MapQuest

Epiphany of Our Lord

January 6, 2008

Manifestation Invitation

Listening to the Gospel lesson in the past few weeks can be an exhausting experience, because they are chock full of constant motion.

After the angel Gabriel had made his stupendous announcement to Mary, she immediately hit the road to go see her cousin Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptizer.

We then hear of a very pregnant Mary and Joseph going all the way from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

Whether they walk or rode is immaterial, since it would be an arduous journey, especially when they arrive and there is no room in the inn.

Then on the silent, Holy Night the angels go to the shepherds to announce the birth of Christ, and immediately the shepherds leave their sheep and trek off to find the child.

It would seem that no one around the birth of the Messiah was allowed to stay put.

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord.

Epiphany is a Greek word that literally means “manifestation” or appearing.”

Gertrude Mueller Nelson defines epiphany for us by writing: “Epiphany reveals to us the other side of the incarnation: this tiny, helpless child is also the Lord and Ruler of the universe.

All our Advent prayers of longing for a king and ruler – Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace – have come true with a royal fullness on Epiphany.” (Gertrude Mueller Nelson: To Dance With God, page 117)

Today’s Gospel tells us the story of the wise men coming from the east, flowing the star and bearing gifts.

They were known as “magi” because in essence they weren’t kings at all, but astronomers, star gazers, who spent their time watching the night sky for signs of cosmic events.

More than likely they were from what is now modern day Iran or Syria.

One evening they spotted a brilliant star shining in the west, and they instinctively knew that this was pointing to something that they needed to find.

So, off they go and outside of following the star they have no clue as to where they were going.

Check out a map.

Look and see how for it is from Tehran or Damascus to Bethlehem.

Would we have made that kind of journey?

How much easier it would have been to stay put.

Yet, these three determined stargazers set out on their pilgrimage into the unknown.

They finally arrive at Jerusalem, home of the magnificent temple, palace of the king, thriving metropolis in the ancient world – a quite logical place for star to shine.

So, no wonder they go around asking: Where is he who has been born king of the Jews, for we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.

Yet, the Epiphany of God was not in palaces or temples, and following the star once more, they finally arrive at the least likely place where God was, they fall down, they worship him, give him gold for a king, frankincense for a priest, and myrrh for his burial.

That was enough….they had followed His star…they had seen Him….they had worshipped him….they had given him gifts…. and they turn to take the long way home.

We never hear of them again.

If Epiphany means manifestation, then, given all of the coming and going around the manifestation of God, could it be that manifestation also means invitation – invitation to come to where God is – an invitation to go beyond ourselves – an invitation to find him in the most illogical places.

My brothers and sisters, in this New Year of 2008, what does the Epiphany of God in Christ mean for us?

Where might that be?

Since there is no star shining in the east or angels singing in the heavens, how can we find him?

Since there is so much sadness in the world, so much suffering, where can he be found?

Just how far do we have to travel?

Centuries before the wise men found God, Isaiah the prophet tells us: “Arise, shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will rise upon you and his glory will be seen upon you.”

Those words of Isaiah speak to us right here, right now.

Epiphany, then, for us, is the manifestation of the Christ in the depths of our own lives, for, in baptism, we receive him who was once received in a manger, into the very depths of our hearts.

All we have to do is to take an inner pilgrimage beyond our external and materialistic selves, beyond our ways, beyond our limitations, beyond the personal darkness that can overshadow our lives into the light of God that shines with us.

A chant of the Taize community describes this so well; “Within our darkest night you kindle the fire that never dies away.”

My last experience before moving out here in September of 2006 was to participate in the memorial service for one of our dearest and most precious friends, Father Francis Kline, the Abbot of Mepkin Abbey.

Father Francis was an incredible person, and a marvelous musician who played the entire organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach from memory.

He was so talented that he never played in the key of C because it was too easy.

He was diagnosed with terminal leukemia at the age of 55 and went into the eternity of God at 57 years young.

He wrote about his experience, and, in his writing we discover that in the midst of his suffering, in the midst of his darkness, he had an epiphany, he experienced the manifestation invitation of God and discovered the light of Christ within his darkest night.

He wrote: “I am now with God.

God has spoken, His Word has changed me into a contemplative which I never thought I would become.

By that I mean I feel totally taken over by God.

I wish that you would pray with me for this Mepkin community.

In this unity of prayer, let us determine to run together toward the heavenly homeland.

It is closer to all of us than we think.”

When the end drew near, Father Francis would chuckle and say: “It’s not unpleasant. I love what God is doing.” (Kline, Francis: Four Ways of Holiness for the Universal Church, pg.149, 158)

Each of us needs to take an inner pilgrimage in order to discover the Epiphany of Christ in our lives.

How easy it is to seek him when all is bright and sunshine, all is well, to look for him in prosperity and joy, to look for him in the right people, in the right places, at the right time.

Yet, he will be found in the most illogical places of our souls – in our hurts, our fears, our frustrations – even when we, like Father Francis, stand at the gate of eternity.

As God called Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the three magi on a pilgrimage of faith, so, on this day of Epiphany he calls us.

As the magi brought him gifts, so he awaits for us in this new year of 2008 to find him, fall down and worship him, and to offer him gifts, not of gold, not of incense, not of myrrh, but the gift of our very lives.

In the words of Brother Roger of Taize let us pray: “Christ of all compassion, you enable us to turn to you, and an inner light rises in our hearts.

Then, to pray, these few words are enough: Jesus, my joy, my hope, and my life.” Amen