starting the year off right: reflections on epiphany

12Jan09

The calendar year opens with the Christian feast of Epiphany: oft celebrated as the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles–a commemoration of the Magi’s recognition (and therefore worship) of the child as Divine. Beyond belting out strains of “We Three Kings” at Christmas, as a child Epiphany served as a form of ‘shock and awe’ for me growing up: it was evidence of the majesty of God–a literal account that indeed, “every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess.” What made Epiphany so special was that even pagans were forced to recognize that Jesus was Divine: none could escape the magnitude of his being. It always came across to me as a bit of theological slight-of-hand: surely these wise men weren’t anticipating a baby in lowly conditions.  And no doubt it demonstrated the ego of God: that the wisest of men were made to bow and worship a child.  Epiphany was a lesson in humility.

I think I subconsciously continued this interpretation of events, even through my adult life.  The story of the Magi was about God inverting normal structures of power so it seemed: the mighty and knowledgeable in humility pay homage to the weak.  God demanded and commanded full (all encompassing) fealty.

But was this simple inversion proved to not be a transformation of power, but a simple repetition of the same.  It’s not satisfying: the egomaniacal God who demands (and commands) worship.  This interpretation lacked a certain je ne sais quoi.  It didn’t quite match the rest of the gospel accounts of Jesus.

In recent years, my theology has shifted somewhat from the triumphal demands of a God who lords-over creation towards something simpler and gentler as I read and interpret this story.  What if Epiphany was less about ‘fixing’ God in any certain location, and more about noting the scriptural call to give of our best to the poor?  The story of the Magi isn’t about humility, but rather about charity: a lesson of generosity and compassion.  Those deemed wise by scripture gave of their best (their gold, frankincense, myrrh) to the poor. In this interpretation, God is among the weak, the homeless (or those in temporary housing).  God was found among the poor.

My local congregation takes this interpretation quite seriously: on January 6th, they bring gifts to the homeless shelter as a means of honoring God among and in the poor.

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