Epiphany!!

Some thoughts about Epiphany and Baptism of our Lord

This year, in the Church Calendar, the Feast of the Epiphany and the Celebration of the Baptism of our Lord are only three calendar days apart. It seems like an awfully short time between the arrival of the Magi (Kings, Wise Men or Sages) to see the baby Jesus and the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as an adult! In the Gospel of Matthew we move, in one chapter, from the arrival of the Wise Men to the flight of the Holy Family to Egypt to John’s ministry along the Jordan, right to Jesus’ own baptism in the Jordan. We have hardly had a chance to cuddle and coo over the baby, before he is a full grown adult!

What do these two events, the arrival of the Wise Men and the Baptism of Jesus, have in common? These events both reveal something to Matthew’s readers and listeners about Jesus. The Wise Men reveal that a child has been born, who is to be King of the Jews. The way in which Matthew relates the story of the Wise Men leaves no doubt that this child, destined to be King, is indeed the baby Jesus. Matthew also links Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem with prophecies that the Messiah, the ruler who is to shepherd God’s people, would be born in Bethlehem. Very early in this Gospel Matthew uses the story of the Magi to signal the importance of this child.

At the baptism of Jesus, Matthew again signals who Jesus is. First, John wants to refuse to baptize Jesus, claiming that Jesus should baptize him. Then during the Baptism, Matthew’s readers observe a voice from heaven declaring Jesus to be “my Son”.

Two events, two revelations! The first reveals that Jesus has been born King of the Jews and is the fulfillment of the prophecy that the Messiah to be born in Bethlehem. The second reveals Jesus to be the Son of God.

Included among the definitions of “epiphany” are a revealing or a manifestation. Both the arrival of the Wise Men and the Baptism of Jesus reveal to us who Jesus is! Although there is a huge temporal change between the events of the Wise Men and the Baptism of Jesus, both serve Matthew’s purpose of revealing who Jesus is.

Prayer:

Gracious God, in this Epiphany season you reveal your Son to us. Help us to see the light of Christ made evident in our own lives. May our lives be guided by the light that is Christ. Amen