The Promise of Epiphany

The feast of Epiphany is actually Jan. 6th, but because of its importance in the life of the Church, we have the choice of moving it to the nearest Sunday so that the Church can celebrate it together.

What is the significance of Epiphany? The word itself means "made manifest." Through the birth of Christ, the hidden, mysterious God has been revealed or made manifest, not just to the people of Israel, but to the whole world. Beginning with the magi, the people of the world have flocked to the light of Christ-to the God of Israel who has been revealed to be the God of all people, everywhere.

What is the promise of Epiphany? And because everything in human life has both a promise and a cost, what is the cost of Epiphany?

One part of the promise of Epiphany is that God fulfills God's promises. Abraham, prophets-Israel will be a light to the world-Israel has become a light to the world. This means we can trust in God's promises, including the promise that one day, all the world will be redeemed. Justice for all people, everywhere. All voices will be heard, all will be honored and treated with dignity and respect. Forgiveness and reconciliation for everyone-all of God's people, gathered together, welcomed and loved. The final victory of love over the powers of this world.

So if redemption is the promise, what is the cost?

One part of the cost is that to seek Christ and redemption, we have to leave home, just as the magi did. Christ is not to be found in the comfortable structures of the status quo, in the world of business as usual. Christ's way of being runs entirely counter to the world's way of being. We have to be willing to leave behind our assumptions, our prejudices, our power and privilege and go looking for Christ among the poor and powerless. We have to be willing to give up our old ways of thinking and be entirely open to transformation and renewal.

Another part of the cost has to do with bringing our gifts to Christ. People have traditionally seen the magis' gifts as symbols of Christ-gold for his kingship, frankincense for his divinity, and myrrh for his suffering and death (myrrh was used in ointments to heal the sick, and to anoint the dead). But I think they are also symbols of us-and of the commitment that we are asked to make if we want to follow Christ. Gold represents our material and physical lives-our substance, to use an old-fashioned word. Frankincense represents our spiritual lives-our inner commitment-our hearts and souls. Myrrh represents our own willingness to suffer-and finally to commend our spirits to God and die. Grace is freely offered to us-God came into the world and gave us the gift of himself freely and without cost. But, in order to live in the light that is Christ, we must commit ourselves absolutely--our bodies, our souls, our wellbeing and finally our lives. TS Elliott refers to "a condition of absolute simplicity, costing not less than everything." It is through our commitment that God is made manifest in us, and the light of Christ shines forth from us.

So, the promise is redemption, both personal and universal. The cost is leaving home and committing ourselves fully to following Christ. But I haven't mentioned another aspect of the promise, which is available to us now, amidst all the darkness and misery of the world. It is joy-"[the star] stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy." Isaiah speaks of this too: "Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice…" This joy is not the same as happiness, or contentment or ease. This is a joy that can exist in the midst of suffering and deprivation.