Epiphany

The Sixth of January, being the Twelfth day of Christmas, is when the Christmas season officially draws to a close, and all decorations, mince pies and turkey sandwiches should all be done away with! 

Living in other countries, we’ve realised this day is a much bigger deal than it is in Ireland. 

Here it is called Epiphany. 

In Portugal (and Spain) it is celebrated as the Day of the Kings, connected with the Wise Men with their gifts. 

It was always a big holiday there, and often the giving of presents to children on this day is as important as it is on Christmas Day itself. 

In contrast, for the Greeks in the eastern Orthodox tradition, the “Epiphany” or revealing of Jesus as God has more to do with his baptism than with the visit of the wise men. It is in his baptism, and the descent of the Spirit as a dove when he came out of the water that Jesus is revealed as the son fo God. 

So, in the 6th January, all over the Greek speaking world, especially ports and harbours, the ‘blessing of the waters’ ceremony that takes place. The priest, will go down to the edge of the sea, surrounded by a large congregation, and, as part of the ceremony, he throws a cross into the sea from the harbour wall or from a boat.  The minute the cross leaves the priest’s hand, many boys and men jump into the freezing water in a race to be first to catch the cross. The one who finds it and returns the cross receives a special blessing from the priest. 

Baptism. Wise men. It seems to me that Epiphany, the revealing of who Jesus really is, is not just a single moment in time, but an ongoing process. He is revealed in the breaking of the bread (as with those two men in Emmaus after the resurrection) He is revealed on the Mount of Transfiguration, on the road to Damascus, and so many many other times. In fact when we, as Christians, like Paul says, carry about in our lives the suffering of Jesus, then his life is revealed in our mortal bodies. ** 

It is revealed in the way an Afghan believer faces up to his exile from home and family. 

It is revealed in the love of a young mother when her babies’ incessant crying tears at her heart. 

It is revealed in the compassion of volunteers as they rescue refugees from a sinking boat. 

May that same ‘Epiphany’ of the life of Jesus happen in my life today and through this year.

** 2 Corinthians 2:11