The Epiphany of the Lord
Lectionary: 20
Reading I
Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,
the glory of the Lord shines upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth,
and thick clouds cover the peoples;
but upon you the LORD shines,
and over you appears his glory.
Nations shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance.
Raise your eyes and look about;
they all gather and come to you:
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.
Then you shall be radiant at what you see,
your heart shall throb and overflow,
for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,
the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.
Caravans of camels shall fill you,
dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;
all from Sheba shall come
bearing gold and frankincense,
and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.
Responsorial Psalm
R.(cf. 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
O God, with your judgment endow the king,
and with your justice, the king's son;
He shall govern your people with justice
and your afflicted ones with judgment.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Justice shall flower in his days,
and profound peace, till the moon be no more.
May he rule from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.
All kings shall pay him homage,
all nations shall serve him.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,
and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.
He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;
the lives of the poor he shall save.
R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Reading II
Brothers and sisters:
You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace
that was given to me for your benefit,
namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.
It was not made known to people in other generations
as it has now been revealed
to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit:
that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
"Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage."
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel."
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
"Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage."
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
The story of the Epiphany is our story. It is directed to all of us as Christians and receivers of God’s Love which is everlasting. The Jewish People were waiting for a savior, a king in the Davidic Line that would come and return Israel to its greatness and bring all its people back into the favor of God. The savior did indeed come but not only for the Jewish people but for the entire of God’s creation. This is emphasized in the reading today from the prophet Isaiah:
“Nations
shall walk by your light,
and kings by your shining radiance”
We are members of those nations. From all around the world billions of peoples from all races, creeds, and backgrounds have come to believe in Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ and now walk by His light. Those prophetic words came true as soon as the Christ Child was born and came into this world. With Him came full revelation of God’s Eternal Plan for our salvation and our redemption.
The Magi were from Media and were known as Medes. Media is located in northern Iran. Once a great empire it was now part of the Persian Empire. The Magi were a priestly class among the Medes and practiced astrology (divinity through the reading of the stars). They were gentiles and worshipped many gods. Even though this was the case they received revelation of the Coming of Jesus Christ and then set out on a long journey, over 900 miles, to bring gifts and to give Him homage. As we contemplate the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew a certain message becomes very clear with the arrival of both the shepherds and the Magi: Jesus Christ came for all; for the lowly, the sinner, and the stranger in a strange land. The gift of salvation and redemption is not reserved for a chosen few but is a gift for everyone. What a wonderful testament to the love that God has for all of His children. No one is exempt from His forgiveness and love. This is where our relationship with God begins.
What the Magi brought in the form of gifts is as important as the visitation itself: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold is a gift for a king, frankincense is used as a sacrificial offering in Judaism, and myrrh is used to perfume the bodies of the dead. These serve as a symbol of who Jesus Christ is: The king, the Messiah, and a prepared sacrifice for us all. The gifts also represent the three-fold office of Christ: priest, prophet, and king. The interaction of the Magi and the Holy Family becomes a revelation for the entire world; an epiphany that serves as the foundation of our faith. We are invited today to receive what is being offered by God: the gift of the Christ Child and the gift of salvation. The Magi brought Jesus gifts but in reality they, just like us, received much more from the visitation. As the Apostle Paul said,
“…the
Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,
and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.”
We are all one body through, by, and in Our Lord Savior Jesus Christ.
Today also marks two other revelations that reveal the divinity of Jesus Christ. We are encouraged to meditate on The Baptism of the Lord and The Wedding Feast of Cana where Jesus performed His first public miracle; thus beginning His public ministry. These three events make up this celebration today and emphasize how important this celebration is. In the Early Christian Church the Epiphany was the second highest feast day after Easter. Christmas was introduced later and took on a more important role afterwards. Before that the importance of the revelation of Jesus Christ to the world and His divinity was of more importance than His birth. Eventually the celebration was extended to include both and an entire Church Season was then built around it. It is through the observance of all of these events in the early life of Jesus Christ that we can enrich our spirituality and deepen our relationship with Him.
We have only begun to celebrate. Much of the world might have already turned their focus back to things of the earth but we are still with the Christ Child. We are in the silence of the night. That most holy and precious night. The star shines bright above us as we all gather together to witness the God-Child before us in His helplessness and His greatness. He is indeed the Savior of the World and we are all called to adore Him. What gifts do we have to offer? Ourselves. Nothing more is asked or is necessary.
Deacon Tom
My Brothers and Sisters,
We as Christians are in the midst of celebrating the Birth of the Christ Child. For others, one day has been dedicated to this event while for us we are encouraged to meditate and observe this event for 16 days within the Christmas Season. Christ coming into the world, the Word becoming flesh, marks a transformative event for all of creation. It marks the beginning of the Christian Era and brings all Divine Revelation to its culmination: It is through the Son that the Father is revealed and that we all receive salvation. This surely does demand a great celebration and our thoughts and action should mirror its importance.
Long after many other people’s Christmas decorations are taken down and placed back into their storage boxes and long after the many dinners, parties, and get togethers are complete, we still contemplate the Christ Child being nurtured, protected, and cared for by Mary and Joseph. We challenge ourselves to model our lives after the example given to us by the Holy Family. We pray on the Mystery of the Incarnation. We give the Mother of God our love and affection. That Blessed and Most Holy Night remains central in our faith. It gives us hope, faith, and love. In effect, it offers us a transformative experience that sends us into a new year with an opportunity for renewal and recommitment to what we hold most important: family, community, and God.
The Epiphany brings forth further revelation. The Magi were gentiles, coming from what was the former Median Empire now under the control of the Persian Empire. They were respected and revered members of the religious class. For them to pay homage to the Christ Child is an event which defines all of us, Christians and Non-Christians alike: Christ came into this world for the salvation of everyone. All roads lead to Jesus Christ and, through Jesus Christ, to the Father. No one is excluded from this gift. It is an inclusive event and one that impacts all of God’s creation. Even though there might be those who deny Christ, it is through their personal journey of faith that Divine Revelation will eventually lead them to the full revelation of God’s Message: The Son of Man came into this world, suffered, died, and was resurrected so that all may obtain eternal life.
We are commissioned to spread this message and mold our lives around it. At its center is a furious and undying love that Jesus Christ has for us. So great and powerful it is, there is an irrefutable urge within all of us to share it. Why keep such a great gift to ourselves? Why, in our brokenness, do we sometimes not share it as much as we should? These are questions that demand answers from us. The answers should come through prayer and contemplation. Through the example of the Magi, should we not come forward spiritually and honor Jesus Christ the same way all the while inviting all those whom we know to do the same? If this was truly done correctly, there would be less pain and suffering in the world and an abundance of Jesus’ love for us. Just as we are so open to invite those whom we know personally to celebrate and break bread with us, we must also treat strangers and enemies the same. It is through actions towards those whom we may view in a lesser light that Jesus Christ is truly revealed. Our faith should bring forth Good Acts continuously and not selectively.
Just as God’s Love cannot be restrained, our reaction to God’s Love should never be restrained. The Magi journeyed weeks to reach their destination, guided by their faith and the presence of Christ already at work within them. Are we ready to surrender our free will and let Him do the same within us? Are we prepared to let our hearts throb and overflow as God promised will happen through the words of Isaiah? This is the message of the Christmas Season. It is also the message of the Epiphany. It is a message embedded in love and sacrifice. Our reaction to it is connected to the way we apply it and accept it daily.
There was a time in Jesus’ ministry when He was giving instruction. It was then when He was interrupted. He was told that His mother and brothers were looking for Him. He then challenged, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand towards his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and my sister, and my mother.” Treating all with the dignity of family unites us to Christ and strengthen that spiritual bond that is present amongst all of us as Children of God. As the Magi went forward to honor the Christ Child, we were there standing in awe and reverence behind them, waiting our turn to do the same. Now, it is truly our turn. Let us all honor Jesus through our love for Him and let us also put that love into action.
Deacon Tom
My sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus,
God has sent us His Son, Jesus Christ. The Son is given for all of us, not just for a chosen group—for all of us. So we chant in the Christmas Season: Christ is born for us! At the time of Epiphany: Christ has appeared to us. Christ is for all even as Christ is also for me personally. The challenge is to see God in the many ways in which God appears and to reflect God in all that I do.
The first reading today is from the Prophet Isaiah. This Prophet tells us: “Upon you the Lord shines, and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light…” This words are written about Israel but apply to every nation and group of people because the Lord loves us all. Even this great Prophet Isaiah could not convince everyone that God would act and that God would be present. The challenge for us is personal belief and also belief as a Church and a community. If we believe, that our lives begin to reflect that light of His glory and gives witness to the loving presence of our God.
The second reading is from the Letter to the Ephesians. Saint Paul, a devout Jew, tells us how he became aware that God’s love was for even the Gentiles, the non-Jewish people. God’s love is for everyone. The challenge for us today is to recognize that God’s love is for all peoples, and especially for those peoples and nations and persons who seem most impossible to accept. God wants us all and God is working in all, even when we cannot see it. Once we begin to accept that God is present in all, we will find that speaking of the Lord is not so difficult after all. Instead, we might find that we naturally speak of God to others and that our own love and faithfulness could draw others to God and to our Lord Jesus.
The Gospel today is the story of the Magi from the East, the story of the Three Kings of the Orient, the story of the star drawing and guiding wise men to the Lord. We don’t have a lot of details about how this happened, but our Gospels tell us that God Himself chooses to reveal Himself to all peoples and that God Himself uses various ways to do that. Yes, our witness is important, but so also are the unexplained ways in which God makes Himself know.
For many, the challenge is to believe that God is calling all of us to the Catholic Church. We live in a time when many think that all religion is the same. Yet revelation keeps telling us that not everything is the same, that there are roads that lead to destruction, that there are ways that do not lead to light.
What is implied is that in each of us is a drawing to God, an attraction to the Lord, which will eventually bring us to Him. If we are to see Him, our hearts must be open to Him. If we are to live in Him, our hearts must be able to embrace Him.
God is revealing Himself to you and to me right now. Let us open our eyes to His light and open our hearts to His love.
Your brother in the Lord,
Abbot Philip
Epiphany In Eastern and Western Christianity
By Rev. George Dion. Dragas Ph.D., D.D.
1. The Feast Of Epiphany.
On the 6th of January Eastern Orthodox and Western Christians celebrated the great Feast of Epiphany (Western) or Theophany (Eastern). This Feast introduced a new period of liturgical celebration, which is still with us – a celebration that goes right back to Christian beginnings and opens up the meaning of the Christian faith and tradition.
Epiphany (from the Greek epiphaneia) means “manifestation from above,” that is, “divine revelation.” The Christian feast of the Epiphany primarily entails the manifestation of God in Christ, Christ being manifested as the Son of God and God as the Trinity of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
What is the basis of this manifestation? Or, putting it otherwise, what is the basic event (or events) that lies at the root of this divine manifestation (Theophany)? Today’s practices of Eastern and Western Christianity appear to give different answers to the above questions. How different are they?
2. The Eastern And Western Traditions.
The Eastern Epiphany celebrates the Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan by John the Baptist or “Forerunner” (in Greek Prodromos) as the event of the manifestation of Christ as the Son of God and its corollary, the manifestation of God in Trinity, and also as the event that marks the beginning of Christ’s saving mission. This is particularly revealed in the service of the Great Sanctification of the Waters (Megas Agiasmos), which is reminiscent of Christ’s Baptism and constitutes a conspicuous feature of the Eastern celebration.
The Western Epiphany celebrates the veneration of the newborn Christ by the wise Oriental Magi as the event that marks the manifestation of the divinity of Christ to the “nations.” Especially since medieval times, Western Christianity developed an elaborate tradition around these Oriental figures – fixing their number to three and identifying them with three kings, called Melchior, Gaspar and Balthasar – a tradition that included the re-discovery of their bodies at the Church of St. Eustorgio in Milan (1158), where they had been transferred from Constantinople in the 4th century, and their re-transference and deposition in Cologne Cathedral by Frederick Barbarossa (1164).
3.Contradiction Or Different Approaches?
This divergence naturally raises a number of questions, both historical and theological, to which liturgists have provided various answers. Above all it raises the question whether it implies any contradiction? I believe that there is no contradiction here, because both celebrations lead to the same over-arching truth: the divine manifestation of Christ and its corollary, the divine manifestation of the One God in Trinity.
On the other hand, it must be said that the way the two traditions relate Epiphany to the other Great Feasts of the liturgical year suggests a difference of approach to the mystery of Christ and the salvation he bears. The Eastern tradition links Epiphany to Christ’s saving mission and looks to Pascha and Pentecost as its final and saving outcome. The Western tradition links Epiphany to the earthly life of Christ and looks to his mission as a gradual disclosure of Christ’s saving person.
The purpose of this article is not to engage in comparative liturgics. It is simply to facilitate a clearer understanding of the Eastern Orthodox and Western celebrations of Epiphany. Because these celebrations do not seem to be readily understood by ordinary Eastern Orthodox and Western Christians, although they do live in close proximity with each other here in America. After all, the annual recurrence of the Feasts provides a great opportunity for growing in understanding and appreciation of the riches of the Christian Tradition.
4. The Eastern Tradition.
Scholars tell us that, in the Christian East, Epiphany is the oldest Feast of the Lord next to Pascha, and was always celebrated on the 6th of January. The first reference to Epiphany is found in Clement of Alexandria at the end of the second century AD. If Pascha marked the climax of the saving work of Christ, Epiphany marked the disclosure of the divine person of Christ who opened up the mystery of God and initiated the process of man’s salvation.
Originally Epiphany commemorated the Baptism of Christ, his Birth being at best included implicitly. St. John Chrysostom explains the reasons for being so. “Why is not the day on which Christ was born called Epiphany, but the day on which he was baptized? Because he was not manifested to all when he was born, but when he was baptized” (Hom. 24 On the Baptism of Christ). In some places, however, not only the Birth but also some additional events from the life of Christ were included in the celebration of Epiphany (e.g. Christ’s first miracle at Cana).
What is particularly interesting to observe is that in the early Christian centuries the eve of Epiphany, Pascha and Pentecost (and Christmas later on) were the solemn occasions of Christian initiation through Baptism. The remnant of this practice is today the singing of the Baptismal Hymn in the Divine Liturgy celebrated on these days: “As many of you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Alleluia.”
It was in the fourth century that the Birth of Christ began to be commemorated as a separate Feast on the 25th of December leaving Epiphany focused on Christ’s Baptism and celebrated on the 6th of January as it is still today. There is evidence that the Feast of Christmas as a separate Feast was first introduced in Rome (around 335) and was gradually adopted by the Eastern Churches (from 376 onwards).
5. Why The 6th Of January?
Why was the 6th of January chosen for Epiphany, and, why was the 25th of December introduced for the Birth of Christ later on? Scholars furnish various answers. One of them tells us that according to the old Egyptian calendar the 6th of January was the day of the winter solstice, a major day of religious celebration for pagans. Some pagans (especially the Egyptians) celebrated on this day the conquest of winter darkness by the invincible god-sun. Others celebrated the appearance and glorification of the god-emperor in a city (especially the Romans). Christians, who acknowledged Christ as “the sun of righteousness” (Mal. 4:2) and the “light of the world” (John 1:9 and 8:12), replaced the worship of the pagan god-sun and the glorification of the god-emperor by the worship of Christ.
Later on the new Roman calendar placed the winter solstice on the 25th of December and provided the occasion for another pagan celebration. Christians found the occasion to introduce a new Feast, Christmas, commemorating the birth of Christ, who is Emmanuel, God with us.
What is important to observe here is that the natural phenomenon of the ‘conquest’ of winter darkness by the sun ceased to be seen as being divine, or as a sign of the appearance of a deified human leader. Instead, it became an occasion for celebrating the manifestation of the true God as man, conquering the darkness of ignorance and sin that led humanity to become alienated from the true God and to worship the creation rather than the Creator.
6. The Importance Of The Feast.
The establishment of Christmas did not diminish the importance of Epiphany, which is denoted by the time-span of its celebration. It is celebrated from the 2nd to the 14th of January. The 6th of January is the principal Day of the Feast. The four days preceding it constitute the fore-feast (proeortia) and the 8 days after it the after-feast (metheortia). The fore-feast is shorter because of the celebration of the circumcision of Christ (8th century onwards) on the 1st of January (which is also St. Basil’s feast day); but it includes an elaborate celebration on the eve of the Feast like Christmas and Pascha. The after-feast includes the Synaxis of St. John the Baptist (January 7th), the Sunday after Epiphany and the Return (Apodosis) of the Feast (January 14th).
The profound meaning of the Feast is revealed in the many and wonderful hymns that are sung on it and the biblical readings. There are two characteristic hymns that summarize this meaning perfectly: The “Apolytikion” and the “Kontakion.” They recall how at Christ’s Baptism he was declared to be God’s beloved Son in whom God is well pleased and on whom God’s Spirit rests (Matth. 3:17), and how this revelation constitutes an event of divine enlightenment and illumination.
“When in Jordan you were baptized, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest. For the voice of the Father bare witness to you, calling you his beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the steadfastness of the word. O Christ, who did manifest yourself, and who does enlighten the world, Glory to you.” (Apolytikion)
“You have manifested yourself today to the whole world and Your light, O Lord, was shown upon us, who praise you with understanding: You have come and manifested yourself as Light unapproachable.” (Kontakion)
Finally, the Great Sanctification of the waters, which is observed twice, on the eve and on the day of the Feast, brings out the message of salvation. “Christ was not baptized in order to be sanctified but to sanctify the waters and through them grant divine sanctification to all humanity” (Gregory Thaumatourgos). This is exactly the gift that is granted to all human beings when they are baptized into Christ. Baptism joins human beings to Christ, granting them remission of sins and eternal life through the sanctifying grace of God. The Holy Water blessed at Epiphany is a great blessing that is much treasured by the Orthodox who use it to renew (re-consecrate) themselves and their physical environment.
7. The Western Tradition.
Scholars tell us that the origins of the Feast of the Epiphany in the West are rather obscure. There is a consensus that Epiphany was first introduced in the Western Church from the East in the fourth century about the same time as the new Feast of Christmas took root in the Roman Liturgy.
Epiphany was first established in the West in places that had special connections with the East, such as Gaul, Spain and Upper Italy, where it retained an Eastern content, commemorating the Birth and the Baptism of Christ, plus other events. These traditions were changed as the authority of Rome increased over them, because Rome followed another tradition.
Epiphany was also observed in Rome, commemorating at first the Birth and the Baptism of Christ, but here it came to be primarily associated with the visit of the wise Magi to Bethlehem, especially after the establishment of the Feast of Christmas on the 25th of December. There is evidence of this in the sermons of Pope Leo (+461).
According to one theory the association of Epiphany with the Wise Men of the East may have been due to the transfer in the fourth century of the alleged relics of the Magi from Constantinople to Milan – a tradition that was revived in the middle ages as noted above. In any case, the Western Epiphany was fixed as the 12th day of Christmas, i.e. the 6th of January.
Given the above, what is the meaning of Epiphany for the Western Church? It is primarily the manifestation of the divine Savior Christ to the gentiles; but it is also the acknowledgment of Christ by the gentiles. This double meaning is expressed by the way the Western Church interpreted the offering of gold, frankincense and myrrh, by the wise Magi. On the one hand it saw these gifts as symbols of the three aspects of Christ’s life, his being king, priest and prophet. On the other hand it re-enacted the offering in various ways by instituting appropriate acts of offering, to the poor, to the church and to the sick.
One gains a better perspective of the Western Epiphany when he turns to the six Epiphany Sundays, which follow after it and lead the Western Christians to the new season of Lent. These Epiphany Sundays commemorate Christ’s self manifestation 1) at the age of twelve in the Temple, 2) at his first miracle at Cana of Galilee, 3) at his healing of a leper and of a slave of a Roman centurion, 4) at the stilling of the storm in the sea of Galilee for the sake of his disciples, 5) at his authoritative teaching on good and evil displayed in his parable of wheat and tares and 6) on the future glory as displayed in his parable of the mustard seed.
There is no doubt that both Eastern and Western traditions of Epiphany share a common message: the manifestation of the divine identity and saving work of Christ. The difference lies in ethos and emphasis. The Eastern tradition seems to be more attuned to the dramatic and theophanic aspect of Christ’s ministry, whereas the Western tradition seems to be seeking to follow the historical Jesus as he unfolds his message through his deeds and words. The one is more vertical and the other more horizontal. Combining the two could only be a source of enrichment.
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