“Surge, illuminare, Jerusalem, quia venit lumen tuum, et gloria Domini super te orta est.”
“Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem: for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.”
— Isaiah 60:1
The Octave Day of the Epiphany, though of the IV class in the traditional Roman calendar, retains the lingering fragrance of the great Theophany — the Manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. The Mass and Office for this day continue to echo the themes of light, kingship, and adoration, bringing us again to contemplate the mystery of Christ revealed to the Magi, those first Gentile pilgrims drawn by a divine light.
The Light to the Nations: Isaiah’s Prophecy
Isaiah 60 is a radiant prophecy, one that the Church reads with joy during this holy season: “Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem.” The Fathers saw in this passage a clear vision of the coming of Christ and the gathering of the Gentiles into the Church. St. Jerome remarks:
“The glory of the Lord is the Saviour Himself, the Word of God made flesh… and the darkness that covers the earth is the ignorance of the nations before the Gospel.”
— Commentaria in Isaiam
Isaiah continues, “And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light, and kings in the brightness of thy rising” (Isa 60:3). St. Augustine interprets this as a prophecy of the Epiphany, when the Gentile wise men — sapientes, reges — followed the star to the Christ Child. He writes:
“In the Magi, who came from the East, we behold the first-fruits of the Gentiles. They saw a star, and by it came to the Light of the world.”
— Sermon 202
The gifts mentioned in Isaiah — “gold and frankincense” — find their fulfillment in the Magi’s offering, as Matthew recounts in chapter 2 of his Gospel. But curiously, Isaiah does not mention myrrh. The Fathers often noted this. St. Gregory the Great explains:
“Isaiah spoke of Christ’s glory, not yet of His Passion; hence gold and frankincense, but not myrrh. The Magi, however, knowing by the Spirit that He had come to die, offered all three: gold for His kingship, frankincense for His divinity, and myrrh for His burial.”
— Homilia in Evangelia, X
The Magi and the Gentile Pilgrimage
In Matthew 2:1–12, we witness the culmination of Isaiah’s prophecy. The Magi come from the East, led not merely by a star, but by the desire implanted in their hearts by God. St. John Chrysostom observes:
“The star was not an ordinary one, but a divine and rational power… It appeared and disappeared, it moved as they moved, it led them to the house, not merely to the city.”
— Homily VI on Matthew
The Fathers consistently draw out the irony and tragedy of this scene: the Gentiles come to adore the King of the Jews, while the Jews themselves — represented by Herod and the chief priests — are troubled or indifferent. This, again, Isaiah had foreseen: “Darkness shall cover the earth, and a thick mist the peoples: but the Lord shall arise upon thee.”
St. Leo the Great, in his Epiphany sermon, beautifully expresses the universality of this mystery:
“This day, dearly beloved, added to the dignity of yesterday’s feast, is not one to be passed over in silence. For while we celebrate the manifestation of our Saviour to the Gentiles, we are commemorating our own calling and the first fruits of our faith.”
— Sermon XXXVII
This is the joy of the Octave of the Epiphany: we are the Gentiles Isaiah foresaw, we are the ones who have come to the Light. In the Magi, we see ourselves — wandering, seeking, and finally finding the Christ Child, not in a palace, but in lowliness.
Herod, the False King
Herod’s role is not incidental. His feigned interest in Christ is the prototype of all counterfeit religion — that which pretends to seek truth but is ultimately threatened by it. St. Quodvultdeus, a lesser-known Father but rich in insight, said:
“The Magi seek the one born King of the Jews; Herod is troubled. Why? Because a child is born who could dethrone him, not by sword, but by truth. And so he lies, saying he too wishes to adore, when he wishes to kill.”
— Sermo II de Symbolo
This tension between the kingship of Christ and the powers of the world remains. But the Magi are undeterred. When they find the Child, they fall down and worship. “Et procidentes adoraverunt eum” (Matt 2:11). They recognize with the eyes of faith what others fail to see with earthly eyes: the King of the universe hidden in the arms of His Mother.
Conclusion: A New Pilgrimage
As the octave concludes, the Church gently invites us to renew our pilgrimage. The Light has shone. The nations have seen. But we must follow. The Magi did not return to Herod — that is, they did not return to the path of the world — but “by another way” went home. The Fathers saw this as a call to conversion.
St. Gregory again offers the final word:
“They return by another way, because having come to know Christ, they now avoid the path of sin. Truly, the way of Christ changes the road we walk.”
— Hom. X in Evangelia
On this Octave Day, may we, too, be changed by the Epiphany. Let us bring gold — our submission to Christ’s kingship; frankincense — our prayers and worship; and myrrh — the offering of our sufferings in union with His. For the Light has come. Let us arise and walk in its brightness.
“Et ambulabunt gentes in lumine tuo, et reges in splendore ortus tui.”
“And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light, and kings in the brightness of thy rising.”
— Isaiah 60:3
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