongoing conflicts. May Jesus, prince of peace, bring peace and serenity to all of them!” he said.
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The Pope’s first X post today says the Magi went in search of the star. Seems an odd rendering. It could simply be that what it was, they knew which star would signify the event and what they discovered is that it came in their lifetimes on their own watch. A thing that set off the wonder of the incident.
The related Scripture passage has nuances that the Pope seems to have missed. The Magi assert by the fact of the star’s appearance that the child had already been born: “Where is the newborn?”
Apparently what they perceive as “expected King of the Jews”, Herod apprehends as the Messiah. It does not say the Magi did know it was the Messiah and told Herod or if Herod confirmed the sentiment to them and shared it.
The Holy Father then goes on extensively about openness and welcoming and not being confined to a desk; however, the Magi were warned not to go back to Herod and they departed by another way. In other words they did not tell a whole section of Jews and presumably many others besides.
From Scripture we know that local shepherds were visited upon by angels. It would be reasonable to suppose that this group was ignorant of the astronomy and astrologicals and cosmologicals. It’s not all about just the star.
But in fairness, the shepherds would have been present shortly after Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem; whereas the Magi can be considered to have arrived separately some later time afterwards most likely not in Bethlehem but in the new place where the Holy Family had moved to beforehand, now a house.
Jesus was recognized in altogether different circumstances again at the Presentation.
This is about the Infant Jesus. It is saying that the encounter with the Christ Child is only a beginning or awakening, definitely not the be-all and end-all of the meaning of meeting God-become-Man. Who comes to mind for me here is Mother Angelica.
I always hesitate when I am told “You have to find the light in yourself …..”. Truly I do. May the Lord be our Light.
Upon the departure of the Magi, an angel warned Joseph to move from his own desk –as it were; and flee the country. The angel did not tell him take the child and show off his lights to Herod and soldiers and all and sundry.
In that sense all of the actors became inaccessible and were made to be separated from one another!
‘ As we reflect on the Magi, who fixed their eyes on heaven in search of the star, let us ask the Lord that we might be bright lights that can lead one another to an encounter with Him. (Mt 2:1-12) ‘ – per Pope Francis at X
https://x.com/Pontifex/status/1876244830436671620