As the yoga class winds down, the teacher says soothingly: “Allow the nutrients of the practice to settle in your body.” This is what Epiphany is to Christmas – three golden weeks for the gift of grace that has been given to us to sink into our bodies, minds and souls.
Whatever we may or may not believe about Jesus, his birth in Palestine 2,000 years ago splits history into two – a before and an after. Setting aside the fact that our whole culture dates itself from this event, it is important to remember that before the birth of Jesus it was considered impossible to look into the face of God and live. To any God-fearer this must be a self-evident truth: that the creator of the universe is far too glorious and radiant and holy and mighty to be able to actually look at and survive.
I had a dream once of being in the same room as a huge golden eagle, and it changed the way I look at the world. I love golden eagles but, in my dream, the reality was petrifying. That cruel beak, those mighty claws, the gigantic wing span ... I could only cower in fear on the other side of the room. What if it turned on me?
In common with many people, I have a longing to swim with dolphins. Yet I’m quite sure when it came down to it that I would be terrified to be at the mercy of such a strong, wild, beautiful creature. I would love to snuggle up to a large bear, or throw my arms around a lion’s neck! But this is all just fantasy – the reality would be terrifying and dangerous, and this is as it should be – the power and the glory of these wild animals is what draws us.
Such is the miracle of the incarnation. The dazzling, ever-living God gets born as a baby, a gentle, innocent baby, and we are invited to gaze into the secret of God’s face. How life-changing this is! And Epiphany ironically happens right at that time which our culture designates as the most depressing time of year – the very lowest day apparently being the third Monday in January – Blue Monday (January 15th this year, in case you don’t want to miss it). Liturgically, as is so often the case, the church inhabits a different space. We luxuriate in a golden warmth with the fragrant baby God, the baby who grows to be the man Jesus, full of grace and truth, still inviting the people he encounters – that’s us! – to look him in the eye and recognise in him the God who is love and who gave himself for us.
Jesus is clearly a man with a mission. He has an authority to him and he is good with the banter
In tomorrow’s gospel reading Jesus is a grown man at the beginning of his public ministry, and he is gathering his little tribe of disciples together. He is clearly a man with a mission. He has an authority to him and he is good with the banter. Those he has approached are willing to down tools and follow him, and they are keen to show him off to their friends.
Epiphany is about the opportunity offered to each of us to look God straight in the face, in Christ, to talk and laugh and challenge and be challenged by him. How could this even be possible? It took his inner circle a number of years to realise who they were spending time with. Almighty God, maker of heaven and earth, limited to being a human being made of flesh, blood and bone.
CS Lewis recognised in Jesus the ancient archetype manifesting in real time. “The heart of Christianity is a myth which is also a fact. The old myth of the Dying God, without ceasing to be myth, comes down from the heaven of legend and imagination to the earth of history. It happens, on a particular date, in a particular place, followed by definable historical consequences ... By becoming fact it does not cease to be myth: that is the miracle.” The word made flesh.