Three Wise Man and many Wise Women in and among us

By Stanislaus Alla

New Delhi, Jan 7, 2023: Three wise-men -we have heard of them

Surely the Catholics among us, if not all Christians

And, as the story goes, they came from the East

With gifts that are prized, precious and symbolic

They saw an unusual star and allowed it to direct them

To the manger where the divine kissed the fragile human

But what about WISE-WOMEN….

Haven’t they come to touch him,

and to be tenderly touched by him

then, at Bethlehem, or thereafter?

At the hearing of the odd phrase ‘wise-women’ many will chuckle

As we are still not accustomed to add the prefix WISE to WOMEN

That too, in spite of seeing, living with and loved by many women

who have been wonderfully thoughtful and wise, humble and holy

Therefore, on the Feast of Epiphany

isn’t it good to think of wise-women as well, not just wise-men?

The many women who have been at the crossroads of our lives

Offering advice or giving direction or gently goading us to shift gears

Those without whom we cannot imagine how we would have found the path.

Many there are, in the world, in history, in millions, who, equal to men

Are astonishingly capable of seeking the Lord, and speaking of revelation!

Hence, on this Feast Day

Let us recall the many women who reveal and reflect the Face of the Lord

And the divine qualities they embody, of care and courage, sacrifice and love!