Epiphany
Image by Vicki Hamilton, Pixabay
In a contest for the most enigmatic characters of the New Testament, my money would be on the Wise Men of the Christmas story, whom we commemorate today, January 6th. The tantalisingly little information we have about them excludes their nationality, their number and their names, though church tradition and human imagination have filled some of the gaps. But, of course, the Gospel writer, Matthew, reveals precisely what he wants us to focus on. Some learned men embarked on a long quest to seek the meaning of an astronomical event, which they interpreted as a sign or epiphany (see WordNerd blog). And when they found the infant Jesus, they bowed down and worshipped him. This moment is captured in verse 2 of my favourite carol, O Holy Night, by Placide Cappeau.
Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
with glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
there came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger;
in all our trials born to be our friend.
He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Bowing to worship the infant Jesus, the Magi changed from seekers to followers. They recognised that they’d found what they sought – the child who would become the Saviour of the world. From now on, they would follow not a star, but a person – this wonder-child, Immanuel, God with us. I count myself fortunate that my epiphany, when I was just 10 years old, did not involve travelling across a desert on a camel! My more gradual, less dramatic ‘revelation’ led me to bow the knee before the same Saviour of the world, changing me also from seeker to follower. Of course, that is not the end of the journey. It’s the start of a new quest of following Him. I have no doubt that the Magi’s onward journey of faith was tested and battered by life and challenged and deepened by experience, as my own journey has been.
Later, Jesus would say, unless you become like a little child, you cannot enter his kingdom (Matthew 18:3).
Image by Meranda Devan, Pixabay
A little child - willing not only to seek, but to find; willing to be rescued by a Saviour; willing to follow a Lord. At Christmas, I find it easier to be childlike again. To let the wonder of the familiar story take hold of me once more and lead me to Jesus, the God-Man, to look and to wonder as a seeker and to bow and worship as a follower.
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
and in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
let all within us praise His holy name.
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine! O night when Christ was born!
I pray that during 2026, we will all be granted the courage to seek the truth and the conviction to follow what we find.
‘You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’ (Jeremiah 29:13)
