The Epiphany commemorates the arrival of The Magi who came from afar to pay homage to the Christ Child. Yet the Christ Child is born to us every day and our Epiphany is continuous.

The Sundays after the Epiphany give us time to unpack the full meaning of the gift we have received at Christmas. What begins in mystery starts to be revealed in sign and wonders until the light reaches every human being.

The light does not overwhelm or crush the darkness; it helps us perceive what we could not see before. It pulls back the veil of our fear and the limits of our understanding such that we perceive the living God in our midst, and see ourselves as God’s children.

We are “born again”, baptized into Jesus Christ, and called like those first disciples to follow in the way of the cross.

While most people have put away their decorations by this point, these Sundays actually build on the momentum of Christmas: the living God is in our midst!

Sunday, 9 January St. Luke 3.15-17, 21-22
The reading opens with questions about the identity of the Messiah. John the Baptist insists that he is not the Messiah; instead he points ahead to one who is coming. And, whether the voice of God was heard by all or only by Jesus, God settles the matter: Jesus is God’s beloved Son.

Sunday, 16 January St. John 2.1-11
Turning water into wine at the wedding of Cana is described as the first of Jesus’ signs. Through many such epiphanies, Jesus reveals that he bears God’s creative power and joyful presence into the world.

Sunday, 23 January St. Luke 4.14-21
Near the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, he visits his hometown of Nazareth. In the words of Isaiah, he
states and claims his identity, purpose, and mission.

Sunday, 30 January St. Luke 4.21-30
People in Jesus’ hometown are initially pleased when he says that God will free the oppressed. Their pleasure turns into rage when he reminds them that God’s prophetic mission typically pushes beyond human boundaries, so that mercy and healing are extended to those regarded as outsiders.

The time after the Epiphany gives a perfect opportunity to receive new insights about ourselves and the God we serve.

Pastor Genszler