Every once in a while, someone will ask me why we do the things that we do in church. Many of those questions arise from some of the customs that we have or practice in the center of worship, such as the liturgical colors, or seasons. Much of the time, these questions come from folks who are not just inquisitive, but because somewhere along the way, the church has failed to educate and explain what we do and why.
The Seasons are the greatest example of this. While the rest of the world begins its secular celebration of Christmas with jolly old elves checking lists and decorating trees and cookies long before the leftovers from Thanksgiving have been consumed, the Christian Church quietly goes about its somber, soul-searching preparations for the coming of the Christ Child in Advent. And when the Christmas music of winter wonderlands, snowfalls, and bells jingling have all turned back to the regular secular music of the rest of the year on the 26th of December, the Church’s music turns to joyous angelic singing, shepherds being summoned, and heaven rejoicing for twelve more days because the babe of Bethlehem has finally arrived. And the greeting card companies have wise men visiting the stable, when there is no mention of that location in the Gospels.
It may even seem as though the Church has somehow gotten out of sync with the rest of the world, or that we have fallen behind the times! The reality is just the opposite. The Church has it right while the world rushes ahead. What is missing in the world’s approach? The capacity to be still, reflect, and meditate on what this most peculiar yet precious gift truly means for us. Those wise men – star gazers – astrologers – likely visited the child after he had grown into a toddler (See Matthew 2:13-18 for the rest of the story!). Their visit is the beginning of a revelation that this child Jesus is not intended to be for just a single group of people for a single generation. Because these star gazers were from another land and another tradition, their visit was a symbol that this child was intended to be for all peoples and places and times and generations…
Epiphany – a word that literally means “the manifestation of Christ to the world” – is the season that follows the twelve days of Christmas. It is the season in which the Church celebrates the baptism of Jesus, and the visit from these strangers from the East. And it is our opportunity to proclaim that this child, born out of wedlock in a barn in a backwoods village in a foreign occupied territory, is truly the Son of the Living God. And that means that our God is doing something fantastic – truly fantastic – out of a great love that knows no boundaries.
It has been revealed to you – it is your epiphany! Who are you going to share it with?
See you in Church!
Grace and peace,
Brad
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