Gospel (Mt 2,1-12) - Born Jesus in Bethlehem of Judea, in the time of King Herod, behold, some Magi came from the east to Jerusalem and said: «Where is he who has been born, the king of the Jews? We saw his star rising and we came to worship him." When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and with him all Jerusalem. Having gathered all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired from them about the place where Christ was to be born. They answered him, “In Bethlehem in Judea, for thus it is written through the prophet: “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means the least of the chief cities of Judah: for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people, Israel." Then Herod, having secretly called the Magi, had them tell him the exact time in which the star had appeared and sent them to Bethlehem saying: «Go and find out carefully about the child and, when you have found him, let me know, because also 'I come to worship him." Having heard the king, they departed. And behold, the star which they had seen rising preceded them, until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they felt great joy. When they entered the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, they fell down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

«Lift your eyes around and see: all these have gathered, they are coming to you. Your sons come from afar, your daughters are carried in your arms." These words of the prophet open the feast of the Epiphany, considered in the West as the feast of God who shows himself to the people. There is a sort of yearning for universality and at the same time for urgency that runs through this day: it is the Church's profound desire that the peoples and nations of the earth can soon meet Jesus. And, deep in the heart of every man, there is a nostalgia for God. It is in fact this nostalgia that pushes the magi to say to Herod: "We have seen his star rise and we have come to worship him". They were men from distant regions, rich and intellectual, who had set out from the East towards the land of Israel to worship the "king" who had been born. Every believer is called to go out of himself and make a journey towards the beyond. And the Church, which seeks to descend into the depths of the heart of man, has always seen the whole of humanity in them.
The Magi, like the shepherds, knew how to scan the sky. They were waiting for a different, more just world, and they looked up from their own world, looked up and saw a “star”. The magi urge us to rediscover the joy of depending on the star. And the star is the Gospel, the word of the Lord, as the psalm says: "Your word is a lamp for my steps" (119.105). This light guides us towards the child. Without listening to the Gospel, without reading it, without meditating on it, without trying to put it into practice, it is not possible to meet Jesus. The magi, in fact, following the star reached the place where Jesus was. And here "they saw the child with Mary his mother, they fell down and adored him." That gesture was the truest thing. Together with Mary, Joseph and the shepherds, the Magi also understood that salvation consists in welcoming that child into one's heart and, with him, all the weak and defenseless even today. The reaction of Herod and the inhabitants of Jerusalem was very different. As soon as they heard about the child they did not feel joy like the wise men or the shepherds; on the contrary, everyone was upset and Herod was so upset that he decided on his death. It is the magi who now save the child and save him from Herod's ferocity. Those wise men returned to their country by another route, notes the evangelist. After all, when you meet the Lord and welcome him into your heart, you are not like before and you can no longer follow the path you always have. Life changes and with it also behaviors. The wise men are ahead of us today to guide us towards the many mangers of this world where the small and the weak lie. Blessed are we if, together with the shepherds and the wise men, we become pilgrims towards that child and take care of him with affection. In truth, he will take care of us.