Hey, Let's Not Forget About Epiphany!

 

    Concurrent with Black Friday and the many days until December 25 each year is accompanied with the incessant play of Christmas music from radio stations, decoration of temporary and  domestic trees, and wrapping of gifts.

   And then Christmas Day arrives and folk quickly turn on their celebratory  heels to prepare for New Years Day, Super Bowl, Valentines Day and other celebrations punctuating a calendar of otherwise common or ordinary days.

   Epiphany, January 6^th, the 13^th day after Christmas, is quite a meaningful day of celebration to me personally. I have always been intrigued by this report n the Gospel of Matthew regarding Magi from the East. Though there are extra-Biblical accounts of from where and precisely who those men were, the Matthew report remains vague as to such details.

    The scenario that tickles my intellectual fancy is that these star-gazers probably were from the land that once impolitely hosted the Scribes, Priests, and academic class of the Hebrew people decades or centuries earlier.

    I further venture that the predecessors of those star-gazers in Matthew had conversed over coffee or tea with the Hebrew captives about theology, God, and their Scripture and recorded their interviews for use by subsequent generations of Magi.

    Though the Matthew report remains vague regarding the precise identities or nation of origin, it brings forth some remarkable ideas.

    One such idea is that God used the religion and practice of the Magi to lead them to Christ. God did not exclude them from this glory on the basis that they were of a different religion. God prepared them and directed them by use of what star-grazers would naturally look toward for guidance.

    This point can encourage us regarding evangelism, or sharing of faith with those who are of other faiths or of no faith. Be in discussion with folk, share your faith story. Though they may not immediately respond, those who are intentionally seeking will find guidance.

    Another idea regards the gifts presented. Bible scholars and theologians, and I have read many, speculate much as to the meaning of those specified gifts. I like the idea that those gifts were of sufficient economic value as to make provision for Mary and Joseph, poor as they were, to escape to Egypt. Again, though the report does not state where in Egypt they went, I tend to think it was the City of Alexandria. The city was an economic and intellectually progressive city. Perhaps this is where Jesus was educated, again, financed by those gifts of the Magi, and so learned much to take back to his hometown.

    Perhaps the most important idea regarding the Matthew report with its lack of details about the persons or identities of the Magi is the fact that outsiders, sometimes with much enabling gift to offer, are invited to worship out of sincerity as God has prompted them. 

    As this Epiphany approaches anticipate that God has been at work prompting folk to seek Jesus. They may be of different cultures, languages, religions, nations, or colors.  Let us take care not to ignore or dismiss them. Let us, like Joseph and Mary, receive them and feel blessed by them. They and the gifts they bring can enable our ministries, personal and congregational.

In conclusion…Happy Epiphany!