Pen and Ink Reflections
  • Blog
  • about
  • other reflections
  • contact
  • Sunday 27 June 2021

not any old epiphany

1/8/2016

0 Comments

 
Today we are keeping the feast of the epiphany - not any old epiphany, not the kind of epiphany I have as I am walking along thinking about nothing in particular and then realise what it is I need to cook for dinner- no, THE epiphany, the big one, the one that makes all the others make sense. And what is that exactly? It is when the wisest ones in the world, bring everything the world has to offer - wealth, power and even suffering, disguised as gold, frankincense and myrrh - and lay it all at the feet of a helpless, speechless baby of dubious parentage born in the poorest of circumstances and say ' this is it'!  This is Emmanuel - God with us.
 
Once we understand that epiphany everything else that happens in the life of Jesus Christ and in our lives falls into place. Once we realise, once we truly SEE- because epiphany is always about seeing, about the light bulb moments of our lives - once we truly see that the incarnation is all that truly matters, then everything else makes sense...
This is why traditionally on the feast of the epiphany, the dates of all the other great festivals of the church for the forthcoming year would be read out. Now you will be pleased to hear that I am not going to do that just now, because it would take a very long time. Let me just mention a few however - the feast of Candlemas February 2, the feast of Easter March 27, the feast of Pentecost May 15, the feast of the Transfiguration August 6, the feast of St. Luke October 18, the feast of Christ the King November 20, the feast of Christmas December 25. Now why would we do that today? Is it not because these are the festivals that shape our whole lives as Christians? - the festivals that are not just some quaint customs to be observed with chocolate and gifts, but the foundation stones of our lives. So before anything else goes into our overloaded diaries this year, these are the marker days we highlight in red. And in our lives as a community here we could pop in the Parish Camp April 29-May 1 and Carnival Sunday September 18 for good measure. Why?- because these are the days when most clearly the revelation of God, becomes real and actual in our lived experience.
 
God is not just an idea, to be argued over and kept in our control by our descriptions and prescriptions. God is to be experienced - and a new experience can change everything. Let's just think about the experience of those Magi from the gospel story, who are exemplary for us.
 
They came from 'the east'. That is to say they were foreigners, non Jews. They relied on the knowledge they had of the stars and their movements and they trusted their limited experience enough to interrupt their lives and set out to encounter the new king to whom they believed the star would lead them.
Sadly most of the time I do not think we are like the Magi. I think if our skills and  talents lead us in a direction that seems likely to involve change and discomfort we are inclined to ignore the invitation. Most of the time, even given new insight from God, we can be inclined to decide to stay home, not trust the 'star' and resist changes to our experience.
 
The Magi are different. They risk being out of control. They set out, they follow the star, they make mistakes, but they carry on being faithful until they have an experience of God in Christ that changes everything- their religion, their politics, their whole world order. Then they trust their dreams - now there is an old bit of technology! - and find themselves going back by an entirely different route- a route that not just keeps them and the baby safe, but a route that expresses the symbolic reality that they are entirely different people from those who set out.
 
Can we be like them? I believe we can, but only if we are prepared to fully accept the epiphany that they received. As Richard Rohr so succinctly puts it, "If God can be manifest in a baby in a poor stable for the unwanted, then we had better be ready for God just about anywhere and in anybody." This is the reality that the Epiphany makes clear. God is no longer to be confined to temples and churches. God is not just for high days and holidays - important though these can be as a reminder of God's presence with us. God is for all times and all places, and IN all times and all places, and especially, most especially, in the ones we do not expect or value highly.
 
I hope that we will all experience God more richly this year. Not as a kind of add-on or sideshow to our lives, but as the main event, as the most important happening on our calendar. For that to happen we will need to trust - trust that in fact as Paula d'Arcy writes. 'God comes to you disguised as your life.' And therefore our lives are very important. Our lived experience is sacred because that is where we meet with God. So, as is said before just about every epiphany in the Bible, 'Do not be afraid'. God is not an angry tyrant to be appeased by our good behaviour. God so longs for relationship with us that God's greatest epiphany, God's greatest showing of Godself to us, was as a helpless infant. So do not be afraid. Expect that God will make Godself known to you as you live your life this year. Expect that you will change as a consequence of that encounter, and that changing will be okay, even if it is difficult or painful at the time. Expect that God who is incarnate in you and those you encounter, will also be crucified, raised and ascended in you and in them. And above all in all circumstances give thanks, that God is revealed to us in Jesus Christ, who was born, died and was raised to bring us all to the fullness of life in God.  Amen

by Penny Jones, for Epiphany 2016
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Authors

    sermons and reflections from Penny Jones & Josephine Inkpin, a married Anglican clergy couple serving with the Uniting Church in Sydney

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    Categories

    All
    2 Peter
    Abide
    ABM
    Aboriginal
    Abraham
    Abuse
    Active
    Acts Of The Apostles
    Adam And Eve
    Advent
    Advocacy
    Aelred
    African American
    African-American
    Aidan
    Alan Webster
    Albanian
    Albert Wendt
    Alice In Wonderland
    Alla Renee Bozarth
    Allegory
    All Saints
    American Pie
    Andrew
    Angel
    Angels
    Anger
    Anglican
    Anglican Method
    Animals
    Anna
    Annunciation
    Anoiniting
    Anselm
    Anthony Bloom
    Antioch
    ANZAC
    Apology
    Apophatic
    Archbishop Of Canterbury
    Armenian
    ARRCC
    Art
    Artist
    Ash Wednesday
    Asylum Seekers
    Atonement
    Attraversiamo
    Augustine
    Aunty Rosalie Kunoth-Monks
    Australia
    Authenticity
    Awaken
    Baby
    Baha'i
    Bakerwoman
    Baptism
    Barabbas
    Barefoot
    Barnabas
    Barnard Castle
    Barth
    Bartimaeus
    Basis Of Union
    Battle Of One Tree Hill
    Beach
    Beatitudes
    Becoming
    Bede
    Being
    Believing
    Belonging
    Beloved
    Benjamin Oh
    Berlin
    Bethleham
    Betrayal
    Bible
    Bill Bryson
    Binary
    Birmingham
    Birth
    Bishop
    B.J.Hipsher
    Black
    Blessed
    Blessing
    Blessing Of Animals
    Blessing Of The Waters
    Blood
    Boat
    Bob Dylan
    Body
    Bones
    Bonhoeffer
    Border
    Born Again
    Boudicca
    Boundaries
    Breach
    Bread
    Bread Of Life
    Breath
    Brexit
    Brian McLaren
    Bride
    Bridegroom
    Bridge
    Brigid
    Brisbane
    British
    Brixton
    Brokenness
    Bruegemann
    Buber
    Buddha
    Buddhist
    Buderim
    Bunyan
    Call
    Calvin
    Cambodia
    Campfire
    Cana
    Canaanite
    Candle
    Candlemas
    Cappadocian Fathers
    Care
    Careers
    Carefully
    Carnival
    Carol
    Carter Heyward
    Catholic
    Celtic
    Centurion
    Challenge
    Change
    Charismatic
    Charles Wesley
    Cheesemakers
    Chelsea Watego
    Chick
    Child Of God
    Children
    China
    Christ
    Christian
    Christian Aid
    Christianity
    Christmas
    Christology
    Christ The King
    Church
    Circumcision
    City
    Climate
    Climate Change
    Climbing
    Cloak
    Cloud Of Unknowing
    Coin
    Colonialism
    Colossians
    Commandment
    Common Good
    Communion
    Community
    Companion
    Compassion
    Condamine
    Confession
    Conflict
    Congregationalist
    Connect
    Contemplate
    Contemplative
    Contemporary
    Context
    Conversion
    Corinth
    Coronavirus
    Cosmology
    Cost
    Courage
    Covenant
    Covid 19
    Covid-19
    Crack
    Cranmer
    Create
    Creation
    Creed
    Creek
    Crib
    Cricket
    Criminal
    Cromwell
    Cross
    Crossan
    Crossing Over
    Crucifixion
    Csg
    C.S.Lewis
    Cuddesdon
    Culture
    Cunnamulla
    Cuthbert
    Cynthia Bourgeault
    Cyprian
    Dalai Lama
    Dance
    Darkness
    Darlughdach
    Dave-andrews
    David
    David And Elizabeth Inkpin
    David Jenkins
    David-mach
    David Steindl Rast
    David Steindl-Rast
    Day Of Mourning
    Deacon
    Dean Inge
    Death
    Delight
    Demon
    Denise Levertov
    Desert
    Desire
    Deuteronomy
    Devil
    Diarmaid McCulloch
    Difference
    Disability
    Disciple
    Discipleship
    Dispossession
    Diversity
    Docetism
    Don Cupitt
    Donkey
    Dorcas
    Dorothy McRae-McMahon
    Dorothy Soelle
    Doubt
    Dragonflies
    Dragonfly
    Dream
    Duncan Andrews
    Duns Scotus
    Durham
    Durkheim
    Earth
    Easter
    Easterfest
    Eating
    Ecology
    Ecopella
    Ecstasy
    Ecumenical
    Eden
    Education
    Egg
    Ego
    Egypt
    Elder
    Elijah
    Elisha
    Elizabeth
    Emerging
    Emmanuel
    Empire
    Empowerment
    End Times
    Environment
    Ephesians
    Epiphany
    Equality
    Eternal
    Ethics
    Ethiopian
    Etty Hillesum
    Eucharist
    Eugene Stockton
    Eunuch
    Evangelical
    Evangelism
    Evelyn Underhill
    Evil
    Exile
    Exodus
    Exorcism
    Express
    Eyes
    Ezekiel
    Failure
    Fair Trade
    Faith
    Fame
    Family
    Fast
    Father
    Fathers Day
    Fear
    Fellowship
    Feminist
    Fig Tree
    Fire
    First Nations
    Fish
    Fishers
    Flesh
    Flora And Fauna
    Flourish
    Follow
    Foolish
    Footwashing
    Forgiveness
    Fountain
    Fox
    Francis
    Franciscans
    Frederick Barker
    Freedom
    French
    Friend
    Friends
    Friendship
    Fruit
    Fruits
    Fukuyama
    Fulfilment
    Fundamentalism
    Fundamentalist
    Funeral
    Funk
    Gadigal
    Galgala
    Galilee
    Galileo
    Game
    Garden
    Garry Deverell
    Gary Deverell
    Gate
    Gateshead
    Gay
    Gaze
    Gazelle
    Gender
    Gender Variant
    Genealogy
    Generosity
    Genesis
    Gentile
    Gentleness
    George Fox
    Gerard Manley Hopkins
    Gerasene
    Ghost
    Gift
    Gil Bailie
    Glennie
    Glenn Loughrey
    Glory
    Gnosticism
    God
    Golden Rule
    Gondwana Theology
    Good Friday
    Goodness
    Good News
    Good Shepherd
    Gospel
    Grace
    Graeme Rutherford
    Graham Warren
    Grandchamp
    Grandchild
    Gratefulness
    Great Commission
    Greenham Common
    Greenness
    Gregory-of-nyssa
    Grief
    Growth
    Gungor
    Habel
    Haggai
    Happiness
    Harry Potter
    Harvest
    Headlam
    Healing
    Heart
    Heaven
    Hebrew
    Hebrews
    Hedgerows
    Helder Camara
    Hen
    Henri Nouwen
    Henry Scott Holland
    Henry Vaughan
    He Qi
    Heresy
    Herod
    Hesitation
    Hijra
    Hildegard
    History
    Holding
    Holiness
    Holy Saturday
    Holy Spirit
    Holy Trinity
    Holy Week
    Home
    Homophobia
    Honour
    Hope
    Hosea
    Hospitality
    House
    Humanity
    Humility
    I Am
    Icon
    I Corinthians
    IDAHOT
    Identity
    Ilia Delio
    Image
    Imagine
    Immanence
    Imperialism
    Incarnation
    India
    Indigenous
    Indooroopilly
    Inn
    Inspiration
    Interbeing
    Interfaith
    International Women's Day
    Interplay
    Intimacy
    Invitation
    Iona
    Isaiah
    Islam
    Israel
    I-Thou
    Jack Haas
    Jack-in-a-box
    Jacob
    Jairus
    James
    Jamie Dunk
    Jan Berry
    Janet Morley
    Jan Richardson
    Jar
    Jarel Robinson-Brown
    Jarowair And Giabal
    Jarrow
    Jeremiah
    Jerusalem
    Jester
    Jesus
    Jesus Christ
    Jewish
    Jews
    Jezebel
    Jihad
    Joan Chittister
    Joel
    John
    John Arlott
    John Bell
    John Coleman
    John Naish
    John O'Donohue
    John The Baptist
    John Wesley
    Josef Zacek
    Joseph
    Josephine Butler
    Journey
    Joy
    Judaism
    Judas
    Judgement
    Jujitsu
    Julian
    Julian Of Norwich
    Jurgen Moltmann
    Justice
    Jyllie Jackson
    Kaleidoscope
    Kataphatic
    Katherine Appleby
    Keble
    Kenosis
    KIerkegaard
    Kindness
    King
    Kingdom
    Kosuke Koyama
    Labyrinth
    Lamentations
    Land
    Language
    Lantern
    L'Arche
    Laughter
    Law
    Lazarus
    Lead
    Leadership
    Leap
    Learning
    Leaves
    Legion
    Lent
    Leonard Cohen
    Leper
    Lesbian
    Les Murray
    Levertov
    Levite
    Lewis Carroll
    LGBTI
    LGBTIQ
    Liberation
    Liberty
    Life
    Light
    Liminality
    Lincolnshire
    Lindisfarne
    Lion
    Lionel Blue
    Lismore
    Literalist
    Liturgy
    Living Dance
    Living Stones
    London
    Longing
    Lord
    Lord's Prayer
    Love
    Love Of God
    Love Your Enemies
    Luke
    Luther
    Macrina
    Macrina Wiederkehr
    Mad
    Magi
    Magnificat
    Mahatma Gandhi
    Makaratta
    Malcolm Guite
    Manchester
    Manger
    Mantle
    Maori
    Maranatha
    Maranoa
    Marcella Althaus Reid
    Marcella Althaus-Reid
    Mardi Gras
    Margaret Silf
    Marginalised
    Marianne Williamson
    Mark
    Mark Copland
    Market Rasen
    Mark Jordan
    Marriage
    Martha
    Martin Luther
    Martin Luther King
    Martyr
    Mary
    Mary Magdalene
    Mary Of Bethany
    Mary Oliver
    Mary Poppins
    Mary Sumner
    Masculinity
    Materiality
    Matthew
    Maundy Thursday
    Maya
    MCC
    Meaning
    Meditation
    Meewah
    Meister Eckhart
    Melbourne
    Melchizedek
    Memory
    Men
    Mercy
    Messiah
    Metanoia
    Methodist
    Michael Leunig
    Midnight Oil
    Midwife
    Migrant
    Milton
    Mind
    Ministry
    Minster
    Miracle
    Mirror
    Mission
    Moltmann
    Monastery
    Monk
    Morality
    Moses
    Mother
    Mother Hen
    Mothering
    Mother-in-law
    Mothers Union
    Mountain
    Multicultural
    Multifaith
    Multuggerah
    Music
    Muslim
    Mustard Seed
    Myall Creek
    Myrrh
    Myrrh Bearers
    Mystery
    Mystic
    Myth
    NAIDOC
    Nakedpastor
    Name
    Natalie Adams
    Nathaniel
    Nathan Tyson
    Nativity
    Nazareth
    Neighbour
    Nelson-mandela
    Net
    New Age
    New Creation
    New Life
    Newman
    New Year
    New Zealand
    Nicodemus
    Night
    Nikita Gill
    Noel Preston
    Nonjudgement
    Nonviolence
    Norman
    Nungalinya
    Obedience
    Ocean
    Offering
    Oil
    Oppression
    Ordination
    Orthodox
    Oscar Romero
    Other
    Otter
    Overcoming Violence
    Oxford
    Pacific
    Pain
    Palestine
    Palm Sunday
    Pamela Lightsey
    Parable
    Parent
    Parish
    Participation
    Party
    Passion
    Pastor
    Patience
    Patriarchy
    Patrick
    Patrick Oliver
    Paul
    Peace
    Peacemaker
    Penitence
    Penny Jones
    Pentatonix
    Pentecost
    Pentecostal
    People Of God
    Perfume
    Persecution
    Perseverance
    Persistence
    Peter
    Peter Millar
    Pharaoh
    Pharisee
    Pharisees
    Philip
    Philippians
    Pig
    Pilate
    Pilgrim
    Pilgrimage
    Pitt Street Uniting Church
    Plague
    Plato
    Poetry
    Political
    Politics
    Poor
    Pope
    Pope Francis
    Possibility
    Poverty
    Power
    Praise
    Prayer
    Preacher
    Pregnancy
    Presbyterian
    Presence
    President
    Pride
    Priest
    Prince Of Peace
    Proclamation
    Progressive
    Prophecy
    Prophet
    Prophet Mohammed
    Protecttion
    Protestant
    Providence
    Psalm
    Puppet
    Purification
    Purity
    Quaker
    Queer
    Rabbi
    Race
    Rachael Mann
    Rachel Collis
    Racism
    Rage
    Raiinbow
    Rainbow
    Ramadan
    Reason
    Recapitulation
    Reconciliation
    Redemption
    Reformation
    Reformed
    Refugee
    Rejection
    Rejoice
    Relationship
    Religion
    Religious Experience
    Religious Freedom
    Remembrance
    Repentance
    Republic
    Resilience
    Resistance
    Resource
    Rest
    Resurrection
    Revelation
    Revolution
    Richard Rohr
    Rich Young Man
    Righteousness
    Risk
    Rita Mae Brown
    River
    Rock
    Roman
    Romans
    Rose
    Roses
    Rowan Williams
    R.S Thomas
    R.S.Thomas
    Rumi
    Russia
    Ruth
    Sabbath
    Sacrament
    Sacrifice
    Sadducees
    Safe Church
    Safety
    Saints
    Salt
    Salvation
    Samaritan
    Samuel
    Sanctus
    Sanguin
    Santa Claus
    Sarah
    Sarah Bachelard
    SBS
    Schism
    Schleiermacher
    Scholasticism
    School Of Hard Knocks
    Science
    Scotland
    Scott Stevens
    Scripture
    Sea
    Season Of Creation
    Second Coming
    Security
    See
    Seed
    Sermon The Mount
    Service
    Seth Godin
    Sex
    Sexuality
    Shadow
    Shakespeare
    Shalom
    Shame
    Shannon Kearns
    Sheep
    Sheep And Goats
    Shepherd
    Shepherds
    Shirley Erena Murray
    Sibyls
    Silence
    Simeon
    Sin
    Sinner
    Slavery
    Socrates
    Soil
    Solidarity
    Song
    Son Of Man
    Soul
    Sovereignty
    Sower
    Spirit
    Spiritual
    Spirituality
    Spong
    Sport
    Stan Grant
    Statement From The Heart
    Stendahl-Rast
    Stephanie Dowrick
    Stewardship
    St Francis College
    Stillness
    St John's Cathedral
    St Luke's
    St Mary's In Exile
    Storm
    Story
    Studdert Kennedy
    Subversion
    Success
    Suffering
    Suffering Servant
    Sunflower
    Sydney
    Symbol
    Synagogue
    Syrophoenician
    Tabitha
    Table-fellowship
    Taize
    Talents
    Tall-poppy
    Tears
    Teenager
    Temple
    Temptation
    Tennyson
    Test
    Thanksgiving
    The-glennie-school
    Theodicy
    Theology
    Theosis
    Theotokos
    The Way
    Thomas
    Thomas-berry
    Thomas-merton
    Threshold
    Thunderbirds
    Tillich
    Time
    Tomb
    Tongues
    Toowoomba
    Torres
    Torres Strait
    Tractarian
    Tradition
    Transcendence
    Transfiguration
    Transformation
    Transgender
    Transition
    Treasure
    Treaty
    Tree
    Trinity
    Trump
    Trust
    Truth
    T.S.Eliot
    Tufty
    Tutu
    Tweed
    Tyne
    UAICC
    Ukraine
    Uluru
    UN
    Uniting Church
    Unity
    Universe
    Usury
    Valwyn Wishart
    Vanstone
    Veridiitas
    Victory
    Vincent-van-gogh
    Vine
    Violence
    Virgin-mary
    Virgins
    Vision
    Visitation
    Vivid
    Voice
    Waiters-union
    Waiting
    Wales
    Walking
    Walter Wink
    War
    Warrego
    Warsaw
    Watch
    Water
    Wear
    Wedding
    Weeds
    Welcome
    Wellspring
    Wesleyan-quadrilateral
    Westminster Confession
    White
    Whiteness
    White Ribbon
    Widow
    Wilderness
    Willliam-blake
    Wind
    Wine
    Winston-halapua
    Wisdom
    Woe
    Wolf
    Woman
    Woman At The Well
    Woman Bent Over
    Womb
    Women
    Wonder
    Wontulpbibuya
    Word
    Word-of-god
    World-council-of-churches
    World Pride
    World-youth-day
    Worship
    Wounds
    Woy-woy
    Wrestling
    Xenophobia
    Yabun
    Yahweh
    Yoga
    Yoke
    Zacchaeus
    Zebedee
    Zechariah
    Zogron
    Zwingli

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly