Sermon for 05 January 2025, Day of Epiphany Year C, Matthew 2.1-12

Let us pray:  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen

Some people do the daftest things to mark the change of the year such as participating in the looney dook in Portpatrick on New Year’s Day.

There was a fair crowd of folk planning to have a quick swim in the harbour this year. It was curious to watch the antics of those nervous and shivering participants. Some rather publicly did a reverse striptease, squeezing their post-Christmas bodies into wet suits, not a pretty sight! Others huddled under layers of thermal wraps looking a bit bewildered at where they found themselves. Watching the combination of bravado and madness was amazing as they gathered on the beach for the countdown before making a group dash into the chilly water. For a few moments, all you could hear were the high-pitched screams of the dookers – it reminded me of the final sinking scene of the film ‘Titanic’. And then almost in the blink of an eye, most of them were running back up the beach to find their towels and warm wraps. They were in and out in less than a minute!

That’s a big build-up for such a brief experience, but was it worth it? Did anything change for them? Physically, it certainly did. Their bodies were flushed pink, their hearts would be racing and gosh, they would have felt utterly alive!

Research tells us that it affects them psychologically, too. One of the reasons wild swimming has gained popularity amongst otherwise sane members of society is the feeling of exhilaration they experience. That natural endorphin high is probably addictive, but it is of minimal harm to others. It is all gained for the price of a swimming costume, a woolly hat, a big towel and a warm cup of tea later on. Once experienced, for better or worse, they are changed.

It may not be so hard on our bodies, but we can also be changed through our faith and openness to the Spirit. We call this change an Epiphany. That special moment of realising we are in the presence of God can cause us to feel breathless, perhaps exhilarated, sometimes fearful, but keen to experience it again.

St Paul’s experience of meeting Christ, his Epiphany, is described in equally dramatic and physical terms. He saw a bright light, heard Jesus’ voice, fell to the ground and was rendered blind. Interestingly, he was in darkness for 3 days until Ananias, the disciple, visited him and confirmed the visions that he was having. That was when Paul, or should we say, Saul, began to understand his mission of sharing the Good News with the Gentiles.

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles, to give its full name, tells of something like scales falling from Paul’s eyes as he recognised his enormous change from Persecutor to Apostle. From Saul to Paul. Paul saw the world in a new way.

A common description of an epiphany, which tends to be an experience beyond words, is to use the analogy of light or vision. We talk of seeing the light when we make a big decision or change our mind about something.

We understand an Epiphany, that moment of recognising God moving in our lives as a warm, pleasant and bright thing that we welcome.

Just because it is exciting and rather wonderful does not mean having an epiphany is without risk. Even the looney dook had its potential dangers; death by drowning or heart attacks come to mind. On the water, just beyond the crowd of swimmers, there was an inflatable dingy with some lifeboat volunteers, ready to pick up anyone who got into trouble in the water. Back on the beach, another volunteer was carrying a hefty first aid pack that may have contained a defibrillator unit.

When we decide to do something risky, it should not stop us. We should, however, pause long enough to put in measures to make those risks less likely to happen or have more acceptable outcomes.

Paul’s risk was in gaining the trust of the people he had been sent to arrest and return to Jerusalem. It took time, and after his conversion, he headed away from Jerusalem to preach the gospel in Turkey, where he originally came from. This allowed him time and space to practice his new purpose and mission in safety. That is probably why Paul doesn’t dwell on the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth in his writings, for he was not immersed in the stories told by the Apostles in Jerusalem. Paul’s training had evidently focused on the crucial part of God’s plan. He taught about Jesus, the Son of God, fully human and fully God, who brought a message of peace, love and forgiveness to the world through his death and resurrection.

The stars of the Day of Epiphany, the wise men, took a risk when they travelled far distances to see the fulfilment of a prophecy heralded by a star. They faced many risks: robbers, getting lost, and quite possibly being silenced by Herod.

They travelled by faith and the light of the star, anticipating something wonderful, but instead of seeing a light or a marvellous Prince, they discovered the presence of God in the most ordinary of settings, in a modest home with a toddler. You could say that they saw, even sensed, the scene with new eyes. The gifts they gave, two of which were foretold by the prophet Isaiah, reflected their awe and fear for the child. They gave gold and frankincense, splendid and precious gifts to worship a King. Matthew’s gospel foreshadows the risks and dangers that the child would face by including a third gift from the exotic and foreign wise men. They presented myrrh, an embalming oil, to the child.

What about us? What risks do we face when we are changed through faith? The most obvious is losing the acceptance of friends who do not believe and cannot deal with your new faith or change in behaviour. Another risk that is frequently experienced is when non-believers try to shut down any comment that might hint at our faith. That can feel unfair or even victimising. It is hard to know how to respond to such antagonism. It is a true ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ moment, and the answer is clear: make your actions loving, not full of judgment or punishment.

What mitigating action might you take? Well, the answer is twofold. Don’t stop being their friend; you might be the one Christian in their life but do make the most of your church family to build up and bolster your sense of worth.

We are now entering a rather long eight-week stretch for the Season of Epiphany, so watch out for scripture readings that change focus, find the extraordinary in the ordinary, discover the presence of God, or become aware of God’s light.

Having become more aware of epiphanies on Sundays, let’s try to spot them in our everyday lives too.

Watch out for light bulb moments or a change in focus. Don’t be alarmed to find God right in the middle of our ordinary lives. And part of the surprise or even exhilaration we feel is when we realise that God was always there, just waiting for us to notice.

The Lord be with you!