It was an Epiphany
This last Sunday was the Feast of the Epiphany, and it was an Epiphany for me. The word Epiphany means, “to shine light upon,” and it is a universal metaphor for understanding. Old cartoons used to feature a little light bulb coming on over someone’s head with they “got it”. When someone is explaining something difficult to us, and we finally “get it”, we say, “I see.” When describing Jesus, John in his gospel says that, “…the light has come into the darkness...”
“I see.” A very short sentence for a very important idea.
This last Sunday did not begin well. Because of a miscommunication, the hymns were not in the service bulletin. The Advent wreath could not be lit for the early service because of a technical failure with the candle lighters. The new pledge envelopes were lost somewhere in transit and the schedules weren’t published in either the Good News or on the Internet to tell people who was supposed to show up for church and serve at the altar or read this Sunday. All this worry was beginning to bother me, to steal my joy. One person confessed that they were worried about me—worried about “me”—because all this stuff hadn’t got done.
I see.
That’s when the light came on. For some people, perhaps many people, all this stuff about schedules, and newsletters, and budget hearings and envelopes and candlesticks is really very important, and it really is about “me”. It is my “job” to make it exactly right, every time.
I see.
But the truth is the church is not about schedules and newsletters and budget hearings and envelopes and candlesticks. It is a about us—you and me and all those who have not yet come to Christ. It is about a God who broke into the world to bring the light. By the time the later service rolled around, and we had baptized a little baby and a wonderful young woman, and we had joined together in communion, my Epiphany was complete and my priorities were back in order.
I see.
I wish the same for each of you, this wonderful season. –JC+