6th January, 2008

 Tradition says that it was on January 6th that the Wise Men, who had been following the star, came to Bethlehem. They followed the star which led them to the child born to be king of Kings.

 The word Epiphany means: Manifestation, Revelation, Appearing, a showing forth. The Message of Epiphany as revealed in our Gospel lesson for today (Matt. 2: 1-12), and is the manifestation of Christ to the men from the East.

The Moravian Litany for Epiphany has a distinct and appropriate Missionary emphasis. The accent is on spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth so that men and women might be ushered into the Kingdom of God. A congregation may well appoint the day as a Mission festival or Mission rally. The Litany used for Epiphany is appropriate for use any where, any time, but more specially for Missionary meetings.

 Epiphany, which is progressive revelation, is followed in the Church year by up to nine Sundays after Epiphany. The entire Epiphany season presents the progressive manifestation of the Lord from His Baptism by John the Baptist and the Spirit descending like a dove, to the last Sunday after Epiphany, which is referred to as Transfiguration Sunday (Matt. 17: 1-9;Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36).

 The last three Sundays after Epiphany were known by Latin names, indicating the number of days before Easter, not counting the Sundays. They are Septuagesima, which falls within the 70 day period; Sexagesima which falls within the 60 day period and Quinquagesima which falls within the 50 day period.

 Let this Epiphany find Jesus progressively revealing Himself as Lord of your life and may he shine brightly so that many will find refuge in the words spoken by you and will come to know Jesus, whom to know is life eternal.