“They set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.” -Matthew 2:9-10
The beauty and challenge of language is that a single word can mean many things. Epiphany may be a strange or unfamiliar word. And it is one that holds a variety of meanings, all connected to the nativity story.
The capstone of the Christmas season in the liturgical tradition is Epiphany. When used in this way, it denotes the church festival that commemorates the coming of the Magi. When these wise ones arrive at their intended destination, their response is overwhelming joy.
This is a revealing scene. An epiphany. This is an illuminating moment of discovery and realization. An epiphany. This is an encounter with the divine. An epiphany.
And, through this experience, these kings have an intuitive grasp of something. An epiphany. And so they change course. They go home by another way.
As Christmastide concludes and we move into the season of Epiphany, consider:
- What has been revealed to you?
- What discovery or illumination has come over the past few weeks?
- How has this brought overwhelming joy to some area of life?
- What might this discovery and light lead you to do differently in the coming days?
God of love, light and revelation. Thank you for your illuminating and revealing presence. May I be overwhelmed with joy as I follow after you. Amen.
**If you have the Epiphany Comfort Kit, use your field notes book to capture your thoughts and reflections on the journal questions.
We hope this brings you some comfort and joy! You can spread the joy by liking, commenting and sharing this post with others.
Some Comfort and Joy was developed as a devotional resource that follows the rhythms and seasons of the liturgical year from an Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective.
some comfort and joy 