Epiphany of the Lord

Yesterday I made a rather embarrassing mistake. A friend dropped me off outside Tescos and, when I returned outside armed with my small bag of shopping, she had moved the car to the other side of the road. Unfortunately, I didn't notice until I climbed into the car parked in its place. Well, both cars were silver - it was an easy mistake to make! Im not really interested in cars and can't tell one model or make from the other! One car that I would take notice of, though, was the 1937 classic Bugatti car found in someone's lock up garage a year after they had died. Owned by reclusive Newcastle doctor Harold Carr it has stood in the garage, away from the public eye, along with a classic Aston Martin and a Jaguar E-type. The car is valued at £3m and will be sold next month by Bonham's in Paris. James Knight, international head of Bonhams' motoring department, said: "I have known of this Bugatti for a number of years and, like a select group of others, hadn't dared divulge its whereabouts to anyone. It is absolutely one of the last great barn discoveries.'

Over the last few weeks we have been celebrating a great barn discovery, the discovery of something valuable and precious: the birth of Jesus, the Word made flesh,Son of God and Son of Mary, born in a barn, who has come to share his love and show us how to live, to save us and lead us home. Today, we celebrate the discovery of the same thing, not in a stable but in a house, where wise men who have travelled from the east come in search of the new born king. Today the light of day has been cast on the barn. It's a discovery for all the world to see, and all the world can decide whether or not they think it is valuable or precious. But this is not the discovery of something old (although the God who reveals himself in Christ has existed before time began and it was through Christ that the world was created) but the beginning of something new, the beginning of our salvation. God in Christ has revealed himself to the world, he has placed himself in the public gaze, he has come to us at our level, for all the world to discover.

The wise men symbolise all who seek the Lord, all who wish to discover what’s important. They represent all who wish to discover the meaning of life, no matter what their race, religion, language or colour. Like them we too are seekers. We are people who look for meaning in life, people who want to get to grips with what it's really all about, people who look to God as the one who makes sense of who we are and what we are, people who are seeking to love and know Jesus more each day. There are lots of other people who are seeking and searching. We, too, as fellow seekers are called to encourage them in their journey, and to encourage each other as we grow closer to God in Christ. We are called to welcome all who come in the name of the Lord. The great barn discovery, then, is for you and for me, for us and for them. In terms of great barn discoveries it is the first and the last, and the only one that really matters!

Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:2-3. 5-6; Matthew 2:1-2
The illustration for the homily may be read here