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Epiphany 2023
Light and Darkness. A classic metaphor for good and evil; for illumination and ignorance; for magnanimity and selfishness. Throughout advent we’ve been talking about staying awake and alert, about keeping our eyes open and preparing for Christ’s coming. Advent is all about the signs and the portents, about looking for where Christ is and is coming into the world. In advent we wait.
At Christmas the time has come. The Christ child has been born, new light has come into the world and that light was the light of all people. A light in the darkness, and the darkness cannot over come it. A light that penetrates into every corner of our hearts, and souls and minds. A light to shine on this world and bring light to all those in it. A light that brings into sharp relief everything we might wish to keep in shadow. Light and Darkness. Salvation and sin. Reconciliation and brokenness. A Light that breaks down walls and dividers and displays before us in sharp relief that Christ’s coming is more than anything we could ask or more importantly, than we could ever imagine.
In the time before the light of Christ, in the days of Abraham, God made a promise with the Jewish people…a covenant, that they would be connected through an abiding relationship. I will be your God and you will be my people, God and God’ s people, exclusive and unique, century after century. It is a covenant that formed the backbone of faith for Jewish people and is referenced in the Isaiah reading today. Through that covenant we learn that God takes a deep and abiding interest in the wellbeing of his people, and seeing the darkness that too often envelopes humanity; God promises light, truth, glory and abundance.
With Christ, this covenant wasn’t tossed out or rendered obsolete, rather it was renewed. After centuries of living out the Abrahamic covenant, God’s covenant with the people was re-established. An amendment created though Christ’s incarnation, death and resurrection; a new promise was included that was wider, broader and more inclusive than ever before.
“the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”
Ephesians, was written by the Apostle Paul, a Jew, and not just any Jew, but likely a Pharisee who was intimately familiar with scripture, prophets, the law; Paul knew their importance and lived by their creed. Paul was a man of faith, strong Jewish faith…a part of covenantal people, and considered himself privileged to be so. He was proud of his heritage and proud of his faith, so it is somewhat surprising that we read of the apostle teaching the idea that Gentiles and Jews were part of the same covenant, both a part of God’s people. It is only by reading the book of Acts that we can see how this came about.
When we first encounter Paul in Acts he was known as Saul. Saul was commissioned to track down Christians and bring them to trial as heretics of the Jewish faith. It took an epiphany, a moment of blinding light on the Damascus road to help Saul expand his understanding of God’s mercy. To have the darkness of his bias burned away by God’s illuminating light for Saul the zealot of Jewish purity to become Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles.
It was an epiphany that brought Paul to a new understanding, a new way of seeing himself and his neighbours. It took an epiphany, and only then, do we read that Paul was willing to give up his perception of Jewish covenantal uniqueness and widen the doors of his faith. Only then was he able to accept the concept that God’s covenant with us can grow.
Therefore, in Ephesians, we have Paul teaching that Jews and Gentiles are equal, fellow heirs, brothers and sisters in Christ. One body. Members of one expanded covenant, children of God and abiding with God, with Christ. This is what Paul has learnt from the prophets and apostles, from the light of God illuminating the scriptures within him; through his Damascus Epiphany; that we are all members of the covenant.
To further emphasize the universality of this teaching, our lectionary creators have paired with Paul’s teaching another famous epiphany scene.
The famous and symbolic story of the journey of the wise men. Wise men from the East, Gentiles and foreigners. In carols and myth we’ve created for them a whole story and history, but all scripture tells us is that they were from the East and they sought the King of the Jews by following the light of a star. Those Wisemen from the East have become a symbol of all people who have seen the light and are drawn by the light of Christ. That Christ has come for all people near or far.
That teaching still applies. With all the vastness of the Earth, the great diversity of people and faiths we can look at our brothers and sisters and only see the other, those who are different. Epiphany reminds us that the light that shone that Christmas day has brightened all our lives, the world over and those who we saw as other, are in fact, our brothers and sisters. They may have practices and understandings that are foreign to us, but they are members of the covenant, Children of God. God has chosen to be with all nations far and near, and all are invited to become heirs to the promises of God. Following the Christmas light that was given to the Magi, guiding and directing them along the road.
Inspired by Epiphany, it is our turn to have a revelation of faith. A widening of faith to include those we never thought possible before, to include not only ourselves, but all whom we see as the other in this ever wide and ever shrinking world.
That is what we celebrate in Epiphany, a brightening of our own understanding, an opening up of our own prejudices, of our own desire to be unique, holders of our own special relationship with God.
This is what we celebrate in Epiphany a light to enlighten the gentiles, that is all of us, in all of our personal darkness; pride, prejudice, fear, ignorance, and all other sins that block ourselves off from the inclusive and eternal reach of God’s love. This love is the Christmas star that guides all of us wise or not, to Christ’s crib.
“Arise, shine: for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together … Then you shall see and be radiant;…”
God’s love shines brighter than the brightest star, brighter than the sun and burns away all that separate us, so that we can come together as one in Christ.
In Isaiah the people had been confronted by the prophet with accusations of injustice. The light Isaiah speaks of shines into the darkness of their sins and helps them see God’s plan of peace. Gathering together all the nations scattered by fear, injustice and oppression and uniting them with grace. God’s unending grace, God’s unending richness, mercy, light and love. For all peoples in all times.
This is what we celebrate in Epiphany the coming together of God’s people. Not one people, set apart and unique, rather all people brought together and reconciled by God’s love. We celebrate the light of Christ that illuminates all our sins so that we can step out of the darkness and into Christ’s light…walking the path that is lit before us.
So that, like the wise men we can be overwhelmed with joy.
So that, like Paul we can embrace the mystery of Christ’s love and mercy.
So that, like those to whom Isaiah spoke our hearts might thrill and rejoice and we can all proclaim the praise of the Lord. Surrounded by family and friends, the faithful from the world over and the abundant love and joy God brings. Whether that be expressed in a wealth of camels, in gold and frankincense, in treasure chests of myrrh or in the bringing to light of the sins that separate us, so that we can face them together and receive God’s loving mercy.
This epiphany tide I pray we all be guided by the light of Christ to expand our understanding of just how vast God’s mercy and love is and how everyone, even us, are included in that ever expanding covenant, that promise of Emmanual. God with us, abiding with us. Each of us. Always.