While in London I visited the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. Just a wonderful experience of fun, lights, food, music and joy. While watching a whole lot of people skating, I noticed a little guy struggling to do so. Proficient skaters were whizzing by him upsetting him even more. Suddenly, his feet slipped from underneath him and he fell rather hard on the ice. A young guy, one of those proficient skaters whizzing about, stopped and lifted him up and coaxed him back on to his feet. It was a lovely moment, simple, yet beautiful in its kindness. Others also saw it. It was a kind of epiphany of light to us all.
This inconspicuous little event got me thinking about Epiphany and its celebration this Sunday. The word means an appearance or manifestation, or a sudden intuitive insight into the reality or essential meaning of life and the Divine. In the Christian sense it means all this centred around the appearance of Jesus, particularly as it's portrayed in the story of the Magi. The story seems to be saying three important things about epiphanies in life.
Firstly, they're not manifested in the neon lights of the world, but in the homely commonplace occurrences of life -experience, sometimes where you least expect them, like in stables and on ice-rinks etc.
Secondly, they're universal. The image of the Magi is a universal one. They represent all peoples. Epiphanies are common to all faith traditions. They all share in them and all people are capable of experiencing moments of epiphany. Yes, on Sunday it is a uniquely Christian celebration focussing on the Christ-child, but let's not forget the universality of the celebration. Epiphany, being about the appearance of the Divine in the concreteness of life, is always bigger and goes beyond any particular faith tradition.
Thirdly, they have the power within them to change the direction of our lives. We're told that the Magi, after their epiphany, "returned by a different way." I certainly left that ice-rink a little different from what I was when I first arrived. May our celebration of Epiphany on Sunday invite us too, to choose a different road.
This inconspicuous little event got me thinking about Epiphany and its celebration this Sunday. The word means an appearance or manifestation, or a sudden intuitive insight into the reality or essential meaning of life and the Divine. In the Christian sense it means all this centred around the appearance of Jesus, particularly as it's portrayed in the story of the Magi. The story seems to be saying three important things about epiphanies in life.Firstly, they're not manifested in the neon lights of the world, but in the homely commonplace occurrences of life -experience, sometimes where you least expect them, like in stables and on ice-rinks etc.
Secondly, they're universal. The image of the Magi is a universal one. They represent all peoples. Epiphanies are common to all faith traditions. They all share in them and all people are capable of experiencing moments of epiphany. Yes, on Sunday it is a uniquely Christian celebration focussing on the Christ-child, but let's not forget the universality of the celebration. Epiphany, being about the appearance of the Divine in the concreteness of life, is always bigger and goes beyond any particular faith tradition.
Thirdly, they have the power within them to change the direction of our lives. We're told that the Magi, after their epiphany, "returned by a different way." I certainly left that ice-rink a little different from what I was when I first arrived. May our celebration of Epiphany on Sunday invite us too, to choose a different road.
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