January 2009

Dear Family of Faith,

Unlike what most people think, the Christmas season does not begin on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) and extend to Christmas Day. In the church the Christmas season begins on Christmas Day and lasts 12 days, ending on January 5th. The day after the Christmas season ends is called Epiphany. The term means “manifestation.” On Epiphany, January 6th, the church remembers those shadowy figures from the east known as magi who came in search of the baby Jesus. Again in contrast to popular understanding, the wise men or magi got nowhere near the manger. According to Matthew’s Gospel they arrived perhaps two years after Jesus’ birth and found the child in a house. The word Epiphany is used to describe the day of their visit and the ensuing liturgical season because it was when the Savior was made manifest to those Gentile travelers from afar. We don’t know how many ancient astrologers trekked to Jerusalem in search of the new king; tradition numbers them at three because of the three gifts they brought. Nor do we know exactly where they came from or who they were. We don’t even know which route they took. The one thing we do know about the magi, however, was the reason for their visit. They came, as the Gospel says, to pay [Jesus] homage. The gifts these foreign admirers brought help us understand who Jesus was. They brought gold, the gift appropriate for royalty, reminding us that Jesus was born a King. They brought frankincense, the incense used in temple worship as an offering to God, reminding us that Jesus is Son of God. And they brought myrrh, the spice used for embalming, reminding us that Jesus was born to die, that the child they came to see would someday be crucified for the sin of the world.

It is coincidence that Epiphany lies so close to the beginning of our calendar year, but its significance could never be greater than it is for this coming year of 2009. In all my adult life I can remember no other new year that people entered with so much anxiety, so much concern about the future, so much hesitation to celebrate. The constant barrage of bad economic news, job losses, and bankruptcies is hitting close to home for all of us as we lose investment income, lose customers and lose jobs in our own families. In such a season we need especially to remember the epiphany of God—that God has made manifest to us a Savior whose power and authority does not hinge on the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the latest economic indicators. The One in whom we trust is the source of all we need—that’s what the magi’s gifts remind us: Christ our Lord is Sovereign, with riches beyond our imagination. Christ is divine, worthy of our praise and worship. And Christ loves us more than we can understand—so much that he surrenders his life to rescue us from death and a meaningless life. Next time you feel the fear well up inside yourself, remember Epiphany. Remember the all-powerful, all-holy, all-loving Lord. The season’s color is green for hope. That is exactly what we have. Whatever happens around us or to us, we have hope—for ourselves, for those we care about most, and for the world. I pray that all of you will know that hope and be able to celebrate 2009 because Christ goes with us.

With affection,
Pastor Carlan