Epiphany

The Sandwiched Season

Epiphany opens up for us new opportunities to experience God's grace.  We look again at places where the Spirit flowed, focusing on times when God's approval of earthly events brought light to the world. 

January 6 is the Day of Epiphany in the traditional church calendar.  Although Epiphany is often viewed as a single day, with the following Sundays being considered the “Sundays after Epiphany,” Epiphany is a season.

 The word Epiphany means revelation or manifestation.  After the weeks of Advent and then Christmas, the church celebrates Epiphany as the beginning of the public disclosure of Jesus' true identity.

 In the Season of Epiphany, we focus our sights on the special events that occurred during the beginning of Jesus' ministry.  These include the visit of the magi from the east.  The gifts they brought to the Christ child mirrored the prophecy that the Gentiles would bring their treasures to God's kingdom.  Their coming indicates that Jesus' reign would not be confined to Israel but would spread to include the entire world.

 The second important event celebrated on the first Sunday of Epiphany is the Baptism of Jesus.  In accepting John's baptism, Jesus sees his true identity endorsed from heaven itself, and Jesus' public ministry begins at this point.

 Jesus' first public miracle, the turning of the water into wine at the wedding in Cana , is also traditionally part of Epiphany.  This year though, our Gospel readings on Epiphany 2 and 3 tell of the calling of the first disciples.  In Epiphany 4 we will turn to Jesus' teaching of the Beatitudes in Matthew 5.  We concentrate on the “blessedness” that disciples come to embody as we proclaim the Good News.  The season of Epiphany ends with the Transfiguration.  On the holy mount, Jesus' glory was revealed to his closest disciples and he was seen as the One who was superior to both the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah) by fulfilling them both. 

As this Epiphany season begins, let us go forth, continuing to walk in that glorious light.  Let us revisit the places where the Spirit has flowed, where God's approval of Jesus' work has been given and where there is still room for us to follow in his steps and exercise the ministry of proclamation and reconciliation.