Epiphany

By The Rev. Bernard W. Poppe, Rector

Isaiah wrote, "Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you..." The light Isaiah is referring to is the grace of God, and an enlightening of the spirit of the people of Israel. He rhapsodizes about how people from all over the world will hear of the greatness of Israel and will come to see it for themselves.

He further writes, "Nations shall come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn...." What is it that might inspire people to come from all over the world and be amazed at the people of Israel? When Isaiah wrote this, other empires had risen and amazed people. Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia - these were names that inspired awe since they had risen to incredible military power, and each in their turn had influence that was felt and feared throughout the Middle Eastern region. When Isaiah wrote to the people of Israel, they were held in captivity by the Babylonians and could only dream of being a country so great themselves, that they would never again know fear themselves. Isaiah was holding out hope to them that the day would come, a day when , as he wrote, "you shall.. be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because of the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you."

This reading is particularly important today because of its reference to camels bringing tribute from afar that included gold and frankincense. It echoes in the gospel story of the Magi coming from afar bringing their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The word "Epiphany" means "manifestation" in Greek. Its wider application in the Christian faith is to ways in which God’s love was manifested on Earth in the life of Jesus and in miracles he performed. Another definition of Epiphany might be "enlightenment." The feast of the Epiphany recalls the arrival of the Magi from far away, from the East, to find the new king. Matthew is the only Gospel that mentions the Magi and there has been a lot of speculation about them over the years - where in the East they came from, were they Jews from foreign places or priests of Zoroastrianism who studied astrology. Tradition gives them the names of Casper, Melchior and Balthasar, and in some writings has them representing the continents of Africa, Asia and even the far East in China.

The gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh reference the writing of Isaiah but also foreshadow the burial of Jesus. What we’re left with is a Biblical mystery that is a familiar and beloved story and a historical puzzle. The role of faith and Bible study is to enter this or any story spiritually and glean our own understandings, our own epiphanies.

What I see in the Magi are seekers. I admire people who leave their comfort zone to learn and discover more. It really doesn’t matter what the names or homelands of the Magi are, what really matters is that there was something so compelling that they had to go find it. If they came from different locations, they found each other in their search, people similarly interested and worked together to achieve their goal.

Spirituality, they were seeking God, and a new understanding of Him. In order to do that, they had to leave what they knew behind and venture into areas unknown to them. In a sense you can say we are all ruled by our limited understandings and views of God and the world.

We are raised in places with certain traditions, mores, customs and ways of approaching knowledge. Where we grew up informs our outlook as does our nationality, race, gender, sexual orientation, and so many other factors. Even if many of the same influences impact people, our brains work differently. Personality inventories have become very popular of the last couple decades. What used to be asking another person’s Zodiac sign, now might include asking someone’s Meyer’s Briggs type or more recently genotypes. It’s become important to document scientifically how we see the world differently. Never the less, when we’re used to seeing the world with our own lenses, it’s so hard to imagine seeing it in anyone else’s. Sometimes we describe people as "set in their ways" and this often applies to people who do not care to see the world differently or allow other views, ideas or beliefs in.

As such it’s so important to see the Magi as seekers who are open to a world beyond their own and leave behind one ruler for another. In the world if ideas and belief systems, old ideas do not go easily or willingly. When Herod, heard there was a new King around, became very concerned and wanted to eliminate it. Change is threatening and old orders want no part of it. But the Magi persisted and found their Epiphany. They brought their treasures, and set them before the baby Jesus. They returned home having made this discovery. We hear no more about them, but such a journey had to have made a profound impact on them and how they lived and saw the world.

It’s a wonderful story to unpack, with many layers of understanding and identification. The image of light is again important in this gospel story as it in so many. The star, a light brighter then the others draws the Magi. Jesus is the light of the world, the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Again, the love of God, the mystery of God and the promise of God draw people to newer understandings and insights about God.

A book that was very important to me some years ago is titled, Jesus through the Centuries. From Rabbi to King of Kings, to Divine and Human model, to Liberator to Cosmic Christ, the book chronicles how the understanding of Jesus changed over time and how it still does. For some, these changes are exciting, for others, they are disturbing. A lot of the conflict in religions today is based on competing ways in which we see not only Jesus, but the Divine from any tradition. New understandings often collide with older ones. The seeker has to weigh if changes are fads or deeper truths, thoughtful or capricious. It’s not easy, but the seeker enters uncomfortable places with eyes open.

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul talks a little about his own Epiphany. Originally, Paul persecuted the Christian church. He oversaw the execution of Christians and made it his life’s work to eliminate the threat of Christianity to the pure faith of the Israelites into which he was born, raised and educated.

The book of Acts describes his conversion experience as receiving a vision of Jesus and scales falling from his eyes. He received a revelation and belief, changing his life and ultimately, the direction of the Christian church. He had to convince a skeptical group of Christians that his conversion was sincere, and he even pushed them to a new vision of the church that include Gentiles. The importance of the Magi being seen as non-Jews from afar coming to worship the Christ child references God’s openness to all people being drawn by the light of God. Another change that almost split the church. Another Epiphany.

This rich story of God being manifest in different ways that challenge even at the risk of discomfort is always timely. The love of God is the light that leads us to unknown places, and discoveries beyond our imaginations. Our church and state dealing with issues of equality and justice for gays and lesbians regarding ordination and marriage; national and international solutions to economic crises and fear of terrorism; or in the ways we live our own lives here at home - God calls us by the light of love to be ruled by a faith that grows and even changes.

As Christians, our faith grows and changes. In Sunday school we receive one concept and as we grow and experience the world differently, our understanding of Jesus will change. Sometimes there is a gap between one understanding and another and we panic as though we’ve lost faith. But those gaps are more often thresholds to deeper insights.

The obstacles encountered by the Magi are not unlike those faced by anyone who truly seeks deeper faith, knowledge, or insight. And like them, the journey is rewarded by a fresh, new outlook with the potential to grow and strengthen. In our relationships with God, whether our seeking finds God for the first time, or again after many times, it is led by the star or light, the grace of God drawing us deeper into the mystery and joy that is God. Amen.

©2010 St. George's Episcopal Church, Maplewood, NJ