We are now in the season of Epiphany. In our use of the word an epiphany is a sudden realization, a flash of insight. In ancient times an epiphany was a visit from a divine being. January 6 is the festival of Epiphany, when we remember the visit of the Magi to the holy family, found in Matthew 2. Seeing the star in the heavens these astrologers had an epiphany in both senses of the word: they had the realization that this star was a sign of something significant, and this star was God’s way of getting their attention. A key part of the season of Epiphany is seeing the global/cosmic scope of God’s work in Christ. In the beginning of Matthew’s Gospel it is gentiles who first honor the birth of Christ. At the end of the gospel Jesus sends his disciples to make disciples of all nations; the words “gentile” and “nations” have the same root word in Greek. From the beginning God’s action in Jesus has had global implications. While we will not be celebrating Epiphany in worship on January 6, you can find the texts for this celebration here.
Here are our texts for Sunday, January 4. These readings focus on God’s presence and actions in the world, describing God not merely as the god of a particular people, such as Israel or the Church, but as God of all creation and all peoples and nations. One of the ways John’s Gospel speaks of Jesus is as the Logos, or the Word/Wisdom of God. The readings below help prepare us for the Sunday readings, guiding us as we respond to God’s presence and wisdom revealed and made flesh in Jesus Christ. What wisdom for living in God’s presence do we gain from these readings?
Thursday, 1/1
Revelation 21:1-6
Matthew 25:31-46
Friday, 1/2
Proverbs 1:1-7
James 3:13-18
Saturday 1/3
Proverbs 1:20-33
James 4:1-10
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1 comment:
Thanks, Ed, for this entry on Epiphany! I didn't grow up with this celebration (our family manger scene always had the wise men there at the birth, along with the shepherds) but have come to like it a lot. I also like that tradition of linking Epiphany with the baptism of Jesus. At the baptism God "revealed" or manifested the identity of Jesus to everyone present with the words "This is my beloved Son." (That probably got their attention!) And since the Gospel tells us that the Spirit also decended in the form of a dove, the baptism is also a moment of God revealing his Triune identity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Epiphany to me is not only about revealing God's work in Christ, but also revealing the God who works in Christ, "reconciling the world to himself" (2 Cor 5:19).
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