7th January 2024
Reflection (readings below)
Epiphany has the meaning of manifestation, of a shining light of revelation, of things come into view. Today’s gospel tells of a number of epiphany moments – when the magi first saw the star and understood its significance, when they reached Jerusalem and became aware that Herod was not as genuine as he made out, when the scriptures pointed the way to the smaller city of Bethlehem, and when they saw the child with Mary his mother.
Each epiphany moment was met by a response. When they see the star and realise what it signifies, they set out on a journey to find the new-born king. When they hear what is being said in Herod’s courts they readjust their route and head for Bethlehem. When they see the child, they kneel down in worship and give gifts to honour the child.
Herod on the other hand, when he realises what the star and the arrival of the magi means, responds with trickery and, when that fails, with anger cruelly killing every young child.
It is not just the revelation – the truth – that is important, it is also how people respond to the revelation, to the truth.
On Friday Canon Nick Davies at Tewksbury Cathedral looked out at the flooding surrounding the cathedral: “Tewksbury has been flooded since Roman times, but what we’re seeing now with climate change is that those extreme weather events are becoming more frequent. Global warming enables clouds to hold more moisture and drop it more swiftly on places like here or elsewhere. And that’s what we’re seeing.” (https://www.theguardian.com/weather/2024/jan/05/heavy-flooding-is-climate-crisis-wake-up-call-for-uk-says-tewkesbury-abbey-canon?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other)
The widespread flooding that is being witnessed both in Tewksbury and across Britain (and indeed across Europe) is an epiphany moment or as Nick Davies puts it “It’s a wake-up call for the nation.”
But what is now important is that we respond appropriately to that epiphany. And Nick Davies went on “It’s about our carbon footprint. It’s about land usage. It’s about not building on floodplains. It’s about joined-up thinking across the Severn river basin. And that’s what we need if we’re not going to be back here in another few years’ time.”
Nick Davies was upfront in saying we should be questioning our lifestyles, whether people should carry on flying, how to decarbonise transport systems, and the importance of adopting national and international legislation.
So as we celebrate the season of epiphany that began with a newly observed star, let us pay attention to the other epiphany moments that are sounding the alarm about the climate crisis, the biodiversity crisis, and the peace and justice crises. And not just note them, but act positively and proactively as a people who are commanded to love their neighbours, and to tend and care for plant earth – our common home. And by so doing we will be loving God with all our heart and and mind and strength. We need not just Nick Davies speaking to the Guardian from the roof of Tewksbury Abbey, but preachers from every pulpit, leaders in every Bible study and home group, bishops from their cathedral thrones, and Lords Spiritual in the Houses of Parliament, every PCC diocesan Synod, making manifest the scale of the crises we face and the with candour spelling out how we can – and must – change the way we do things..
Isaiah 60:1-6
Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
Psalm 72:1-7,10-14
1 Give the King your justice, O God, *
and your righteousness to the King’s Son;
2 That he may rule your people righteously *
and the poor with justice;
3 That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, *
and the little hills bring righteousness.
4 He shall defend the needy among the people; *
he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.
5 He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, *
from one generation to another.
6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown field, *
like showers that water the earth.
7 In his time shall the righteous flourish; *
there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.
10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute, *
and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts.
11 All kings shall bow down before him, *
and all the nations do him service.
12 For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress, *
and the oppressed who has no helper.
13 He shall have pity on the lowly and poor; *
he shall preserve the lives of the needy.
14 He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, *
and dear shall their blood be in his sight.
Ephesians 3:1-12
This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles– for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.
Matthew 2:1-12
In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
`And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.'”
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
The Green Tau 