The Surprise of Christ

FR. DAN MACALINAO

The Magi had traveled a long way…following a star in search for a king. They assumed they would find him in Jerusalem, the city of David, where power and majesty were expected. Going to the royal palace, they asked King Herod – “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?”

But Jesus was not there.

The one they sought was not surrounded by wealth or power. Instead, the star led them to an unexpected place – to a humble home in Bethlehem, to a child wrapped in simple clothes, resting in his mother’s arms.

How could this be the newborn King? Not in a palace, but among the poor? Not seated on a throne, but cradled in a manger?

Imagine the surprise of the Magi.

Their journey to the Christ child reminds us that Jesus is often found where we least expect him.

They were prepared to meet power and glory, but instead, met a child whose kingdom was not of this world.

They had brought gifts fit for a king – gold, frankincense, and myrrh, but this king would redefine power, not through wealth or force, but through love, mercy, and sacrifice.

Jesus surprises.

And he continues to surprise us today. He is not only the Messiah of a single group of people, but the Savior revealed to all the nations.

The Magi- outsiders, foreigners, seekers of truth – were one of the first to recognize and worship him, a sign that God’s love and salvation extend beyond every border.

We too, find Christ not only in the familiar and comfortable – in our churches and places of worship – but also in the unexpected…in the peripheries of society, in the struggles we would rather avoid, in the silence when we long for answers, and in the person we never expected to teach us something about faith.

Our celebration of the Epiphany is not just about a star guiding the Magi long ago. It is about how God still reveals himself today – often in ways we do not expect.

And I can tell you this from my own life. Years ago, I would come to mass *right here* every Sunday with my family. First, as a member of the congregation, and then eventually being invited to sing and play the piano with the eleven o’clock choir.

The thought of entering priesthood wasn’t even a faint glimmer in my mind.

But God surprises.

I never expected that my time here all those years ago would be part of a larger story – a story of how God was moving in my life, gently leading me, preparing me, and ultimately inviting me to walk with him in ways I never imagined.

I didn’t see it at the time, but looking back, I can see how God was at work, revealing his plan not all at once, but little by little, through unexpected moments.

God is always revealing himself to us, always making his presence known.

How has Jesus surprised you in your own life?

This message is especially important as we begin the JUBILEE YEAR OF HOPE.

Hope is not just wishful thinking – it is trust in the God who surprises us. Pope Francis reminds us that “Hope is alive, and it embraces our lives forever.” It is alive because Christ is still at work in the world, revealing himself in ways we might not expect.

God’s love is not distant or passive.

God loves and continues to love every moment into existence. Every breath we take, every sunrise, every encounter with grace is sustained by the God who never stops creating, never stops drawing near to us, never stops surprising us with his mercy.

The Magi remind us that faith requires an openness to surprise.

They could have turned away, disappointed that they had not found a royal court. Instead, they knelt and worshiped, recognizing holiness in the unexpected.

Their journey changed them – not just in distance, but in heart.

As we enter this Jubilee Year of Hope, we are invited to do the same… to be open to the ways Jesus surprises us, to look for Christ beyond where we think he should be, to seek him with expectant hearts, and to trust that he is leading us, even when the path is uncertain, so that we might be able to embrace the hope – that he is always near.