Following the Light God Gives Us

Dear friends on the journey,
Today, Epiphany Sunday, we hear the familiar story of the Magi, wise seekers from distant lands who are drawn toward Bethlehem by a star. God does not speak to them through the scriptures of Israel or through an angelic message, like Mary and Joseph. Instead, God meets them where they are, through the language they understand: the signs of the heavens.

The star of Bethlehem reminds us that God desires to be found. The Magi werenot part of the chosen people, yet God still reveals Jesus to them. Their journey tells us that no one is outside the reach of God’s light. When they finally arrive, they do not find a powerful king, but a baby - humble, vulnerable, and poor. Still, they recognize the presence of God and respond with reverence, joy, and generous gifts.

God continues to reveal Godself today, but not always in the same way to everyone. We may not see a star blazing across the sky, yet God’s presence shines in countless forms: in the scripture we hear every week that speaks to our hearts, in the sacraments that nourish us, in moments of prayer and silence, in acts of love and service, in random unsuspecting places and people, and even in times of struggle that deepen our trust. Like the Magi, we are invited to pay attention - to notice how God is already guiding us.

Epiphany asks us two questions: What is the “star” God is using to draw me closer? And am I willing, like the Magi, to set out on a journey that may change me? When they left Bethlehem, the Magi returned home “by another way.” An encounter with Christ always transforms us and takes us directions we never though possible.

May this Epiphany help us recognize the many ways God is present in our lives, and may we have the courage to follow the light we are given—until it leads us to Christ.  

This weekend, as we begin the new year, I invite you to take our parish’s 2026 covenant. Read through it, pray with it and consider how you will respond. These suggestions are all new this year and challenge us in new ways.
May these promises be a source of light and guidance to deepen your relationship with our gracious God, encounter Jesus, and be his disciple in 2026.


Siempre Adelante,

​Teresa Runyon
Pastoral Associate 

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