Epiphany Reflection

Jan. 6th Feast of Epiphany
Also known as Three Kings Day
A Reflection by Rev. Robert Johnnene OFA
Mission Saints Sergius & Bacchus
www.missionstsergius.org
If we look up the word EPIPHANY in a dictionary you find it has more meanings than just a feast we celebrate on January sixth celebrating the presentation of gifts by the Three Wise Men to the Infant Jesus and the Holy Family. One of the meanings is “manifestation of a divine being”; the other meaning is “A Sudden intuitive leap of understanding or faith, especially through an ordinary but striking occurrence”.
The feast of The Epiphany fits both definitions. God mad His son known to the world through the Three Wise Men’s visit after following a star that they, as astronomers and astrologers believed foretold of the birth of the king of all kings. , The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates the feast as the baptism of Jesus Christ.
The event certainly fits both definitions; a manifestation of a divine being and an intuitive leap of understanding or faith through an ordinary but striking occurrence, for that is exactly what happened. The three wise men believed an astrological sign and followed a star which was not one they knew and which seemed to be a beacon traveling through the sky to Bethlehem to behold the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. The birth of such a child had also been prophesized not only in Jewish writings but in the writings of other religions, probably those who trace themselves back to Abraham.
In Hispanic and Latin cultures, as well as some places in Europe, the feast day is known as Three Kings’ Day. Because of differences in church calendars, mainly between the Eastern Orthodox and the western Catholic and Protestant traditions, both Christmas and Epiphany have been observed at different times in the past. Today, most of the Eastern Orthodox traditions follow the western church calendar. The exceptions are some Greek Orthodox Churches and related traditions. The Russian and Serbian Orthodox churches still follow the older calendar and celebrate Epiphany as the Feast of Theophany (From the Greek, Theo (God), and phainein (to show forth), Theophany means an appearance of God to man.) on January 19th.
Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas Season and the Twelve Days of Christmas, which are usually counted from December 25th until January 5th. In most traditions, the day before Epiphany is the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the evening of which is called Twelfth Night. This is an occasion for feasting in some cultures, including the baking of a special King's Cake as part of the festivities of Epiphany. Polish people celebrate the feast by marking the initials of the three Kings, (Casper, Melchior, Balthasar) over their door with the numerals of the year in the following manner; (20CMB07) which they believe will bring them good fortune throughout the year and their dining table upon which they feast is covered with straw under a linen cloth to simulate the manger where Christ was born.
What we need to reflect on is the wonderful manifestation of God’s only Son, who came to us as a poor infant human with all the characteristics and difficulties of the human race and what that should mean to each of us.
God in His goodness and wisdom made himself visible to us in Jesus Christ. Prior to this all the recorded manifestations of God to humans were in tongues of fire, a burning bush, a cloud, but never in human form. In fact the Jewish people and even the prophets believed that looking directly at God would mean death. Not exactly the picture of a loving, merciful, forgiving God.
I believe that God decided that it was time to reveal the true God and the best way for God to do that was through the birth of Jesus. Jesus came, as He himself told us, to give us a new covenant. Jesus came to make clear to us the way, the truth and the life. Jesus is the light which would guide us to the Father.
Jesus said: “Thomas said. “We have no idea where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7 If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Fathers who lives in me does his work through me. Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” (John 14:5-11)
Jesus came to teach us the way to the father, Jesus gave us the two great commandments “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, mind, soul and body and the second is like unto it Love your neighbor as yourself”
In John 14:15-21 Jesus makes the reason for his being sent to earth for all men to see and touch completely clear, He was not a disjointed voice booming out of clouds or in a burning bush, He was flesh and blood. He said: “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. I will send The Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you, No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you. Soon the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Since I live, you also will live. When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.”
The manifestation of God in the person of Jesus Christ that we celebrate on the feast of Epiphany came about in an ordinary way, not as a sudden appearance but in a natural birth that followed the nine month pregnancy of Mary, the Theotokos. The pronouncement of the birth of the King of Kings by the Wise men to Herod and the world and how they arrived in Bethlehem certainly was a striking occurrence.
The birth of Christ and the pronouncement of that event brought into the world a message of hope, forgiveness and the promise of everlasting life for all people, not just the Jewish people. Christ promised us that by living justly and as He instructed and gave an example we would all find a peace that the world can not give.
In this time of trouble throughout the world each of us needs to acknowledge Christ and love Him and through Him, the Father who sent Him. We need to look to them for our deliverance from the worlds and churches’ troubles and seek guidance from the Holy Spirit for a way of ending the divisions that separate us and are causing so much pain and strife for so many. We need to express our love more, we need to open our hearts to forgiveness and mercy, we need to pray more and seek self gratification less. As Christ has promised; "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching and My Father will love him. We will come to him and make our home with him. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. The words you hear me say are not my own. They belong to the Father who sent me. (John 14:23-24)
On this feast of Epiphany, take time to reflect on Christ’s teachings, take time to offer thanks to God for the things He has given you, set aside time to talk to God and Christ using your own words or by reading aloud a portion of scripture or the Psalms or just recite the Our Father. Make a visit to a church and partake of the liturgy and most especially, the Eucharist. Give God honor and praise by living your life according to Christ’s example and teachings. Practice you love of God by your deeds. I can think of no better way to praise God and to celebrate our thanks for God’s decision to make known to us His truth by sending us His beloved son to live among us as a human.
“Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” AMEN