Sunday Homily, January 5, 2020, Epiphany
Sez our dear Harper "Welcome in, Everybody."
Isaiah, a review
Here is another of those passages which make me love Isaiah so much. I have mentioned this before. He is my favorite.
Today we have Isaiah III talking to the Jews who have returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian Captivity, about 555 years before Christ. It helps to picture the mood of these people.
Away we go!
Are you a Cowboy Fan? How do you feel about this year? Multiply this by 10 and you have how the Jewish people felt after 50 years of slavery and their town destroyed like New Orleans or parts of Preston Hollow.
When he says Jerusalem or Zion, he is talking to these beaten down people. Later centuries church leaders began to make these words have two meanings, the city and we Christians. Jerusalem, then, applies to us.
Sources: Good News Bible, The New Interpreter’s Bible
Takes Zoe to really light a candle.
Readings:
Isaiah 60, 1-6, The glory of the Lord shines upon you. (nice)
Psalm 72, Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
Ephesians 3, 2-3, 5-6, God's grace was given to me.
Matthew 2, 1-12, Where is the newborn king of the Jew?.
And to really get it lit, it takes Victoria.
The Epiphany, a Cornucopia of Symbols:
2 observations–
Where to begin, folks. There is so much symbolism in this liturgy, in Matthew, for sure, and in the combination of Matthew with Isaiah and Psalm 72. Matthew carefully crafted this story to appeal to both his fellow Jews and the Gentile population. I'll touch 2 points, each with 3 subdivisions..
And to really get it all right, it takes Buddy to read the Blessing of the Candles.
The Wise Men have a double & triple significance because they are
- Gentiles
- They come from the east, considered the source of wisdom in the world of that time. Where does the sun rise? Where do stars rise? A new son has been born and like the sun in the east or a star he will bring new light.
- They are searchers & symbolize every man’s search for meaning in life. Remember Matthew speaks to two audiences, his fellow Israelites, whom he is chastising for not searching, and the Gentiles.
And then backing it all up is Leo singing.
- The 3 gifts.
- Gold is given because it signifies royalty.
- Frankincense, or incense, signifies divinity.
- Myrra signifies medicine. Myrra is for the human. It comes from a bush like tree that has a yellow, sticky sap on its bark. The sap was good for skin infections and acne, asthma, colds, and flu, and even herpes. It is found in Saudi Arabia & Somalia.
Bringing the gifts Bernadette, her daughter Michelle, and Grace.
A post script. People in Europe used to write an inscription over their doors, e.g. 20+C+M+B+17. The numbers are our year. The letters are Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, supposedly the kings' names. Christians made it say, “Christ & you 3 kings bless our house or Maison the year listed."
And trouble with Richard, Cody, & Ben.
Another post script. In New Orleans Epiphany starts Carnival season, which leads up to Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The parades start, folks. Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler.
Sources: Reginal Fuller, St. Louis U. Liturgy; Biblical & Theological Resources, the Voice Institute, on line; Wikipedia; and other sources.
The communion team with Patricia, Claire, Geri, Grace, & Denni. Thanks, You All.
An Epiphany Story
Rosemary & I once went to the exposition of some paintings of about six or eight artists. Among the artists and the reason we were there was my childhood buddy, Ed Lamberty, who gave the homily here on alcoholism & AA some years ago. He was presenting some of his works.
As we were wandering around we ran into another couple who are old friends. We ask what brought them to this exposition. They pointed across the room to a middle aged, middle class, blondish woman who was standing by some of her works.
Hi, Marlene, Mabel, & Cindy. So good to see you.
Here is the story the wife told me.
The couple we know are both academics on the university level. Some years ago the wife had been teaching and came to know one of her students. The student was a mother with a son about 8 years old. At some point in time the father had abandoned them and left them with nothing. They were living in the mother’s car.
Thanks, Rick, for all the good pictures.
My friend says to me that this so shocked her and she thought this cannot continue. An Epiphany moment. She described the situation to her husband and two sons who were about 10 & 12. Guess what they did.
They invited the mother & son to live with them until they got on their feet. The two sons moved into one bedroom and the mother & her son took the other. Here they lived for almost a year until the husband found the woman a job.
Peace, Everybody.
The woman now is successful and is developing as an artist, selling her works for big sums. The son graduated from Jesuit, graduated from college, and now is married with a couple of his own kids.
Obvious from the fact that they were at the art exposition, my friends are still quite close with the mother & her son.
Peace for 2020.
I would propose that this is what epiphany is, a light shines on a presence. The presence is a challenge and, perhaps, involves care for others. The presence may be the example of another person.
Who is an epiphany for you?
For whom are you an epiphany?