Skip to main content

Epiphany

Epiphany
Sunday 8th January 2017

Matthew 2:1-12
Ephesians 3:1-12
Psalm 72

Epiphany is a festival which encourages us to notice the mystery of the presence of God in our lives. St Paul uses the word mystery a number of times in relation to Jesus Christ in the 3rd chapter of his letter to the Ephesians. Jesus’ presence as mystery means that as humans we cannot define, limit or control who and what God is  – rather, we are asked to notice Jesus and his continuing presence in the world, through the grace of God which grants us faith.

In noticing God, or at least trying to, we are guided in our understanding which is properly expressed as devotion and praise. The nativity stories encourage us to worship God through depicting a miraculous birth.  Consistent with St Paul’s mission to the Gentiles – the non-Jews – the nativity story describes to us how the Christ-child and therefore the mystery of God, is not exclusive. Rather, the Christ-child is to be worshipped by all peoples. Which does not mean that Christians must ignore or dismiss the religions of other nations, but that the true incarnation of God is not exclusive or partisan, rather Jesus, the light of the world, draws all people to himself, even as an infant. This vision of a united world is a compelling one for us to long for. Our divisions are immense; how does the child of peace and unity speak to us as we experience all sorts of different levels of fear? If we trusted that Jesus were walking alongside us, holding our hand, what might we have the courage to do or be?

In addition, the psalmist depicts for us, in the tradition of ancient poetic wisdom literature, the locus of God’s mystery: - it is hidden among and with the oppressed and poor. Which is why Jesus is shown to be hidden at his birth, among the lowly and the poor. And yet God’s presence is also worthy of and honoured by, wise and presumably wealthy, foreign visitors. Indeed, if we honoured the mystery of God among us we would lay everything we had at his feet. Which is a challenge to us gathered here. How much do we hold back from God – not just of our material wealth, but of our selves? Moreover, how much effort do we put in on our journey towards him? The magi embarked on a long journey, seemingly with just a star for guidance, and yet they persevered into a foreign country, with foreign people and duplicitous rulers, just so they might find ‘the one’. Herod’s despotic authority is used in the story as a contrast to the righteous rule of God, through which the poor and the downtrodden are delivered.

So the salient question might be for each of us today on the feast of Epiphany: ‘where am I looking for God?’. If we were to answer that question honestly, what would be our response?

The Bible consistently tells us that God is to be found in the lowly and humble of heart; that God makes his dwelling place with the downtrodden and oppressed; that God is on the side of the poor and vulnerable. But, are we willing to look for God there?

Loving Jesus, your birth shames us in its simplicity and in its poverty – a poverty that was material only, for there was abundance too, the abundance of the heart that was pure gift, pure grace, pure love. Teach us to long for you so that we seek you in the places that would otherwise make us fearful; teach us to love you so that in loving you we would have the courage to leave aside all that is valued in this world, just to catch a glimmer of your beauty which radiates in the exquisite serenity of your kingdom. Amen






Comments

Post a Comment

Please be respectful when posting comments

Popular posts from this blog

Rugby

It has been just over three weeks now since we have arrived in Rugby and it feels like a world away from South London. If I was used to being in what is generally thought of and written about as a post-Christian secular world then Rugby looks and feels very different. There are a proliferation of churches across Rugby which are very active in working together for the good of the town. There seems to be a genuine Spirit of God's love working across Rugby in impressive ways that I'm not sure what century I am in! It is surprising to find a town that works so hard in regenerating and reinvigorating all that it is and it feels like an enormous privilege to be here.  Not that South London was any kind of spiritual desert! It was also a great privilege to work there and see how God can still be so central to people's lives in the 21st century. If the image we get from the newspapers and national media is that God is redundant in the modern age it seems that the reality is very ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Addicted to Travel?

Road to Emmaus Luke 24.13-35 What has been the most significant journey that you have taken? Was it short, long, with friends, alone? The travellers on the Road to Emmaus were walking and a stranger appears alongside them. I was wondering how the story would have to be different if it were set today. Jesus' sudden appearance in a car, for instance, would have spoiled the slow build up of drama as they listened to this stranger! Someone suddenly appearing in your car is going to make you jump! But most of us don't usually walk seven miles just as part of our daily routines, let alone seven miles back again! That made me think about how we travel today and I had the  very uncomfortable and challenging thought that travelling in a car is a sin. Hmm. I didn't like that idea very much so I had a go at arguing with God about that one. I like the car: I go to Scotland in it for a holiday, or I visit my parents. These things bring me joy - I tried to push away the idea that ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Wonga and the Archbishop.

The Archbishop’s embarrassment concerning the Church Commissioner’s investment indirectly in Wonga helps to clarify ideas about sin, purity and holiness. In particular it reveals the extent to which sin is communal and interconnected. The Archbishop talks about a complex world which we all have to live in. He is right, but it can be put more theologically than that. The in-depth discussion around the Charity Commissioner’s investment portfolio and its tolerance of say up to 3% in companies (perhaps a hotel chain) that sell pornography reveals the way in which it is probably impossible to exist in perfect holy isolation. Nobody is perfect in and of themselves because we exist inter-dependently of one another. That is why sin is so corrupting - the wide effect of the pornographic industry not just on those who make it and buy it can be charted. That is why, when God made Himself known to the Jewish people as YHWH, that he started a covenantal relationship not just with a few individuals ...
Read more