Articles - From the Curate

Epiphanytide

The term epiphany means "to show", "to make known" or "to reveal" and the Church's feast of Epiphany celebrates the visit to Jesus by the three wise men (or Kings) where Jesus is revealed to be the Saviour for the whole world. We celebrate Epiphany on the 6th January or on the Sunday nearest to that date - this year it is celebrated on Sunday 3rd January - but in fact, it's not just a day, it's a season that lasts for quite a few weeks until The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas) on February 2nd. (or the Sunday nearest to it).

The three wise men belonging to my home nativity set, start 'travelling' in December and they gradually get nearer to the crib as Epiphany gets nearer and will eventually 'arrive' from their long journey (around my house), to the crib, on Epiphany itself. Then during Epiphanytide they journey back home again, finally reaching the end of their journey on Feb 2nd when my nativity set is put away. My crib stays out on display all this time, which sometimes does get some interesting remarks from visitors who don't know me too well - but this can also lead to some very interesting conversations!

Seeing the crib and the three wise men figures for that length of time, reminds me to think about the awesome knowledge that Jesus is 'God with us', for longer than Christmas. Christmas itself may be 'over' but actually its meaning - the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ, coming amongst us (his incarnation) is a message to remember all year round. The three wise men represent the Gentiles (the non-Jewish people of that time) and their figures remind me that Jesus didn't just come for me, my family and those who already know Him. He came for ALL of us, even those who don't know Him or those who don't want to know Him. They also remind me that I need to reveal Christ to others and not just keep Him and my knowledge of Him to myself.

Which leads us to the Conversion of Paul, which the Church celebrates in Epiphanytide on 25th January. Here was Saul (later known as Paul), a persecutor of the Jews, whom the risen Jesus spoke to. Saul had his own Epiphany, or revealing of Jesus and could not keep that knowledge to himself - becoming an apostle and telling everyone, particularly the non-Jewish people, who Jesus was - revealing this to others.

Jesus is for everyone, and maybe we, as Christians, could use the example of Paul and the three wise men - after we 'saw' Jesus' birth revealed to us during our Christmas celebrations, we return now to our daily lives, as the wise men returned - but hopefully with some good news, with something to say to others about it, not forgetting Him. Do we, who have celebrated that revealing of God coming amongst us, want to tell others about it?

God's gift to us, was, and still is, His Son, Jesus Christ. Let's try to help others to understand that - revealing Him to others in this New Year, in whatever way we can.

A peaceful and Happy New Year to you all

Diane

© St Edmund's Church, Roundhay