Epiphany! Isn't it a beautiful word? To me, the word epiphany sounds something is happening. It sounds like it is alive. It is not just a thing-a noun; it is a noun that has life to it, a noun that indicates action.
So many other words come to mind when one thinks of epiphany-revelation-appearance-understanding-discovery-awakening. They all describe what an epiphany is. It is a moment or an event when we understand what has previously not been understood. We have an epiphany when we discover the meaning of something that has been right in front of us all along, but we couldn't see it.
An epiphany is an exciting thing, not just because we know something or are able to see something that we could not before, but because our discovery has awakened in us a new way of looking at life. When we experience epiphany, our lives are changed. We are not the same. We must act in congruence with the new knowledge that we possess. Once we have an epiphany, we will never be the same.
Today we celebrate Epiphany Sunday. It is the day that marks the end of the season of Christmas. The Epiphany season in the church year is a bridge between Christmas and Lent, the time when we learn about who Christ is and how He makes Himself known to the world. It is a season that is characterized by a great deal of light imagery, imagery that tries to help us imagine Christ as the light of the world, the one who saves us from the darkness of sin and opens the heavens for us to see.
The Christian definition of epiphany is very specific. It refers to the divine manifestation we find in the birth of Christ. When we meet Jesus-Emmanuel-God With Us-the divine is being revealed. For the first time we can see God face to face. What has been hidden is revealed. What has been a mystery is made flesh. What has been veiled is unveiled. When we look into the eyes of Jesus, we know that we are looking into the eyes of God. No longer must we look away, but we can look straight into the face of God.
To the Jews, the birth of their long-awaited Messiah is an epiphany. The light of God has come into the world. They are changed as a people. What has been prophesied has been fulfilled. God has been revealed. They now have the leader that they have been waiting for-the King of the Jews-the one who will save them. They will never be the same.
It is also on Epiphany Sunday that we remember the coming of the magi to meet Jesus. They are foreigners who have come from the far away East to Jerusalem, with only a star to guide them.
We do not know exactly who these magi were; the meaning of the word can go in many directions. Some believe that they were magicians or seers. Others believe that they were astrologers who had faith and knowledge regarding the leading of the stars. Most scholars believe that they were from a priestly caste in Persia, educated in philosophy, medicine, natural sciences and the interpretations of dreams-in other words, wise men. No one believes that they were literally 'kings'.
We do not even know how many magi there were on this quest to find Jesus. Over time, we have assumed there were three because there were three gifts, but we do not know for sure.
What we do know is that they are gentiles, following a star, looking for the King of the Jews. They possess candor and a certain naivetÚ when speaking to Herod. He is, after all, the appointed King of the Jews in 40 BC by the Roman Senate. And yet they ask where the child is who has been born "King of the Jews!" They are not afraid of what Herod might do when they ask that question. They are honest in telling their story of following the star. They tell him exactly when the star had first appeared. They are persistent in their search and purposeful in their actions.
The magi are coming to meet Jesus, the Messiah, the King of the Jews. They are coming to celebrate and pay homage to the light of the world, even though they are not Jewish. They are drawn to come and worship a foreign king, to change the way that they look at life, to let His light be the their light. They will never be the same.
What I find truly remarkable about our celebration of Epiphany is that on this day it is known that Christ has come not just for the fulfillment of the Jews, but for all people and nations. There are two epiphanies here-the epiphany of Christ's birth on earth, and there is also the epiphany of the Jewish Messiah as the Savior of all God's created people.
In our reading from Ephesians today, we read that the news of "the boundless riches of Christ" is to be shared with all. The word boundless says it all. Christ's love is boundless in size, boundless in nature and boundless in application. The riches of Christ are without boundaries. There are no limits when it comes to who is privy to what Christ has to offer. Christ is for all. What a revelation. What a discovery. What a different understanding. What an epiphany.
The magi were the first to pave the way for Gentiles to follow Christ. They are instrumental in the story of God's redemptive plan for humankind-the first to accept the boundless nature of Christ's riches. Imagine how they must have felt upon experiencing their epiphany. They are overwhelmed with joy. They fall to their knees and worship. They give gifts. They are changed-they have been moved to action because of their epiphany.
I believe that the words of Isaiah 60 best describe how the magi must have felt when it says, "Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice."
As we remember and as we celebrate the coming of Christ into the world and the revelation that He is for us all, may we feel the thrill and joy of the magi. May we see and be radiant. May we live changed lives, as those who have experienced the epiphany of coming into Christ's light. Amen.
Peace,
Rev. Cynthia Bacon
Minister
You may email at:
cbacon@heritagemadison.org
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