Once upon a time on Christmas day, mom decrees that she is no longer going to remind her children of their thank-you note duties. As a result, their grandmother never receives acknowledgments of the generous checks she gives. The next year things are different, however. “The children came over in person to thank me,” the grandmother told a friend triumphantly. “How wonderful!” the friend exclaims. “What do you think caused the change in behavior?” “Oh, that’s easy,” the grandmother replied. “This year I didn’t sign the checks.”
The word, “epiphany,” means “appearance,” or, “manifestation.” It begins in the heavens with the appearance of a star that catches the attention of the Magi. The star leads these astrologers to the land of Judah. But before they find the child, Herod waylays them lying to them as he sends them to Bethlehem.
We all need a manifestation of the Christ in our lives. But make sure that you follow the route of the Magi and not the route of Herod. Today the scriptures are filled with words like: searching, journeying, travelling, looking, beholding…Isaiah tells us about the splendor of Jerusalem. People come from afar: her sons from a great distance, daughters in the arms of nurses. Rich and poor; Jew and Gentile travel a great distance to see the glory of God in the holy city. And sometimes that is what it takes for Christ to manifest himself to us- we need to make the journey.
To illustrate: Earlier in December of 2014, an anonymous wealthy businessman meets with Jackson County Sheriff Officers in Kansas City and he deputizes them to be his “Secret Santa.” The businessman hands each officer ten one hundred dollar bills and they go out targeting people who need it the most- people with dented cars, or, vehicles held together with “Bondo” putty. When an officer pulls over Jessica Rodriguez for no cause whatsoever, she is a little upset. But when the officer hands her enough money to buy her three children Christmas gifts she begins to cry. She tells the officer- “You saved my Christmas. I had nothing for the kids.” And then there is the “Uplift Someone” campaign conducted by a cable network called UP TV. The cable network partners with the police department in Lowell, Michigan and hands them over $8,000.00 for Christmas gifts to people in the town. So, looking for minor traffic violators, Officer Scott VanSolkema makes small talk about the family and what want they want for Christmas as he searches for their licenses and insurance cards. Little do the people know in the cars that the officer has a microphone and speaks directly to other officers in a department store. Within minutes, unmarked cars pull up with the desired wrapped Christmas gifts. Even though one out of every three stopped cars do not cooperate with the officer, many people share their Christmas list with Officer Scott. One woman is so shocked that she asks the officer, “Am I still getting that ticket?” While there are many tears and hugs, there is another reason for these acts of kindness across the United States. In the words of a sheriff, “It’s been a tough year for police everywhere. People need to know that we can be joyful and caring people too.” http://www.uptv.com/videos/uplifting-traffic-stop-surprise
Brothers and sisters, we are like blank checks sorely in need of a manifestation of Christ in our lives. But grace does not grow on trees. In the words of St. Paul, you and I are copartners in the promise of Christ Jesus. To be a partner, make that journey and manifest Christ to someone today. As Christ manifests himself to us through the Eucharist, God asks us to manifest his gracious grace to the world. In the words of Howard Thurman, “When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings are home, the work of Christmas begins: to find the lost, heal the broken, feed the hungry, rebuild nations, bring peace among people, make music in the heart.”
A Blessed Epiphany to You!
The Rev. Fr. Dr. T. Becket A. Franks, O.S.B.
Epiphany
2015
Becketmonk 