(note: Epiphany can be celebrated on the date shown, or on the first Sunday in January which in 2020 is COCU7A)
Readings
Isaiah 60: 1-6
Psalm 72: 1-7, 10-14
Ephesians 3: 1-12
Matthew 2: 1-12
God of gold, we seek your glory:
The richness that transforms our drabness into color,
and brightens our dullness with vibrant light;
your wonder and joy at the heart of all life.
God of incense, we offer you our prayer:
our spoken and unspeakable longings, our questioning of truth,
our searching for your mystery deep within.
God of myrrh, we cry out to you in our suffering:
The pain of all our rejections and bereavements,
our baffled despair at undeserved suffering,
our rage at continuing injustice;
and we embrace you, God-with-us,
in our wealth, in our yearning, in our anger and loss.
(Source: Jan Berry)
Common Epiphanies
Not on a mountain-top
but by the Jordan
we saw the glory of God
It was a revelation
as the Messiah
showed himself
not as being set apart from all of us
but being baptised as one of us
God beside us
God one of us
this everyday epiphany
is revolution
(bowl of water)
Not on a mountain-top
but by a sea shore
we saw the wonder of God
It was a revelation
as the one from God
found us fisher-folk
and called us
not the theologians
but the workers
to catch the world
and bring it into the kingdom
this everyday epiphany
is revolution
(net)
Not on a mountain-top
but in the synagogue
we saw the greatness of God
It was a revelation
as his words filled us
and called us
with an authority
we’d never heard before
enough to heal the demon possessed
and transform the faith
into a living
inspiring word
this everyday epiphany
is revolution
(bible)
Not on a mountain-top
but in quiet places
we witnessed the grace of God
It was a revelation
when we sought Jesus
and found him alone
needing the quiet space
to be himself with God
a Messiah
in prayer
seeking direction
this everyday epiphany
is revolution
(candle)
Not on a mountain-top
but by the lepers side
we found the brilliance of God
It was a revelation
that he declared the leper clean
out-with the temple authority
but with his own authority
born in a grace
rather than power
that transforms life
in a single ‘Yes!’
this everyday epiphany
is revolution
(bandages or chains???)
Not on a mountain-top
by on the roadways of the world
glory is found
This is a revelation
that Jesus has been revealed
not in mighty cathedrals
but on the roadways of life
amid all who leave footprints
in the dust and stoor
of everyday epiphanies
This common revelation
is heaven’s revolution
(bread and wine)
(Source: Roddy Hamilton, New Kilkpatrick)
