Disturbing Epiphany

Epiphany is a time to reflect on the revelation of God breaking in once again in human history. It continues the Christmas story with the Persian Magi –
(astrologers who are condemned by Torah) coming to anoint a child from a poor Jewish family as king. God’s gracious love breaking into the darkness of this world This is not how things were normally done then or now. Amy G. Oden says “the apparent powers of the world are unmasked, revealed to be a sham for all their bluster and posturing. During Epiphany, we recognize God's inbreaking in Jesus Christ, setting in stark relief the false, worldly powers that claim so much authority in our lives: success, productivity, dominance, self-reliance. They do not have the last word.” (www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/third-sunday-after-epiphany/commentary-on-isaiah-91-4-5)

This Sunday we hear Matthew 4:12-25. In response to John’s arrest Jesus withdraws and begins his ministry inviting people to repent. Too often we read repent as a moral command to turn from immoral living to more righteousness. But as I have said before the Greek “metanoeite” is more accurately understood something like “Be of a new mind!” or “Change your way of thinking!” or, “Wrap your mind around this!” Epiphany is about letting go of our assumptions about how the world works and seeing the world, God’s action in the world and ourselves in a whole new light. We hear the story of Peter and Andrew, James and John changing their way of thinking, their way of understanding themselves in the world, and leaving all that made sense of their lives. Epiphany invites us to remember our own moments of call, of changed thinking; to note the cost of that and the gift of that; and to know God’s inbreaking love in all that.