Epiphany

Central@4 returns, Sunday 11th January

Shrine of the Three Kings, Cologne

"We three kings of Orient are..." 

The twelve days of Christmas, which I hope you kept with much merrymaking and celebration, draw to a close on the evening of the 5th of January - 'Twelfth Night'. You might be familiar with the Shakespeare play. In the medieval, and early modern, period Twelfth Night was a time of holy chaos - as the world was turned upside-down in celebration of the topsy-turvy kingdom of God. Twelfth Night is the eve of the feast of the Epiphany, which recalls the visit of the wisemen to pay homage to the infant Christ. 

There are lots of parts of the story that are either embellishment, or read into the narrative. We don't know, for example, how many there were - despite the confident boast of Colongne Cathedral, which claims to have the shrine of the three kings (pictured) - indeed, we don't even know that they were kings. 

Despite our nativity plays often depicting the arrival of the Magi as corresponding to the arrival of the shepherds, Matthew doesn't tell us exactly when they arrive. In fact, it could have been anytime within the first two years of Jesus' birth. If you read the original Greek closely, you notice that the visit could have been in Nazareth. 

These things that make for a fun school play are not at the heart of what Matthew is trying to help us see, by telling this story. Matthew wants us to know that the nations of the world are being gathered into one at the feet of this incredible child. No matter where we are from, the love of God in Christ is for us - and, the responsibility of coming to him in faith is now laid upon us. 

St Paul, speaking to non-jews in at the Areopagus, said  “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent." Acts 17:29-30

As the New Year begins, and as our New Years Resolutions slowly fall by the wayside - let me encourage you to take the opportunity, inspired by the Wise Men, to come to Jesus once again.