We might not have an idea of how difficult the voyage of the Magi, also known as the Three Kings or the Three Wise Men, was. 

   Their journey has been incorporated into our jolly Christmas jingles. So it may feel like the Magi just bought gifts from the Palm Beach outlet malls and continued to walk a few miles to St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Delray Beach to meet Jesus.

   The Magi came from the East, most likely from the countries of Persia or Arabia, which means they had to walk for about 1,300 miles to get to Bethlehem. They encountered many difficulties along the way, such as harmful elements, wild animals, and extreme weather in the desert and the mountains. They walked for a couple of months before reaching Bethlehem.

  The Magi stopped in the palace when they reached Jerusalem.  They thought that as a king, the child would be born in the royal place, as many of us may perceive.  As a result, the Magi lost sight of the star.

   They encountered a challenge and an apparent temptation in the palace. King Herod, threatened by the birth of the newborn king, offered the Magi fabulous rewards to help him locate the child. He tried to trick them into thinking that he, too, would worship and pay tribute to the newborn king.

   Remember that they were astronomers and wise men. Think about the opportunities or job offers proposed to them so that they would collaborate with Herod.  However, they managed to overcome this temptation by connecting to the promptings of God in their journey.

          The Magi resumed their journey to Bethlehem, around 10 miles from Jerusalem. They found the child, surrounded by animals, in a cave.  Seeing the newborn child in a manger was the second great temptation of the Magi. They might have doubted whether the child was, indeed, the King. He appeared very ordinary.

          The Magi could have rejected this smallness and ordinariness.  Instead, they knelt and worshiped Jesus, offering Him their precious symbolic gifts. 

   The Magi had faith and were not deceived by the splendor of worldly power. They passed from human calculations to divine perception.  They entered the realms of God. This encounter is the meaning of epiphany—the discovery of God in life.  When we follow the examples of the Magi, we will also discover God in our lives. 

          After their visit, the angel appeared in their dream, saying go back using a different way. Do not go back to Herod.

          After this gospel, we did not hear any more about the Magi.  What did they do? Where did they go? 

   We, the faithful, complete the story and the journey of the Magi. We can identify with the Magi in various ways.

          We may not be able to meet our expectations in life like the Magi.  We work hard for our children, but sometimes they fail us. We work hard for our marriage and relationship, but they do not prosper for some reason. Our future may be uncertain. We may be discouraged.

          Like the angel prompting the Magi to go the opposite way, Jesus tells us there is always a new way to begin a new journey.  Embark on a new path. Although the path may be challenging, we will discover God’s manifestation–the epiphany in our life that leads us to experience our journey’s true meaning and joy.