Christ be our Light!
From Wellington Cathedral of St Paul
Christ be our Light!: 8th January 2012: Epiphany: The Very Revd Frank Nelson
- Psalm 72: 1 - 14
- Genesis 1: 1 - 5
- Ephesians 3: 1 - 12
- Matthew 2: 1 - 12
Epiphany – the word conjures up the exotic, the mysterious. It’s always been one of my favourite seasons in the church, perhaps going back to my childhood and a magical experience of being taken to a performance of “Amahl and the Night Visitors”. Our village church had a nativity scene with Italian figures made from plaster-of-paris, their flowing Medici robes painted in rich purples and reds. Perhaps because we happened to live next door to the church we children had the privilege of moving the shepherds on, and bringing the kings, complete with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, forward. It took a while to connect the visit of the magi with the horrible vindictive killing of the children by King Herod, and even longer to understand the implications of that event in Matthew’s Gospel. (Unless we are vigilant in reading from our lectionary, the special day marking the death of the Holy Innocents, December 28th, will pass us by.)
Where the western church celebrates the Epiphany with the coming of the magi, the churches in the eastern and orthodox traditions put the focus of Epiphany on the baptism of Jesus and, as we will hear tonight, on the first recorded miracle in John’s Gospel, the changing of water into wine. Magi, baptism, water into wine, the point is the same – Epiphany has to do with the manifestation of Christ to the world. The baptism of Jesus, at least if we focus on the words addressed to him – you are my Son, the Beloved - seems to have been aimed at Jesus himself; if you like, convincing Jesus that he was more than a carpenter’s son. The incident marks the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus. In the story of the water into wine it is the disciples who, we are told, believed in Jesus as a result of this first sign. In time they would be the bearers of the Gospel to others. With the coming of the magi the closed world of the Covenant people, those who called themselves the Chosen of God, was forced open. Following the star people with no claim at all on the God of the Jews came seeking a new born king. It would be our own patron saint, St Paul, who put flesh to the visit of the magi, taking as his special call from Christ to preach the Gospel specifically to the Gentiles.
Epiphany then has to do with Christ being made known to the world – a world, according to the great praise-poem which opens the Bible, made by God, called into being by the Word, given life through the breath of Holy Spirit. The process by which Christ becomes manifest to the world is known as the Gospel, the Good News. It is the Gospel that St Paul writes about in his letter to the Ephesians, claiming that the great mystery which eluded the prophets and priests of former years is a mystery no longer. He, Paul, has been told one of the great secrets of God – that the Gentiles are also called to be God’s people, no less than the Jews. In tonight’s other reading Isaiah sings out the glorious task of Israel. A people who know all about darkness are called to shine out to the whole world, shouting to all that God is King. They are to be a beacon that will draw the nations together. It is in this context that we first read about people coming from faraway lands, riding camels, and bringing, along with their praise, gifts fit for a king – gold and frankincense.
Last Sunday we had a baptism here. Shortly after the baby was baptised in the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and signed with the cross on his forehead, he was given a lighted candle. As the candle was handed over these words were spoken: “Walk in the faith of Christ crucified and risen. Shine with the light of Christ.” The very same call which Isaiah gave to the Israelites, to be a light, a beacon, to the nations, is given to the newly baptised. He, or she, is to ‘shine with the light of Christ’. Is this our Epiphany? Not only that we celebrate the Epiphany of Jesus to the world, but that, because, by our baptism, we are made members of the Church, the Body of Christ, each one of us is to be the agent of Epiphany. Yes, we are to shine out to the world in its darkness – in whatever shape or form that might take today. That’s an awesome thought and challenge, that Christ is to be glorified and made manifest to others, through me. What a calling! What a privilege! What a challenge!
Nor is it just that we are to be holy – whatever that might mean. Today’s psalm, a portion of one Psalm 72, suggests something very practical. The gift of kingship was given by God to the king. It brought with it some special responsibilities. Not the power that a Herod seeks, power too often won by the sword (or whatever today’s equivalent might be), but the responsibility and privilege of serving his subjects. Some of the great biblical concepts are incorporated in today’s psalm making it clear that worship of God is no easy task, and brings with it the very practical care of the weak and vulnerable in society. Jesus would pick up on these great Old Testament concepts of justice, righteousness, shalom and defender of the poor in his parables and teaching. A good king made for a strong caring community. The Gospel well preached and lived makes for a strong and caring community. What might this mean in our day and age? Think for a moment about how you might be an agent for change in working for a strong and caring community. While the psalm talks about the king, the church has always been about ordinary everyday people – people inspired by Christ to make a difference in the world in which they live.
Epiphany. May Christ be our light, our love, our joy.
