The Season of Epiphany

In the season of Epiphany reminds us that the incarnation of God is not neatly wrapped up with a bow; rather, it is just beginning, with implications for our lives as citizens of the world and followers of the incarnate God. In a narrative found only in the Gospel of Matthew, wise men visit Jesus, following the Bethlehem star. These Magi, who may have been Zoroastrian priests, are outsiders. They travel a long distance after seeing signs in the sky. When they arrive, they seek out the authorities for guidance, asking King Herod to give them directions. And yet they do not trust Herod’s intentions; they are warned, in a dream, not to lead him to the baby. And so, they find themselves returning home “by another way.”

The joy of the Magi and their desire to share the news of the Messiah, is in tension with the ambitions of a jealous king. So too we often find our Christian values in tension with our contemporary world. The world into which Jesus was born was defined by tension, mistrust and the threat of state-sanctioned violence — all distressingly familiar today. We live in an era of contentious politics, where rulers sow division to maintain power and the vulnerable remain subject to the capricious decisions of the state.

Epiphany, then, is more than a celebration of light revealed to the nations; it is a season of navigation. It asks us to consider what visions and signs are guiding us through our own political and social storms.

From an article in “Faith and Leadership” by Melissa Spas

Yours in Christ’s Love,

Pastor Heather