01/06/2022
An Epiphany Greeting from our Interim Pastor Debbie Johnson:
Happy Epiphany Hebron Members!
Today is Epiphany, which means an “ah ha!” moment when we suddenly grasp or understand something really important. For Christians that moment is in understanding God is with us, incarnate in the baby Jesus, who was born to save us from our sins. It is the day that we celebrate the coming of the wise men, who were the first non-Jews, foreigners, who recognize in the Baby, the King of Kings, the Messiah foretold by the appearance of the Star. Epiphany, then, means a revelation or manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or the Magi.
The festival originated in the Eastern church, where it at first included a commemoration of Christ’s birth. In Rome, by 354 Christ’s birth was being celebrated on December 25, and later in the 4th century the church in Rome began celebrating Epiphany on January 6. In the Western church the festival primarily commemorates the visit by the Magi to the infant Jesus, which is seen as evidence that Christ, the Jewish Messiah, came also for the salvation of Gentiles. In the East it primarily commemorates the baptism of Jesus and celebrates the revelation that the incarnate Christ was both fully God and fully man.
In the West the evening preceding Epiphany is called Twelfth Night. The time between December 25 and January 6 is known as the Twelve Days of Christmas.
The season of Epiphany begins with the feast of Epiphany on January 6 and ends the day before Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent). Depending on when Easter falls, this time of the church calendar can be as short as 4 weeks or as long as 9 weeks. The word Epiphany literally means “to appear” or “to bring to light” – it’s a season of increasing light and ends with the lights on maximum: Transfiguration Sunday – where Jesus’ glory is revealed to the disciples and they and we catch a glimpse of divine nature.
Some cultures eat a special cake on epiphany called The Three Kings Cake in which a figure of Baby Jesus in hidden. Whoever finds the Baby Jesus in their piece of cake is the “Godparent” of Jesus for that year.
Epiphany is also about light coming into the darkness- Epiphany and New Year’s follow the Winter Solstice, so each day we get a tiny bit more sunlight for those of us north of the equator. We believe and live with boldness that “in him was life and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:4-5).
If we want to embrace Epiphany, here are some things to reflect on and challenge us with this season.
How might your understanding of Jesus grow during this season that symbolically is about illuminating new ideas and thus revelation?
Invite a friend out for coffee or tea. Together share your spiritual stories and look for signs of increasing insight into God’s true nature.
Happy Epiphany Everyone!
(Information from various computer sources)
