Revealing revelation

Sermon for the Sunday in the Octave of the Epiphany

What is the Epiphany?

What are we actually celebrating?

Some Churches will say

the visit of the Magi

to the Christ child.

Some Churches will say

the Baptism of the Lord

by St John Baptist.

Some Churches will say

the first miracle

at the wedding in Cana.

Some Churches will say

all three.

Who's right?

The answer is: 

yes.

They are all right.

They all right

because in some sense

it doesn't matter.

That's not to say

that the Magi, the Jordan or the Wedding

are not important

nor are they irrelevant

but rather they are all the Epiphany

Each one is the Epiphany

single and entire of itself.

When He performs His miracles

- His works of wonder -

Our Lord asks the Pharisees,

"for which of these works do ye stone me?"

He might be asking us,

"which of these miracles is my epiphany?"

Or is the Cross the Epiphany?

Or the Resurrection?

[PAUSE]

When we celebrate the Epiphany,

we do have those three events

- Magi, Jordan, Wedding -

in our minds

and we have them in mind

because they are firsts:

the first time

Our Lord is recognised by gentiles,

the first sacrament;

is made available for us to receive

God's grace;

the first miracle Our Lord

performs.

That's why they are linked 

with the Epiphany.

But for Bartimaeus,

the Epiphany is having 

his eyes healed.

For St Mary Magdalene

the Epiphany 

is having seven devils

cast from her.

For St Dismas, 

the penitent thief,

the Epiphany

is recognising

Who is on the 

next cross beside him.

These are their Epiphanies.

These are their

first encounters with Christ.

[PAUSE]

When we celebrate the Epiphany,

we are not technically celebrating

the events of Magi, Jordan or Wedding

in themselves.

We are celebrating

the fact that Christ is revealed

as God Imcarnate.

We are celebrating the fact

that Christ has revealed Himself

in some way to you.

We are celebrating

that thing, that event, that reason

why you have come to Church today.

[PAUSE]

Of course,

that thing, that event, that reason,

might be a death of a loved one,

or a longing for the pain to stop.

That's not what we are celebrating,

for there your have our codolences 

and prayers.

What we are celebrating 

is that something 

which told you

that coming to Church might help you;

that something

has given you cause for hope

in your pain;

that something may dignify

your sorrow with a response

and show you that you,

in your grief,

you matter and are seen.

We are celebrating the fact

that God reveals Himself to us

by being Incarnate.

Every word He speaks,

every action He performs

is a revelation 

- an epiphany -

that He is here

and that He is here for love of us

as individuals.

God so loves the world

that He sends His only begotten Son

into the world,

not to condemn the world

but to save it.

And this fact too

is a revelation of His purpose.

There is no hidden,

ulterior motive.

It is made clear for us.

[PAUSE]

So what shall we celebrate 

at the Epiphany?

Celebrate the reason

why you're here.

Celebrate how Jesus

is making Himself known to you.

And celebrate in a way

that you may make this epiphany

known to all around you.