Matthew’s Gospel today is the scriptural basis for the feast of the Epiphany of The Lord. It commemorates the finding and adoration of the infant Jesus by the wise men (the Magi). The Magi were not kings but more than likely scholars who engaged in astrology and predictions of the future. They were also Gentiles. Matthew is beginning to develop the theme that the Christ child has arrived for all nations, not just the Israelites. Christ is heralded and given homage by the Magi as the king for all. It is a joyous occasion for which the Magi offered precious gifts to the newborn king. Yet the undertone of future trouble is also present as Herod attempts to glean from the Magi the whereabouts of the child Jesus for sinister purposes. Both the Magi and then the Holy Family flee from Bethlehem. We later learn that Herod decreed the massacre of all infant boys in Bethlehem under the age of 2. It is often said these were the first martyrs of Christianity. What is the message for us to ponder today? When our lives begin to encounter dark times of sorrow and suffering, have faith that good will eventually outweigh evil and hardship. As this Gospel passage begins to foreshadow, the Christ child who is showered with princely gifts by the Magi will eventually be crucified and buried but that is not the end. His resurrection is the “rest of the story.” And that is truly the Good News for each of us. As St. Paul wrote to the Romans, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose,” (Romans 9: 28). May we too answer God’s call to love and to serve our Lord as we begin this New Year.