Epiphany: Recognition and Revelation

Beloved in Christ,

We have flown through Christmastide and now enter Epiphanytide, or the Season after the Epiphany.

The Feast of the Epiphany is held on January 6, 12 days following the nativity, and recounts the Three Wise Men who come to offer gifts to the baby Jesus. These three gentiles are rulers, kings from other countries, who recognize the profound gift in Christ which is the incarnation of God in human flesh.

The account is contrasted starkly by King Herod’s fear and political machinations to stop the rise of a new King in his territory. It is a powerful reminder to us that God’s plan for salvation involves the entire world, not just one country. It is a powerful reminder to us that God is calling all peoples to Godself, and that often we may have blinders on about where and how and who God is moving with.

Epiphany is centrally about revelation. The word Epiphany comes from the Greek epiphaneia, meaning “manifestation” or “appearance.” It is related to the term phainein meaning “to shine.”

Epiphany refers to the appearing of Christ in the world. It is about revelation and recognition - as we see in the account of the Three Kings coming to worship Jesus. They recognize the profound Divine Revelation of God in Christ. During Epiphany, we are likewise called to recognize how Christ appears to us in our lives, how God manifests God’s will in our hearts, in the people we encounter, in the things we do.

One of the wonderful things that St. Andrew’s does during a season of the year is use the Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney’s translation of the scriptures, and her lectionary, found in the Women’s Lectionary.  Her translation and lectionary choices emphasize the role of women in the Holy Scriptures, which has been overlooked for much of Christian history, and continues to easily be overlooked now.

During this season, we are invited to encounter God in new ways through her translation, and through the preaching of women throughout the season of Epiphany. We are invited to recognize how God has acted and invited all people of all genders into the profound gift which is relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

I look forward to encountering, pondering, and contemplating the manifestations of God in our lives throughout this season, focused especially on women in the Scriptures, and women in our church community!

Yours in Christ,

Alex+