Epiphany

This past Sunday was Epiphany.  At least, if one is aware of the way the early church celebrated it and still is the way the Eastern Church (or Orthodox Churches) still do.  In the Roman Catholic tradition Epiphany has to fall on a Sunday, so it is always the Sunday closest to the sixth of January.  But for today’s meditative purposes, let’s stay with tradition.
   
As so often is the case, as a Quaker lad, I had never heard the term, “epiphany.”  Those were pre-Vatican II days and little Quaker boys and little Catholic boys did not sit around discussing theology!  In Indiana it was basketball, not theology, which was the usual norm of discussion.  Again as usual, it was only in my college days when God continued to bless me with friends from the liturgical traditions, Catholics, Episcopalians, Greek Orthodox, and so on, that my theological exposure began to happen.  I became ecumenical!  I learned this new word to describe this day.
   
Epiphany, as I later learned in Greek, was a transliteration of a Greek word.  Students never know what a word like “transliteration” means.  Of course, none of them will ever stop me and ask, “what does ‘transliteration’ mean?”  So, I will stop and ask them if they know what it means?  No, certainly not.  So I explain it means writing in English letter by letter what a foreign word is.  So if you pronounce out loud the word, “epiphany,” it sounds the same in Greek or English.
   
Literally, “epiphany” means “appearance” or “manifestation.”  For the Christian it became the way to describe the phenomenon that God became human in Jesus.  Literally, God “appeared” in human form.  Of course, this is a faith statement.  There was no way back then or today to prove that Jesus was God-become-human.  Only in faith is this “true.”  For someone who does not believe, it is certainly not true.  In fact, it might actually seem daft, as the English would say!
   
And Epiphany as a religious holiday---or feast day---celebrates this divine manifestation.  At this season, we remember that manifestation.  Today we “re-up” our faith in that same God who continues to appear in our world.  It is an occasion to say “Yes” again to that God who might even want to appear in your life and mine.  Let’s sound theologically sophisticated: it is our chance to become epiphanic!
   
So what does it mean?  Our DNA will not be altered if we allow God to manifest in and through us whatever it is that God desires.  My eyes still will be blue; I will not immediately lose weight.  But if I allow God’s will to shine in me, my blue eyes might begin to twinkle.  And I will add spiritual weight to what I say and what I do.
   
But what am I likely to do?  My best guess is I will begin to do the kinds of things Jesus did.  He is our best clue (although not the only one: don’t forget all those amazing guys and gals in the Hebrew Bible, the Old Testament).  Basically, Jesus treated all people lovingly.  He dealt out justice---in fact he always started with justice.  He had mercy.  He was forgiving.  He wanted peace and, indeed, was a peacemaker.
   
Need I say more?  You likely can add to the list as easily as I can.  For most of us, the issue is not knowledge.  We do have a fair clue what God would desire, if we allow that Divine One to appear in and through us.  Knowledge is not the issue; willingness usually is the issue.  Do we want to?  My will or God’s will: that is usually the question.  Ego or Your way?
   
Thank you God for your appearance---for Epiphany.  Continue to be epiphanic in me.  And if I can’t allow it yet, work to create a willing heart.