Epiphany , Year A, Jan. 6, 2020(full size gallery)
We had 12 hearty souls for the 7pm Epiphany service. The service began in darkness as the Magi approached the manger with a selection from the beginning of the Isaiah 60 reading, followed by words from the priest imploring God to “enfold us with the radiance of this light” so the Holy Spirit would “shine into our hearts.” The candles were lit and another reading mentioning the “leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth.”
While we did not sing the “First Nowell” since it was sung on Christmas Eve, there are verses that speak to Epiphany
"And by the light of that same star
Three Wise Men came from country far;
To seek for a King was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went."
The hymn speaks of the gifts. We remember the Magi for their gifts. The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were also prophetic, speaking of our Lord’s offices of king, priest, and savior. Gold speaks of His kingship; frankincense was a spice used in the priestly duties; and myrrh was an embalming ointment anticipating His death.
This day has been associated with Twelfth Night which was celebrated at Colonial times more than Christmas with festivities we associate with Christmas today. However, Twelfth Night actually the night of Jan. 5 one day before this day of Jan . 6.
Epiphany begins Jan 6, 2020 and lasts under Lent, Feb. 26, 2020. It’s about God’s light for all peoples. The light image is significant. The word used for the “East” in the Gospel , really means “the rising,” that is, the rising of the sun.
The rising of the sun in the East readily suggests the imagery of light, which is often associated with salvation in the Bible. The Epiphany readings are here
The English word “Epiphany” comes from the Greek word epiphaneia, which means “appearing” or “revealing.” Epiphany focuses on God’s self-revelation in Christ, the gradual unveiling of Christ’s identity. Epiphany celebrates the twelfth day of Christmas, the coming of the Magi to give homage to God’s Beloved Child.
The Epiphany celebration remembers the three miracles that manifest the divinity of Christ. The celebration originated in the Eastern Church in AD 361, beginning as a commemoration of the birth of Christ. Later, additional meanings were added – the visit of the three Magi, Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River with the voice from heaven that identifies Jesus as God’s son, and his first miracle at the wedding in Cana. These three events are central to the definition of Epiphany, and its meaning is drawn from these occurrences.
It can applied to Old Testament Events. Isaiah 60:1-6 applies the promise of Isaiah 49:7-23 to the situation after the exile. The returned Israelites found their land devastated, depopulated and impoverished. The task of rebuilding was slow and difficult. In this setting of discouragement, the epiphany (manifestation) of God is shown forth by the Lord’s active presence in historical events, symbolized by the dawning of light. Jerusalem’s children and wealth will return, and all nations will gather at the Lord’s altar. The imagery of this passage influenced Matthew’s account of the magi.
Epiphany celebrates the arrival of the Magi at the Manger. In the east it is second only to Easter in importance. For us in the West, Epiphany is important because it is the “Revelation to the Gentiles” mentioned in the Gospel of Luke: “a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” (2:32). In Scripture, Gentile means all non-Jewish peoples. The Magi, representing the Gentiles as a whole, worshiped the Lord Jesus in stark contrast to Herod the Great, the King of Judea who sought to put Him to death. This among many reasons is why St. Peter’s has traditionally presented a separate Epiphany service.
The Magi are associated with the number "3". This was a later embellishment – we don’t know how many there were or exactly or their names.
At the time of the birth of Jesus, the Magi were an ancient priestly group dwelling within the Parthian empire, a large area to the east of the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire. Parthia battled Rome for control of Jerusalem. These priests practiced astrology, which at the time was a hybrid of astrology and what we now call astronomy. They were adept at interpreting dreams .
Roman conquered Parthia in 63BC then control changed hands frequently. With Parthian collaboration, Jewish sovereignty was restored, and Jerusalem was fortified with a Jewish garrison. Herod had gained the throne of a rebellious buffer state which was situated between two mighty contending empires, Parthia and Persia.
At any time his own subjects might conspire in bringing the Parthians to their aid. Time was ripe for a new invasion. The situation was tense – not only politically but now a new king had been born. No wonder Herod was paranoid! Were the Magi the beginnings of a new invasion ?
The sermon dealt with the role of Jesus coming among the people as King and our allegiance.
“The early Christians, who were expected to give their allegiance to Caesar and his minions, instead had made the decision to give their allegiance only to Jesus Christ, their Lord and King. And so, no wonder that The Day of the Epiphany was a major celebration in the early church, the day on which Matthew’s gospel makes clear that Jesus is not only the King of the Jews, but also the King of all of heaven and earth, the day when the wise men come from afar to pay homage to the child who was born to be a King instead of giving their allegiance to Herod. ”
“Jesus is King for all people, for all of creation, and for all of eternity.
The Epiphany defines this kingship and makes it visible to those who are searching for a place to put their allegiance. ”
“Once we know that our true allegiance is to Jesus Christ our Lord, we won’t go back to our old allegiances, just as the astrologers did not return to Herod.
“Instead, this story of the Epiphany challenges us to start back to our ordinary lives by another road, a better road, the Way of Jesus, even though we can’t see where this road will take us in this life.
“But even though we can’t see where the road will lead, as we travel on The Way, giving Jesus our total allegiance and following only him, we live in and pass through the here and now, with all its mysteries, treasuring the fullness of God that our lives and this earth already hold.
“God places the boundless riches of Christ for the world in our hands and we can receive these riches fully when we open our hands to God and let go of our allegiances to everything else. ”