The Feast of the Epiphany

My cat, Kitty, is not allowed to be on the Dining table.  I tell her this daily as she struts on its wooden surface with slow steps as if it is a game between her and I.  Today, as I walked into the Dining Room to write this message I find her laying on the knitted centerpiece in front of the baby Jesus’ crèche watching me as I watch her.  She is comfortable laying there and makes no attempt to move from her private viewing space.  It is as if she is telling me that it is Epiphany and she has been welcomed to lay in adoring comfort at the feet of the baby Jesus.  Who am I to shoo her away?  I can hear her purrs as I type.

Two thousand years ago men who watched the stars for answers to earthly happenings came together for a journey of magnificent proportions.  For them it must have been quite an undertaking to plan this trip to a place known only by the brilliant, heavenly activity occurring above it.  There have been many romantic depictions of this “Star of Bethlehem” that even today bring me wonder at how the spiritual realm couldn’t help but impact the natural world when the God of all came from one to the other.  His conception was Spiritually mysterious, his birth was followed by light, and the angels had to rejoice in a way that filled the night skies surrounding this Holy event with song.  For those like the “3 Kings” who were intentionally watching and “seeing” something majestically happening it was cause to leave the comfort of their homes and nations to follow unfailingly towards the birth of a king in lands unknown.  God called in a way most likely unknown to them to be witnesses that would inspire history and they answered that call despite its uncertainties.

I am not shooing my cat away from this Nativity scene.  There is something within the air today that speaks to radical faith and following one’s spiritual nature to some new understanding of living the human life.  There is transformation in the air and the background music is that of European Christmas music with its hauntingly majestic Cathedral tones.  I am part of something in this scene and I have to discover its fullness and with that I am not to do much more than to witness to its activity surrounding me.

The Feast of the Epiphany is traditionally the last day of the Christmas Season.  It is a day to remember our blessings and give final gifts of love if that is what we choose to do.  It is also a day when others have baked special cakes with coins or baubles hidden within them for one hopeful person to discover and know that the new year will hold wondrous things for him or her.  For me it is the day of formally saying “thank you” to the beautiful fir tree that has adorned our living room for 5 weeks and now will be placed in the yard for the birds to find refuge in until Spring requires its recycling as wooden ornaments or warmth for the plants during a surprise frost.  The Santa collection will be carefully wrapped and preserved for the excitement of Christmas’ return and the empty stockings will once again be placed among the bulbs for safe keeping.  The Nativity figures will also be lovingly wrapped and placed carefully among the rest as I wonder about Mary and Joseph’s sad and sudden trek to Egypt as the political world around them responded to the fear of a baby born to be our King.  Many didn’t hear the angel singing, nor saw the shepherds’ amazement at being presented with such news, nor cared whether or not these men from distant lands found this mysterious event worthy of their journey, and only saw a Jewish mother and father struggling to give birth to their new son among the animals.  The heavens rejoiced and only few heard.  The night skies lit up but only a few saw.  The lullaby of a grateful mother and father cradled the stillness of the night but few cared to be moved by the Holiness.

Today, as we follow whatever traditions grace our homes, may we wonder as we enter this new year as to how Jesus’ life was meant to impact our lives.  The spiritual world beckons us to see and hear more within our existence.  God calls each of us to the transformation of the Wise Men and cradles us with the comfort of saying “Do not be afraid.  I am with you.”  Emmanuel with us, forever with us.