Sermons

We human beings have lots of potential. We are, in fact, loaded with it. There is the potential for powerful connection, transforming compassion, life-changing faith. We have the potential not just for goodness, but for greatness. In describing who we are, the writer of the first creation story in Genesis declares that we are a reflection of God’s very self, and that when all was said and done, God pronounced it all to be very good. . . . According to ancient Hebrew wisdom, there is nothing less than the stuff of God at the core of who we are.
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The illuminating light of God’s loving, healing presence is shining in the world, eternally dispelling the darkness of the shadows we human beings seem to keep creating for ourselves and each other. This is true whether we notice or not. In this season of Epiphany we try to notice. We celebrate God’s light and reflect on the ways we can more fully open ourselves to it. It is no accident that this season takes place following the winter solstice, when the days are growing longer. It is a powerful metaphor for the message we seek to embrace and proclaim -- God’s light is here, now, in the midst of us!
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There is a longing, woven into the very fabric of our being, to be in connection with God. Some people are very aware of this longing and spend their lives consciously and intentionally seeking ways to establish and nurture such a connection. Others are largely unaware of the longing, and so spend their lives trying to fill a hole they don’t really understand. But the reality is that we are most fully and completely and richly ourselves when we are in relationship with God.
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As people of faith, how do we define ourselves? Where do we look to find meaning and purpose for our living? Who are we? Such questions can be answered in a wide variety of ways -- some helpful, some not so helpful. But I believe that whatever else we might say about who we are, it is most useful to begin with the foundation upon which everything else is built -- by declaring in no uncertain terms that we are God’s beloved. We are loved and cherished by God. Our true home is the very heart of God’s love.
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Traditionally the feast of Epiphany is the occasion in the life of the Church when we remember the story of the magi as told in the Gospel of Matthew. It is a time for focusing on the light of God (represented by the star) shining into all the world. As with the Christmas story, it is easy to get romantic about Epiphany. Over the years we have filled in all sorts of details which Matthew didn’t provide -- that there were three wise men; that they rode on camels; that they had names. It is a story which captures our imagination. But if all we do is sing “We Three Kings” and then take down the Christmas tree, we have probably missed most of the point.
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