Week of 05 – 11 January 2025

This week our meditations focus on the celebration of Epiphany on 6 January. The word ‘epiphany’ speaks of a moment of sudden inspiration or insight. The goal of this celebration, and of the Sunday’s that follow it, is to take our insight into the incarnate Jesus deeper. To do this, the Lectionary offers two perspectives on Christ. Firstly, in the coming weeks, we will explore the way Jesus was viewed by those around him – John the Baptiser, the disciples, the religious leaders, the crowds, and even God. Secondly, we will also be invited to recognise the various ways that God’s glory was revealed in Christ. It’s one thing to proclaim that God has become human. It’s another thing to understand this human being, and to grasp his significance for our world. This is the work of Epiphany.

The Gospel reading for Epiphany, which we will read on Wednesday, is the famous story from Matthew of the magi’s visit. This account is a doorway to understand the mission and message of Jesus more deeply. One of the aims of Matthew’s Gospel is to convince its readers that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, the “prophet like Moses” that the Old Testament promised. But it also works hard to show that Jesus is a different kind of Messiah from the one the people expected. His mission included both Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, insiders and outcasts. It expanded to embrace the nations, and the whole of creation. Jesus is a Messiah for all. As we begin our journey of understanding Jesus, this is a good, and challenging, place to start.