The journey of our lives to Christ is rarely a straight path. Especially for those who were baptized into the Catholic faith as babies, we often need to find our own way by winding roads and paths until we arrive at and embrace faith as our own. Merriam-Webster defines “epiphany” as “a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something.” Almost always, this entails a “Aha!” moment, which changes the course of the story.
I experienced this in my own life in the middle of the Covid pandemic. When the world began to shut down, I finally knew that I was not alone, and that I never had been. You see, I found myself newly pregnant for the fifth time with no living children, after having experienced loss after loss. In my pain and struggle, I had turned from God the previous fall when it seemed door after door had closed for the opportunity to have a child.
But while the world was radically changing, I had an incredible moment which can only be described as an epiphany from the Holy Spirit: I became acutely aware that I was not alone, nor had I ever been alone. Struggling with feeling alone was something that had plagued me throughout my life. And now, suddenly, in the middle of a world that was radically shifting toward being apart, I came to believe that I was not alone, had never been alone, and will never be alone. How radical!
It is also radical that, in the course of human history – of salvation history – God would reveal Himself to all of humanity. After all, God was the God of Israel. And yet, God planned to reveal Himself in the form of a helpless baby to all nations. Juxtapositions abound with God, and somehow they all make sense. Today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of The Epiphany of the Lord, may we always be open to the seeming contradictions that God places in our lives and be willing to learn from them.
El camino de nuestra vida hacia Cristo rara vez es un camino recto. Especialmente para aquellos que fueron bautizados en la fe católica cuando eran bebés, a menudo tenemos que encontrar nuestro propio camino por calles y senderos curvados hasta que llegamos a la fe y la abrazamos como propia. Merriam-Webster define “epifanía” como “una manifestación o percepción generalmente repentina de la naturaleza o el significado esencial de algo”. Casi siempre, esto implica un momento “¡Ajá!”, que cambia el curso de la historia.
Experimenté esto en mi propia vida en medio de la pandemia de Covid. Cuando el mundo comenzó a cerrarse, finalmente supe que no estaba sola y que nunca lo había estado. Me encontré embarazada por la quinta vez sin ningún hijo vivo, después de haber experimentado pérdida tras pérdida. En mi dolor y batalla, me había alejado de Dios el otoño anterior cuando parecía que se había cerrado puerta tras puerta acerca de la oportunidad de tener un hijo.
Pero mientras el mundo cambiaba radicalmente, tuve un momento increíble que sólo puede describirse como una epifanía del Espíritu Santo: me di cuenta de que no estaba sola, ni nunca lo había estado. Pelear con la sensación de soledad era algo que me había atormentado durante toda la vida. Y ahora, de repente, en medio de un mundo que estaba cambiando radicalmente hacia la separación, llegué a creer que no estaba sola, que nunca había estado sola y que nunca lo estaría. ¡Qué radical!
También es radical que, en el curso de la historia humana – de la historia de la salvación – Dios se revelara a toda la humanidad. Después de todo, Dios era el Dios de Israel. Y, sin embargo, Dios planeó revelarse en la forma de un bebé indefenso a todas las naciones. Las yuxtaposiciones abundan con Dios, y de alguna manera todas tienen sentido. Hoy, mientras celebramos la Solemnidad de la Epifanía del Señor, que siempre estemos abiertos a las aparentes contradicciones que Dios pone en nuestras vidas y estemos dispuestos a aprender de ellas.
Mary Thissen is a St. Louis native living in East Central Illinois with her husband and children. She is blessed with twin boys Earthside and four children now living in Heaven. When she is not working as a healthcare data analyst or caring for her boys, she enjoys studying and writing about the Catholic faith and ministering to women who are suffering through miscarriage or infertility. You can connect with Mary on Instagram @waitingonmiracles.
Feature Image Credit: Adam_Tumidajewicz, pixabay.com/photos/path-rural-nature-road-countryside-6567149/
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Former NPS Park Ranger, Catholic educator, and Youth Minister, Melissa Lucca now spends her days evangelizing family and neighbors as a stay-at-home mom. She holds an MA in Theology from the Augustine Institute and pursues personal study in her spare time. Melissa loves Ignatian Spirituality, Mother Mary, and rock climbing. If you don’t hear her and her kiddo laughing at home, then they are probably out on an adventure!
Elizabeth Tomlin is the author of Joyful Momentum: Building and Sustaining Vibrant Women’s Groups and contributing author to the Ave Prayer Book for Catholic Mothers. She is General Counsel for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Elizabeth is an Army wife and mother of three and currently lives in Oklahoma. You can find her at @elizabethannetomlin on social media and she blogs at 
Kathryn Mulderink, MA, is married to Robert, Station Manager for Holy Family Radio. Together they have seven children (including Father Rob), and eleven grandchildren. She is President of the local community of Secular Discalced Carmelites and has published five books and many articles. Over the last 30 years, she has worked as a teacher, headmistress, catechist, Pastoral Associate, and DRE, and as a writer and voice talent for Catholic Radio. Currently, she serves the Church by writing and speaking, and by collaborating with various parishes and to lead others to encounter Christ and engage their faith. Her website is 
Kate Taliaferro is an Air Force wife and mother. She is blessed to be able to homeschool, bake bread and fold endless piles of laundry. When not planning a school day, writing a blog post or cooking pasta, Kate can be found curled up with a book or working with some kind of fiber craft. Kate blogs at 
Susan Ciancio has a BA in psychology and a BA in sociology from the University of Notre Dame, with an MA in liberal studies from Indiana University. For the past 19 years, she has worked as a professional editor and writer, editing both fiction and nonfiction books, magazine articles, blogs, educational lessons, professional materials and website content. Thirteen of those years have been in the pro-life sector. Currently Susan freelances and writes weekly for HLI, edits for American Life League, and is the executive editor of Celebrate Life Magazine. She also serves as executive editor for the Culture of Life Studies Program—an educational nonprofit program for K-12 students. You can reach her at 
Emily Jaminet is a Catholic author, speaker, radio personality, wife, and mother of seven children. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mental health and human services from the Franciscan University of Steubenville. She is the co-founder of 
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