Roger Lynn
January 3, 2021
Epiphany Sunday
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Light! Light shining in the darkness! Light illuminating our lives and our world! For longer than anyone can remember, in more places than can be counted, across vast expanses of culture and geography and time, light has been understood as a powerful symbol for that which is good and right and true, or the sacred, or even the presence of God. We see it in so many forms – the shaman dancing around the sacred fire, the druid celebrating the solstice, the ancient astrologers watching the lights in the sky, even the writers of our own scriptures. Isaiah encourages the people to “Arise! Shine! For your light has come!” (Isaiah 60:1) The Gospel of John describes Christ as the Light of God that has come into the world. The reason we celebrate Christmas on December 25th is because that was the winter solstice before the reform of the calendar – the day the light begins to return. The early Church found the symbolism of light returning to the world to be a wonderful way of understanding Christ.
In the liturgical calendar of the Church, January 6th is Epiphany. Traditionally it has been the occasion when we remember the story of the Magi who followed the star to find the child Jesus. But it can also serve as an opportunity to celebrate all epiphany experiences. An epiphany can be understood as an experience when we become aware of the Light of God’s presence in a particularly powerful way. Sometimes epiphanies carry with them specific content. The Wise Men could be said to have had an epiphany which led them to understand the appearance of a new “star” as the herald of something new breaking into human history. Sometimes epiphanies are more general. The day at church camp many years ago when I was dancing and singing across the lawn while my small group pondered the possibility that their counselor had gone insane represented a moment when I was overwhelmed with the awareness that life is good and God is intimately present. Sometimes epiphanies occur all in a flash. The Apostle Paul describes such an experience when he was on the road to Damascus. He had an intimate encounter with God that literally transformed his life. He went from being a persecutor of Christians to being one of Christianity’s most ardent and far-reaching advocates. Sometimes epiphanies build over a long period of time until the cumulative effect of a variety of experiences finally comes into focus and a new understanding emerges. But regardless of the particular form and flavor, epiphanies occur all the time to a wide variety of people, including probably even us. I know they have been a part of my life experience. This is true because God’s presence is all around us all of the time, and God’s desire is for us to be aware of that presence. The only question is whether we pay enough attention to notice.
We can’t force an epiphany. They do not show up on demand. In fact, they can be quite elusive if pursued too directly. But we can set the stage so that we are more likely to recognize them when they come. If an epiphany is becoming aware of the Light of God, then it will be helpful if our awareness is not blocked by walls of narrow, rigid dogma, or a certainty that we already know how the world works. All the enlightenment in the world would have done the Magi no good if, after recognizing the importance of the star, making the decision to follow it, and traveling a great distance, they had been absolutely certain that God could not or would not work through something so mundane and ordinary as a child born to peasant parents. Be prepared to be surprised. If our God is incapable of surprising us, then perhaps we should consider the possibility that our God is too small.
We can also help to encourage epiphanies by talking about them. When you have one (even a seemingly small and inconsequential one), tell someone about it. When we take the risk of putting it out there in the world it stands a chance of becoming real, not only for those who hear it, but also for we who tell the story. And if you are fortunate enough to have someone share their epiphany experience with you, listen. Really listen. Listen for the places where their story resonates with you. Pay attention to the ways in which their story lights you up. In both the telling and the hearing of epiphany tales, our awareness is elevated and we are more likely to recognize other places where God’s Light is shining.
Winter is upon us, and occasionally that means we get to experience snow covering the landscape. And when it happens, all that snow blanketing the countryside gets there one small flake at a time. Our world is filled with the Light of God’s presence. And yet we often notice only the darkness. We can begin to change that perception by celebrating every glimpse of light we find, no matter how fleeting. One small epiphany at a time. One moment of insight leading to another. And soon the shadows won’t stand a chance.
God’s Light is shining all around us and within us. Let’s celebrate. Let’s arise and shine.
Light! Light shining in the darkness! Light illuminating our lives and our world! For longer than anyone can remember, in more places than can be counted, across vast expanses of culture and geography and time, light has been understood as a powerful symbol for that which is good and right and true, or the sacred, or even the presence of God. We see it in so many forms – the shaman dancing around the sacred fire, the druid celebrating the solstice, the ancient astrologers watching the lights in the sky, even the writers of our own scriptures. Isaiah encourages the people to “Arise! Shine! For your light has come!” (Isaiah 60:1) The Gospel of John describes Christ as the Light of God that has come into the world. The reason we celebrate Christmas on December 25th is because that was the winter solstice before the reform of the calendar – the day the light begins to return. The early Church found the symbolism of light returning to the world to be a wonderful way of understanding Christ.
In the liturgical calendar of the Church, January 6th is Epiphany. Traditionally it has been the occasion when we remember the story of the Magi who followed the star to find the child Jesus. But it can also serve as an opportunity to celebrate all epiphany experiences. An epiphany can be understood as an experience when we become aware of the Light of God’s presence in a particularly powerful way. Sometimes epiphanies carry with them specific content. The Wise Men could be said to have had an epiphany which led them to understand the appearance of a new “star” as the herald of something new breaking into human history. Sometimes epiphanies are more general. The day at church camp many years ago when I was dancing and singing across the lawn while my small group pondered the possibility that their counselor had gone insane represented a moment when I was overwhelmed with the awareness that life is good and God is intimately present. Sometimes epiphanies occur all in a flash. The Apostle Paul describes such an experience when he was on the road to Damascus. He had an intimate encounter with God that literally transformed his life. He went from being a persecutor of Christians to being one of Christianity’s most ardent and far-reaching advocates. Sometimes epiphanies build over a long period of time until the cumulative effect of a variety of experiences finally comes into focus and a new understanding emerges. But regardless of the particular form and flavor, epiphanies occur all the time to a wide variety of people, including probably even us. I know they have been a part of my life experience. This is true because God’s presence is all around us all of the time, and God’s desire is for us to be aware of that presence. The only question is whether we pay enough attention to notice.
We can’t force an epiphany. They do not show up on demand. In fact, they can be quite elusive if pursued too directly. But we can set the stage so that we are more likely to recognize them when they come. If an epiphany is becoming aware of the Light of God, then it will be helpful if our awareness is not blocked by walls of narrow, rigid dogma, or a certainty that we already know how the world works. All the enlightenment in the world would have done the Magi no good if, after recognizing the importance of the star, making the decision to follow it, and traveling a great distance, they had been absolutely certain that God could not or would not work through something so mundane and ordinary as a child born to peasant parents. Be prepared to be surprised. If our God is incapable of surprising us, then perhaps we should consider the possibility that our God is too small.
We can also help to encourage epiphanies by talking about them. When you have one (even a seemingly small and inconsequential one), tell someone about it. When we take the risk of putting it out there in the world it stands a chance of becoming real, not only for those who hear it, but also for we who tell the story. And if you are fortunate enough to have someone share their epiphany experience with you, listen. Really listen. Listen for the places where their story resonates with you. Pay attention to the ways in which their story lights you up. In both the telling and the hearing of epiphany tales, our awareness is elevated and we are more likely to recognize other places where God’s Light is shining.
Winter is upon us, and occasionally that means we get to experience snow covering the landscape. And when it happens, all that snow blanketing the countryside gets there one small flake at a time. Our world is filled with the Light of God’s presence. And yet we often notice only the darkness. We can begin to change that perception by celebrating every glimpse of light we find, no matter how fleeting. One small epiphany at a time. One moment of insight leading to another. And soon the shadows won’t stand a chance.
God’s Light is shining all around us and within us. Let’s celebrate. Let’s arise and shine.
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