Good ole’ Webster’s Dictionary gives us these definitions and quite frankly I can’t think of any better.

1. "An observance in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation, (presentation) of Christ to the Gentiles.
2. An appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being
3. a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something, an intuitive grasp of reality, an illuminating discovery."

An Epiphany is a sudden clarification of something. I will never forget the first time I met my wife. She had come to the church that I was serving and sang for our revival. As I sat there she truly had the most beautiful voice I have ever heard - and still does. But as she was leaving she shook my hand, looked me square in the eyes and said - "Call me." An Epiphany occurred - I realized at that very moment that I was going to marry that woman! Epiphany is the day the Lights go on! It’s the day when you are no longer in the dark.

Our Gospel lesson this morning allows us to understand Epiphany in it’s truest meaning through some wise men. Traditionally we have referred to them as "The Three Wise men," but of truth be known we don’t know that to be fact - but for me that’s one of those things that just isn’t worth the argument. At times we have referred to these men as kings but the Gospel does not refer to them as kings.

The word "Magi" is actually translated into something like "astrologers." They represented the Gentile population - the other than Jewish people groups throughout the world. The Magi were on a quest or "journey." They were on a journey to a place they did not know. They had no idea where they were going or what they would find once they got there. All they knew was that they had to follow a Star - a Star that would take them on a journey to the place where the child was born who would become the "King of the Jews."

PINOCCHIO (1940) is the timeless story of a wooden puppet that wants nothing more than to be a real boy, a wish also echoed by the puppet's creator, Geppetto. One fine night the Blue Fairy descends from the skies and promises to turn Pinocchio into a real flesh and blood little boy if he swears to be brave and unselfish and to learn right from wrong. The Blue Fairy then assigns Pinocchio a conscience - in the form of Jiminy Cricket. Pinocchio soon encounters villainous characters and his impetuous curiosity gets him into big trouble. Jiminy Cricket begins to sing: "When you wish upon a star / Makes no difference who you are / Anything your heart desires / Will come to you / If your heart is in your dreams / No request is too extreme / When you wish upon a star / As dreamers do / Fate is kind / She brings to those who love / The sweet fulfillment of / Their secret longing / Like a bolt out of the blue / Fate steps in and sees you through / When you wish upon a star / Your dream comes true."

The wise men not only wished upon a star, but believed in a star to lead them on a journey to a place where they would eventually fall down and worship the Lord - the King of Kings, the Son of Almighty God.

"Everything on earth, everything in our life must lead us to worship the Lord of universe! The sun, which God gives us to illuminate and warm us, must serve us in our praise of the Lord and in our adoration of him. The star that guided the wise men also helped them to adore God: "Going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him." The sun which we see every day, and notably on Sunday, is the sign that reminds us that Christ is the Light come into this world! The star that guided the wise men proclaimed to them that the Lord was going to come into this world to illuminate it through his Word!"
(Taken From Father Daniel Meynen’s Homilies On Line.)

This past weekend we experienced "Ice Storm 1999." I heard on the television that some 11,000 + people were without electricity - in the dark. I began to look around for candles and matches and flashlights because the dark is not a very fun place to be. Yet there are millions more in the dark when it comes to having an intimate relationship with Christ.

What about you? Do you see? Has the Light gone on? Has it dawned on you that the only way to happiness, to love, to peace, to academic success, to true spirituality - the only way to anything that is good comes through a journey of following a Star that leads us as it did the wise men - to the Savior, the Son of God.

Amen.