“The Manifestation of God’s love to All People!”
Epiphany of the Lord
Despite the fact that stores and even some of our neighbors have taken down the decorations, our churches have not removed Christmas decorations – except for the wilted poinsettias – as the Church wishes to savor the thought that God entered the world in the person of an infant, Jesus.
Today’s feast is part of a larger celebration of the Incarnation. Christmas is the day we celebrate that God became one of us. Epiphany repeats the good news of God’s appearance, but more importantly, Epiphany marks our reaction to it.
Matthew had an awesome – and unbelievable – story to tell. God had walked among us. Matthew had to announce that indeed someone great had been born, so great in fact that even Gentiles had recognized that something awesome had happened, although the magi were no ordinary gentiles. They were trained in astrology and interpretation of dreams. Some were even said to be able to practice magic. Now, with this birth, even magic was bent to adore the Christ who had been born.
We love this story of Christmas because it makes seeing Jesus seem so easy. It makes God seem so accessible. In the darkened rooms of our homes wherein only Christmas lights had illuminated our manger sets, it seemed so easy to believe that Jesus was real and really with us. Unfortunately, the lights are gone, and some people are back to struggling to see God’s presence in our everyday lives.
Epiphany is from a Greek word meaning, “manifestation.” Matthew uses the magi and the star to tell us that God is not only among us, He can be seen and recognized in us, if we open our eyes to God’s presence.
Well, I want to tell you a story. (Story of San Juan on Three Kings Day) We want to see this light manifested in our own lives. Like Isaiah who saw God in the beauty of a night lit by thousands of candles, like Matthew who saw God present in a manger, we are called to open our eyes to God’s presence around us. Epiphanies occur around us every day. Our response to the Christmas event is to attempt to see Christ still among us every day.
God has given Himself to “the nations” – to all of us! God didn’t reveal Himself just to those who go to church, or just to those who pray daily. God chose to reveal Himself even to those who live lives we disagree with. God chose to reveal Himself even to those people we can’t see “eye to eye with.” God chose to reveal Himself to those who struggle with addictions, who have different skin color, or are from another country, or who are gay or lesbian. God chose to reveal Himself to the Saints and the Sinners, so that all of us would have the opportunity to see the manifestation of His love for all of us! We must learn to see God continuing to reveal Himself to us in all things and through all people. We must be still long enough……. to see and to hear God’s wonder! Let us try, in this New Year, to open ourselves to the manifestation of God’s love, not just for us, but all His people!