14th January 2018
Epiphany is a Christian festival which begins on the 6th of January, 12 days after Christmas Day, and runs until Lent. This festival commemorates the revealing of the infant Jesus to the Magi as the long awaited Christ child from the old testament prophecy of Micah (Micah 5:2). And it is on this day, rather than on Christmas day, that the orthodox church exchanges gifts.
But, the revealing of the infant Christ child was not the only time of epiphany in the Bible. Another time when Jesus’ divinity was revealed, was at his baptism, see Matthew 3:13-17, and again when he performed his first miracle at Cana, see John 2:1-5. You see, an epiphany is a moment of sudden and great revelation or realisation, and we, too, have epiphanies, don’t we?
Has anything new been revealed to you over the last year? Have you had an “aha” moment when you suddenly figured something out? Most of us have had moments of realisation, when we suddenly see someone in a new light, or made a new discovery, or even had a stomach churning realisation that you perhaps made a terrible mistake.
An epiphany is that moment of sudden clarity, which is often the catalyst for real and positive change. There are times when a realisation leads us to profound thoughts and soul searching, and when the only questions we are left with, are “How do we respond to this charity?” and “What are the next steps”
And it is the taking action that allows us to be true to our epiphany, and this can lead to transformation and new life. Those that actually experienced the revealing of Jesus as the Christ, changed their habits and were transformed for better.
Christ has been revealed to us and through him God has been revealed. How then will you use this time of epiphany—this clarity, to bring real and positive change that leads to transformation and new life? How then?
Revd. Mark Robinson