Gospel in Art: The Epiphany of the Lord

Reliquary of the Journey and Adoration of the Magi, Made in Limoges, France, 1200, Champlevé enamel on gilded copper; rock crystal; wood core © The Metropolitan Museum, New York

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 5 January 2025
Matthew 2:1-12

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.' When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, 'In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

"And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler

who will shepherd my people Israel."

Reflection on the reliquary

The night sky and its multitude of stars have always been a source of fascination for people. In the city we don't really see the night sky in all its splendour. The city lights dim our view, even when the sky is clear. Air pollution doesn't help either. Seeing the night sky from a place where there is no artificial light and no pollution is to see it in all its glory. Only then can we see its full splendour. We watch in awe how the sky is alive with stars and planets. This was how the night sky was seen by people in the time of Jesus. The wise men in today's gospel reading are often depicted in our cribs and carols as kings. However, the gospel describes them as magi, what we would call today astronomers. The wise men at the time of Jesus studied the movement of the stars in the hope that it would cast light on what was happening or about to happen on earth. The magi would have been associated with lands to the east of Israel, especially ancient Persia which is modern day Iran.

In the ancient world, the appearance of a new star or a comet was often associated with the birth or death of a great ruler. According to our gospel reading, when these magi from the east noticed a new star rising, they associated it with the birth of the long awaited King of the Jews, and so they set out in search of this child. Their fascination with the wonders of creation launched them on a spiritual journey, a pilgrimage. They found signs of God in the wonder and majesty of creation. Many of us today also find that God comes to us in and through the beauty and splendour of creation. A walk by the sea, along a river, in a beautiful park, or up a mountain, becomes a spiritual experience. It lifts our hearts to God.

In our own search for the Lord, there will often be dark forces, like Herod, that try to deflect us from our search. Yet, the story of the magi assures us that the guiding light of the Lord shines in that darkness and will always conquer. Our enamel reliquary depicts on the cover the Magi from the East wearing crowns like European kings. The one who leads points confidently towards a star ahead, while the second ruler is more circumspect, keeping his arm in check. The third, unsure, points back in the direction from which they came. On the lower panel, the kings have just dismounted in Bethlehem, still wearing their spurs. Each bears a gift-gold, frankincense and myrrh-for the child Jesus, who precociously blesses them as he sits on his mother's lap. Crowned and bearing a lily sceptre, Mary steadies her child. A haloed man cradling a book quietly looks on, he is perhaps the author of the gospel, Matthew, who is the only one who recorded this story.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-2-1-12-2025/