EPIPHANY 2021
Rise in splendor, Isaiah calls out to the people of Israel, your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. This is a wake-up call, spoken to the people of God who might have wanted to pull the covers back over their heads – especially those who were not morning people by nature.
Isaiah presents a vision of hope and restoration, not just for the people of Israel, but for all the nations. It offers images of majesty and power and the reign of God breaking into everything.
The imagery is powerful and magnificent, moving from clouds and confusion to brightness and splendor. Isaiah pulls open the imaginary black-out curtains to reveal a staggering morning sunlight pouring in through the window – The glory of the Lord is shining! Wake-Up!
On this Epiphany evening/morning we gather to worship and search for our own epiphanies – big and small – in light of the greatest epiphany of all, the arrival of the Magi, who followed the star to the Christ Child. What a wonderful way to begin a new year together, seeking and searching for God.
Both St Matthew and Isaiah remind us that the start of another year is more than just about resolutions. It’s also about revelations, especially the revelation that God has broken into our world; is in fact present right now.
Isaiah cries out: Look around you! Pay attention! God is here! Yes, God is here, right now, this very moment! Your Christmas decorations might be packed away – or not, no judgment here – but God-among-us, Emmanuel, is not packed away.
Jesus Christ is alive and present in our world here and now and so, don’t crawl back under the covers, or hit the snooze button. This news is worth getting up for.
What gets you up in the morning? Is it the pressure of an alarm clock with the knowledge that your day is booked with work or school or appointments? Is it the desire to get a jump on your to-do-list or go for a morning run? Is it the opportunity to catch the sunrise on your porch with a cup of coffee?
For the Magi it was a star’s light that caught their attention. Their focus on that light is what got them going. They knew it was significant, and by following it, they were able to discover the greatest news the world has ever known.
The words of Isaiah are more than just beautiful poetry. It’s more than an invitation. It’s a command. The light has not come merely to rescue a chosen few from darkness. The light has come so that others will be drawn out of the darkness into the circle of light…Those of us who are privileged to stand in the light have a responsibility not to just receive the light, but to also respond to it.
We are all meant to shine. We were born in baptism to make known the glory of God that is within us. And, as we let our own light shine, we give others the permission to do the same. So my friends; rise and shine! For the light of the world has come and our work is just beginning.