‘Those who once worshipped the stars are now led by a star to worship thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to follow thee, the Orient on High.’ This beautiful prayer from the ancient Byzantine rite refers to the wondrous mystery of our orthodox faith which we celebrate on 6th January, the Epiphany, or as the Prayer Book describes it, the Manifestationof Christ to the Gentiles. This feast declares the self-revelation of God in the Person of Jesus Christ, the eternal Sonof God, the only-begotten Word of the Father. Jesus is the Light of the world; He is the Life and Light of men (St John 8.12, St John 12.36, St John 1.9). The Catholic Creed professes Him ‘Light of Light.’ Jesus Christ, the Lord of the universe, of Jews, of Gentiles, of all creation, shines upon a world darkened by death and sin. He comes to set the world alight with the brilliance of His divine power, presence and resurrection.
What is the significance of the title of this feast as provided in the Book of Common Prayer? The Jewish Messiah of Israel, the Promised One of the elect covenant people, reveals Himself as the universal Saviour of the whole human race, the redeemer of creation and Head and Author of the new created order and the new redeemed human family, the Church. He shows the Gentiles, those races and nations originally outside the covenant, that they are now called to the fullness of divine life and salvation. Some contemporary Christians are tempted simply to think of Our Lord as though He were Himself a Gentile – but not so – it is as the Jewish Messiah that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, the Davidic Priest-King, the fulfillment, completion and personification of Israel, comes to bring the Gentiles into communion with God in the fellowship of the one Body (Ephesians 2.11-22).
The word epiphano in the koinetic Greek means ‘to shine forth, manifest, reveal, illuminate, cast light upon.’ From it, we garner the English term ‘Epiphany.’
In the Sacred Scriptures and according to the Holy and Apostolic Tradition, there are at least three principal Epiphanies or manifestations of the Lord Jesus as the Eternal and Incarnate Word. Our Prayer Book liturgy will dwell on each in the weeks to come:
1. Specifically, on the Feast of the Epiphany itself, we celebrate on 6th January the Visit of the Magi (St Matthew 2.1-12). The number of three Magi is not identified in the New Testament; rather, the key number is only given by Tradition. Magi, or the Wise Men, were Persian astrologers and students of the sky, observers of natural phenomena and rulers of the people. They are the representatives of the Gentile world who come to adore the new-born King of all men. The three royal Sages from the East, Melchior, Balthasar and Gaspar in Tradition, manifest the three major races of man; they represent the whole of mankind, European, African, Asian. The ethne or Gentile nations, personified in the wise men, come to obey and worship their Lord and the King of all. Saint Hilary of Poitiers, an eminent Church Father of the West, interprets the holy gifts offered to Christ by the Three Kings:
- Gold: for the honour of royalty, gold shows forth Christ as King of the Universe and of the Gentiles.
- Frankincense: incense is always used in the Old and New Testaments in the worship of the Most High God, representing Deity, Divinity.
- Myrrh: a spice used for burial, it symbolises the Death, Burial and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Who is King, God and Sacrifice: Our Lord is the crucified and risen God, the Messiah-King.
2. The Baptism of Christ – Our Own Baptism: In the Epiphany of His Baptism, Christ is manifested, revealed as the Messiah, and anointed with the Holy Ghost in His humanity as the Incarnate Son. In being baptised, the God-Man also sanctifies the water of our own Baptism into Him. Christian Baptism is our Illumination in the Eternal Son.Christ’s Baptism is, as well, the first pivotal manifestation of God as Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The Voice is that of the Father, the Son is baptised and revealed in His human nature, and the Spirit is seen as the dove descending on Christ (St Matthew 3.13-17, St Mark 1.9-12, St Matthew 28.16-20).
3. Cana of Galilee – the Eucharistic Sign: The Epiphany of Our Lord’s first miracle is recorded in Saint John’s Gospel (St John 2.1-11). Christ turns water into wine, which miracle or sign is an icon, image, of the august marvel and sacramental Sign of the Holy Eucharist, wherein Christ continually transforms bread and wine into His most precious Body and Blood. The Real Objective Presence of Christ in the Eucharist is an everlasting Epiphany, one which enlightens and nourishes us and makes us One Body and Blood with Him. ‘This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.’
There are, in fact, many Epiphanies of Jesus Christ in salvation history, and especially today. The Holy Catholic Church of Christ is the great Sacrament of the Lord and perpetually manifests Him in creation. The Church, Christ’s Mystical Body, is His epiphany still. All Seven Sacraments of the Church are a continual epiphany of Christ, a signification and manifestation of His power and grace. In the Church, we mystically join with the Magi and worship the new-born King, our Priest and Messiah. We unite ourselves with them in offering our lives to the true God. Our Blessed Lord has epiphanied Himself to mankind so that we, joined to Him, may manifest, presence, reveal our Saviour to others. The Christian vocation of one who has put on Christ (Galatians 3.27) is to shine forth the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 4.6), to radiate in a benighted world with the divine Sun of Righteousness.
We are summoned to enlighten the whole of this cosmos with the divine light of the love of Christ. Jesus is the Light, and like Saint John the Baptist, we must ‘bear witness of the Light’ (St John 1.7). We are called to epiphany Jesus to the world in which we live and to the people we encounter. Baptised, Confirmed, Eucharistic, fully-initiated and illuminated Christians are the modern epiphanies of Christ, conformed to His Image and made in His glorious likeness by grace. We are the ultimate Epiphany of Christ. As filii in Filio, the sons in the Son, let us resolve to epiphany the Epiphany, and epiphanise the Lord!
May the Lord of glory, Jesus, the bright Splendour of the Father, bless you and all you love during this holy Epiphany season!
+Chad
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