Rector's Sermon
8 January 2012

First Reading	Psalm	Epistle	Gospel
Isaiah 60:1–6	Psalm 72:1–7, 10–14	Ephesians 3:1–12	Matthew 2:1–12

       The celebration of Epiphany originally began in Egypt in the third century to commemorate the manifestation of the messiah and savior to the world. Like the date of Dec. 25 that was chosen to rival the Roman celebration of the birth of the Sun-God, the date of January 6th was chosen to supplant the ancient holiday on this date celebrating the birth of the Egyptian God Osiris.  By the fourth century, most of the Eastern Church adopted this date to celebrate Jesus’ nativity, as well as to commemorate his baptism. Soon after Christians in both the East and West began to adapt each other’s customs. Hence the time between Christmas Day and Epiphany is known as the twelve days of Christmas. In the Easter Church, Jesus’ baptism is honored as the great manifestation of his mission to the world and is still the predominant theme of Epiphany, while in the West, Matthews’ account of Jesus birth and the visit of the magi is given the primary emphasis.

       Unlike Luke’s account of the birth of Jesus, Matthew offers us an uneasy picture with sharp edges. Danger is never very far away from the stable. The magi sensed this when they went to Herod’s court to inquire about the star that seemed to be leading them to the birth of a new future for humanity. Herod, the iron enforcer of the oppressor over the oppressed and the jealous guardian of the status quo, could hardly hide his murderous fear of being upstaged. The magi knew that they would have to go home by another way, or face a dangerous interrogation by Herod. Bethlehem was only a brief safe place for the Holy Family. They too, would soon be refugees, a precarious category of existence in every age.   

       I was tempted to put yellow hazard tape all around the crèche scene, as a sign warning us all of the consequence of letting the birth of Jesus enter our hearts, Yes we can make plans, but as an old expression goes, we’d better be prepared to laugh at how God jumbles up our plans.  The consequence of letting the birth of Jesus Christ into our hearts is that ever after, God will be challenging us to rearrange our lives and the boundaries of our mind will forever be called to expand. That’s the story of Mary and Joseph. Mary and Joseph were ordinary folk, no better, no worse than most of us. Yet when God entered the picture, Mary and Joseph had to deal with a pregnancy, sudden and completely unexplainable. They were visited by people who brought amazing messages and greetings they could not possibly comprehend. Then, when things seemed to have calmed down, Joseph was warned to take Mary and Jesus and flee for their lives to a foreign land. Mary and Joseph’s future was not merely reshuffled. God used a whole new deck of cards unlike any other.

       The potential of God’s epiphanies, is reflected also in the story of the magi, whoever they were. Their returning home via a different route, was only a prelude to the story of Jesus changing the routes of our journeys.  After seeing Jesus, they weren’t the same astrologers/philosophers as before. That’s also the story of Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. After the revelation of Christmas truly enters him, Scrooge is no longer Scrooge.  The revelation, the birth of a totally new perspective is even behind the inner transformation of the character played by Jimmy Stewart in the classic film “It’s A Wonderful Life.” All the stories of this season that continually move us are stories that point to God at work transforming, changing us.

       This season doesn’t make light of human grief, of the pain of loss, or the dread of the unknown, but it affirms that in the fullness of time, in God’s future, not ours, all will be made whole. Indeed it has been the last Christmas in some ways for all of us. Nothing will be exactly the same again, but in reality that has always been so.

       The powers that be and would wish-to-be of the world like to promise that if you behave and do what they want, things will come out OK. What politician does not claim if you vote for me, I promise you that I have plans that will bring back the good old days, the good old ways, and there will be no need to worry about the future for I will give you the knowable present providing a cover of security against the future.

       God is not a politician. Matthew’s story of the magi is not a blueprint for winning a political primary, but for a cosmic upheaval. Yes, in the eyes of faith, it is a welcome thing. The magi, like the shepherds, departed by another way, joyful and confident that God would save us. God is with us, God will lead us into a future much more than we can hope for or imagine. “Fear not!”, proclaim the angels. Fear not God’s future. Today we are being told to cross over the yellow caution tape, cross over and see the fresh new birth of God among us.  No, you can’t wire ahead for guaranteed reservations. Neither could the magi. There are no lobbyists hanging around the stable either. God's messengers will not be bribed. And you don’t have to worry about leaving home without your wallet or credit cards, for you can’t buy God’s grace with either cash or credit. Just take your open mind, a willing spirit, and a trusting heart. Cross over the yellow tape, come over the threshold, and see what God offers to reveal - God’s Epiphany.

       And I offer this to you in the name of the Living God, Amen.