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EPIPHANY

SCRIPTURE READINGS

ISAIAH 60:1-6

EPHESIANS 3:1-12

MATTHEW 2:1-12

REFLECTION

Epiphany is an important day in the Christian calendar. It is observed twelve days after Christmas.  Epiphany comes from the Greek “epiphaneia”, meaning “appearance” or “manifestation,” and refers to the manifestation or revealing of Jesus Christ to the world. Epiphany is part of the Christmas celebration and it commemorates the revelation of Jesus to the Gentiles. It is for this reason, the theme for our reflection is Christ, the light of the world. We shall explain two facts as we reflect on the theme.

First, the prophet Isaiah had already made known to Israel that the glory and the light of God will be experienced by the world therefore those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour shall experience Him as the light of Salvation and become the beneficiaries to radiate Christ, the light to the world. ” Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising… Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the LORD. (Isaiah 60:1-3, 5-6). In other words, Isaiah many years before the birth of Christ had already prophesied that Christ, light to the world will be revealed to Israel. Israel becomes the torch bearer of the nations by being the birthplace of our Lord Jesus Christ. We see the manifestation or the Epiphany of Christ as the light to the world when Matthew wrote that “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him…the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11). Truly, prophecy has been fulfilled, Jesus the King and Messiah of the Jews is also the Saviour and light to the world. The Magi or the wise men from the East are not Jews but they came to worship Christ, the light to the world. God promised and has fulfilled. Praise be to His name! The Epiphany of Christ or the revelation of Christ demonstrates God’s love for sinners. He descended into our evil and sinful world through Christ to bring Salvation and light to as many who will believe in Him and accept Him as Lord and Savior. John sums it up beautifully when he wrote that “In him(Christ) was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4-5). Beloved in the Lord, Jesus invites us to have a relationship with Him so that we shall become people of the light and acceptable to God, Jesus says “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) As we begin a new year, we need to re-examine our lives and our relationship with God. We must come to Christ, the light of the world through whom we radiate righteousness and are given the power or dominion over sin and temptations.

Second, we are not only to be beneficiaries of the Ephiphany of Christ but we must radiate the light He shines on us onto others by sharing the Gospel of light with those who are still in the darkness of sin. Apostle Paul is a classical example of a believer who experienced the Epiphany or revelation of Christ as the light to the world and became totally transformed to the glory of God. Paul was not only transformed but he lived by the light and took the light to the gentiles so that they will also experience the Salvation of the Lord. Paul wrote to encourage the Church in Ephesus “I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Ephesians 3:7-12) Beloved in the Lord, like the Ephesian Christians (gentiles), we have also become children of the light by listening to the Gospel of Jesus. As disciples of Christ, we are called to radiate the revealed light of Christ so that many will see us as stars and come to give their lives to the Saviour just as the Magi or the wise men followed the star to Jesus. May the Lord use us in our time for the salvation of many just as He used Paul to bring light to the gentile world. It is now our turn to win more lost souls (gentiles) by bringing them to Christ, the light to the world.

In summary, we have reflected on the theme, Christ, the Light to the world, we have understood that through Christ we have become children of the Light and because we are beneficiaries of the Epiphany or the revelation of Christ as the light to the world, we must go out into the world and radiate Christ by preaching the Gospel for the salvation or redemption of all who will repent and believe. May the Holy Spirit enable us to keep radiating the light of salvation and righteousness received graciously from Christ and may we continually radiate Christ for the Salvation of many even as we await His second coming. Amen.