Thoughts on Epiphany

Thoughts on Epiphany

I loved seeing the pictures my Hispanic and Latin American friends posted on Facebook today, for it is el Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos—Day of the Three Magi. Today on Epiphany, not Christmas, is the day that gifts are exchanged, as a way to celebrate the three wise men finally finding Jesus in Bethlehem and offering him their gifts.

The wise men had come from the East, looking for Jesus. They had seen the star and knew that the King of the Jews had been born. This frightened Herod terribly, for he knew this King could threaten his own power. So he asked the wise men to let him know when they found Jesus, for he wanted to pay homage as well. At least that’s what he told them. We who stand on the other side of history know that Herod wanted to destroy the One he perceived was his enemy.

The wise men followed the star and kept looking for this King. It is their commitment to this task that moves me so. They didn’t stray and they weren’t distracted from their search, even when it led them to an unlikely place and a baby.

This defenseless baby was the one who Herod feared yet the wise men worshiped. For in this baby, all heaven broke loose as God became one of us. Who could have imagined this?

God continues to come, showing up in our world, infusing it with holiness and offering us a love that will never let us go. Are you willing to have the dedication of the wise men, to keep on the lookout, pursuing God in the most unlikely people and overlooked places? For as the Gospels show us, this is where God is most likely to be found.

May we be extravagant each time we gather for worship, showering one another with joy and love, for Christ continues to dwell among us.

Stay on the lookout, for God will show up!