EPIPHANY

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “Epiphany!”

Epiphany: we know the word means “showing” - “manifestation” - “appearance”.

"Epi' - a prefix - from the Greek - meaning - “on” - “upon” - “attached to” - “over” - “besides” - “after” - “outer”.

"Phany"- from the Greek verb “phaneroo” “to show”.

So we’re celebrating the showing of God to the world - and the light shines upon - it attaches itself to one baby - born in Bethlehem.

So we’re celebrating the moment when God shows God to the whole world - as indicated from the Magi or Wise Men - or Kings - from around the world - who come looking for him - and God is discovered to be a new born baby.

This Epiphany is a moment a light. A star appeared in the sky - and leads these magi - from the east - to Jerusalem - and then to Bethlehem.

This is big stage stuff. We’ve all been to plays where the theater is in darkness. Then a spot light casts down a bright light from above and focuses on a star on stage. Then we listen to someone break into song or story!

Or we might have seen these new light pointers. Teachers and lecturers use them to point out a specific statistic on a chart or part of sculpture in a gallery or museum. 

Epiphany.

TODAY’S READINGS

Today’s three readings point out what we need to see.

The first reading from Isaiah 60: 1-6 announces to Jerusalem, “Your light has come!” It says, “See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the Lord shines, and over your appears his glory.”

I assume that those who chose this reading, chose it because it connects well with the quote from Micah 5:1 - which we hear in today’s gospel from Matthew 2:1-12. The magi went to Jerusalem - and obviously went to the king - who was Herod - and asked, “Where’s the new born king?”

And Herod assembles the chief priests and the scribes and asks them the same question: “Where is the Christ to be born?”

So we have two Jewish scripture passages that back up that a Messiah is to come and he is to be born in Bethlehem. Matthew will continue to do that throughout his gospel.

In today’s second reading from Ephesians,  the key word is “revelation”. The mystery has been revealed - and now has been also been revealed to the Gentiles as coheirs - copartners.

Epiphany - Revelation - Light - Theophany - The Showing - What is Made Clear - What is Divulged - Where the Spotlight Lands - is Christ.

“Oh come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!” as we sing.

That’s why we have the light on the baby in the crib - as well as - and I assume - the star on the top of the Christmas tree.

If it’s an angel on top of your Christmas tree - that brings us, I also assume - to the other great Christmas moment - the night when the Shepherds heard the angel singing and pointing them to the Crib in Bethlehem.

Whether we’re king or shepherd - wise or uneducated - Christ the baby beckons us forward - to be met - to be discovered.

Come as you are! Come with hands empty. Come with hands full.

Don’t we get that little “Uh oh! Oh no!” twinge - when we get out of the car and we’re heading into a house for a party - and every one has a crock pot or a plate or a plastic something with them - and we have nothing.

If that happens to you appear at the house as a shepherd and not a king!

Down through the centuries some Catholic cultures stress Christmas as the big feast - the giving of gifts on Christmas - and other cultures the feast of Epiphany is the big feast - Christ coming to the Gentiles - symbolized by the kings.

Check out our crib - the shepherds and Wise men stand or kneel side by side adoring Christ the new born babe in Bethlehem.

The kings have the things. The shepherds bring themselves. The baby doesn’t care - as long as we’re there.

THE BOY AT THE WINDOW

One of my favorite stories is one that happened to me a long time ago,

I was visiting this couple I had married a few years earlier.

In their apartment,  I was sitting on the couch talking across the room to both of them. Their little son was making a racket - climbing up onto the metal radiator that rimmed the room. I noticed that he liked one particular spot where there was a window. It was facing the west - facing the setting sun. With both hands on the window sill and both feet on the radiator - he would let go of one hand and start grasping for something in the air - something coming into the room. I was wondering if it was the breeze.

He’s slip off and then get back on the metal radiator. With shoes on he was making lots of noise. 

It must have been was obvious that I was trying to figure out what he was doing. I must have had a puzzled face - squeezed into a question mark.

His mother said, “You’re wondering what Little Sal is doing - aren’t you?”

I said, “Yeah!”

His mom, Ann said, “He does that all the time. He’s trying to grab the light.”

That happened in the early 1970’s and I have never forgotten that moment. He became a school teacher. I wonder if he’s still trying to grab the light.

That kid is each of us. We spend our lives searching - grasping for the light. We spend our lives hopefully having Epiphany moments.

CONCLUSION

And obviously - the epiphany moment - the revelation - is the moment we experience meeting Christ the Light of the World. Amen.

And obviously, as we grasp the gospel more and more - as it becomes us more and more - we realize we are called to then to be the Light of the World to others - so that they too discover Christ - in us - and on and on an on.