In Advent we prepared for the coming of Christ, in Christmas we celebrated the coming of Christ into the world, and now here we are in Epiphany when Christ’s coming is being manifested out in the world. There are three traditional stories of Christ’s manifestation that we remember at Epiphany. The first is the story of the Magi that we heard this past week. The second is the story of Jesus’s baptism that we heard just a few moments ago. The third is the story of the wedding in Cana of Galilee which unfortunately we don’t get to hear this year. We hear it only once every three years. All three of these stories are represented in these beautiful banners that some of our parishioners have made for us. There is a banner with a star, and another with the crowns and the coins about the story of the Magi. There is a banner of a dove, which represents the story of the baptism, as we heard in the Gospel that the heavens opened up and the Holy Spirit came down like a dove and alighted on Jesus. And, of course there is also a carving of a dove above our altar, which is always here. There is a banner of the wedding in Cana of Galilee. The beautiful knitted yarn coming from the pitcher is blue but transitions to purple as the water changes into wine. The wedding in Cana is also depicted in one of our stained glass windows. You see Jesus with the jars, and his mother in the background overseeing things to make sure he does what she wants him to do.
These are not the only three stories about manifestation of Christ in the world. Each Sunday we will hear different stories of Christ being manifested to people. The next couple of weeks we’ll hear of Christ’s manifestation to the disciples in the call stories, when Jesus calls them to follow him. We’ll hear of the manifestation to Simeon and Anna as they are in the temple when Jesus is presented. We will hear of Christ being manifested in his teachings. The very last Sunday of the season we will hear of Christ’s glorious manifestation up on the Mount of Transfiguration when his entire being was transfigured, and Moses and Elijah were there with him, and Peter, James, and John were there as onlookers.
This is a season of manifestations, but it is not just about manifestations. It is also about how the people respond. How do they integrate into their lives what they have just experienced? How does that manifestation transform into an integration into their very being? So we will hear stories like the Magi—how they responded by the giving of gifts? How did the disciples respond? They responded by dropping everything and following him. Simeon responded by knowing that his life is now at peace and he is able to go because a promise has been fulfilled. Peter, James, and John respond by wanting to hunker down and dwell in that moment and build booths, tabernacles, and dwelling places for the three of them. These are all ways people responded to the experience of encountering Christ in this world.
The season of Epiphany is a time, not only to hear stories of manifestation and integration, but to take the time to see how our own stories are reflected in that. It is a time to think about ways that we have encountered Christ in this world, and what a difference it has made in our lives. How have we taken what we have seen, what we have heard, have felt, have experienced, and used it to transform our lives, to integrate that into our very being?
I think today’s story of the baptism of Jesus is the perfect story for Epiphany, because baptism is the sacrament of integration, the sacrament of union with God. In the baptismal liturgy when we are blessing the water, we say that in this water we are buried with Christ in death, and by it we share in his resurrection. Through our baptism we become one with Christ, a journey that we start at that moment and throughout our lives become ever more and more like him. In the baptismal liturgy there is the beautiful baptismal covenant which is all about manifestation and integration. If you would all bear with me for a few minutes, open your prayer books to page 304, the beginning of the baptismal covenant. Those first three questions are all about God, the nature of God that has been manifested to us. But the next five questions are questions of integration: how is it that we are going to respond to God? Each of these questions is a different way we can do that. Will you continue in the apostle’s teaching and fellowship, breaking of bread, and in the prayers? And we respond, “I will, with God’s help.” Will you persevere in resisting evil whenever you fall into sin? The word is whenever, not if—an important distinction. Whenever you fall into sin, will you repent and turn to the Lord? “I will, with God’s help.” Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ? “I will, with God’s help.” Will you seek and serve God in all persons, loving neighbor as yourself? “I will, with God’s help.” Will you strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being? “I will, with God’s help.” Each one of these is a way that we can respond to the manifestation of Christ in this world, where you can integrate what it means to be baptized, to be at one with Christ through prayers, community, and fellowship. Try not to do wrong, but have the humility to come back to God when we mess up. In the act of proclamation, tell of the Good News through acts of service, acts of love, acts of justice, peace, and respect. These are all ways we integrate into our lives what it means to have experienced Christ.
So this season of Epiphany is a time to do that, to reflect on the manifestation of Christ to us, and reflect on how we are integrating that into our lives. How are we doing in this baptismal covenant, and what more can we do? How can we go deeper into it? How can we integrate into our lives that love that was born in that manger? When we take this manifestation and we integrate it into our lives, suddenly we can manifest it back out into this world. In a world that is filled with hate, we can manifest back the love. In a world filled with despair, we can manifest back the hope. In a world filled with cruelty, we can manifest back the grace. In a world filled with darkness, we can manifest back the light of Christ.
So, my friends, take this season to do that. Take some time to pause, to reflect and go deeper into what it means to be one with the One who came into this world.
AMEN
