Epiphany: When the Rest of the World Gets It

An Epiphany meme found on www.reddit.com

Today is Epiphany! YAY! The Wise Men finally reached their destination. As a child the Sunday closest to Epiphany was when we did the full Nativity pageant. Sure on Christmas Eve we had some fun with Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus; however, it was not until later that we brought out the full cast. I loved playing the part of the Innkeeper the most, as the lines were short and I got to sit in a pew by myself; however, I also loved being one of the Magi. As much as today is about the Wise Men, we often can confuse their presents with the deeper significance of their presence at the side of Jesus and his mother.

Yes, this is the day when three guys triangulated the city of Bethlehem with a star that led them to the baby Messiah and his mother, but it was also the precise instant that persons outside the Chosen People of Israel came to see, gift, and worship the Incarnate God in the person of Jesus. THIS IS A BIG DEAL! For thousands of years the tribes of Israel had worshiped the One God, but it was not so clear that anyone else cared or "got it." And yet, in this moment three men who practiced a completely different religion that focused far more on stars and the natural world than a monotheistic interpretation of God traveled from afar to be with this new born king.

Epiphany is the celebration of the rest of us getting it. Jesus had come to his people and according to John's Gospel account the people did not recognize him (1:11). So for another people to come, see, and worship him as God opened up a completely new possibility for the saving work that Jesus did. This was not just something confined to one group, one tribe, or one religion. This was the event that uncorked the beautiful saving embrace of all people.

Those in the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrate this as the most high moment of what is called the "Nativity Cycle" that is Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany. They can easily relate to the ones from the East, so this makes sense that they love this day. Although we in the U.S.A. are not from the East we are Gentiles like the Magi. So, this is our day to celebrate salvation coming to us as well! Those in the Eastern Orthodox Church do not just confine Epiphany to a remembrance of the Wise Men though, they (and we with them) celebrate different moments of other people getting a glimpse of Christ's coming in Jesus, most notably the Baptism of Jesus and Jesus' first miracle at a wedding reception in Cana.

Today is the day when all people are invited to get the miracle of Christmas. We are invited to dwell fully in the mystery of Emmanuel: God with us. The Divine comes to earth to save all people. Today we go with the Wise Men to see the mother and child. We watch as Jesus rises from the River Jordan and hears God's voice calling him "My beloved Son." We celebrate heartily as Jesus transforms water into wine. This is the day when we get invited to be part of God's people, as we recognize the transformative power of the Incarnate One.