Feast of the Epiphany

Deacon Tom Vert

Preached: January 5, 2025

“Receive the light of Christ”, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly. These words are proclaimed right after someone is baptized and when they are given their baptismal candle which is lit from the Easter candle. This moment is so beautiful as we come forward to Christ the light, symbolized in the Easter candle, and then the baptismal candle is lit, and the flame, the symbol of the Holy Spirit present in us, is then held by the family.

In today’s readings on the feast of the Epiphany, we celebrate the light of Christ, shown as the star in the sky that the three wise priests of the East followed and received when they met Jesus in the stable in Bethlehem. Their hearts received this flame of love as a gift from the Holy Family, from Christ himself. We know this from the first words of the Gospel of John, “What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness.”

As we celebrate the joy of the Christmas season, it is important to focus on the “light of Christ” as symbolized by “his star” as seen by the magi.

• We see the power and positive energy of the light of Christ throughout Holy Scripture:
  In the first chapter of Genesis, we hear of his presence in creation: “ Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.
• In Psalm 27 we hear the promise of God’s love, “the Lord is my light and my salvation”
• In the gospel of John, we hear Jesus himself telling us that he is there for us “I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
• And in John’s first letter we hear why Christ came into the world: “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and… and if we walk in the light as he himself is in
  the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”
• In the first reading from the prophet Isaiah, we hear the call to stand up and rejoice “your light has come!”
• And in the witness of John the Baptist we hear: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. The true light,
  which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

This gift of light is the gift of Christ himself and the gift of life! We are called to receive this gift, and to share it as we are told “no one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven!”

The act of receiving a gift is interesting in that you have one who gives and one who receives. In our spiritual life, as ambassadors of Christ, we have the same…sometimes we are the ones whose flame is burning brightly to be shared and sometimes our candles are dim and low, and we need another to share their light.

In my own life, I can admit that I have had both scenarios.

After my ordination, after spiritual retreats or sometimes just after times of quiet silence and prayer, I can feel my flame alive and flickering and hot and ready to share with others who need a listening ear or a kind word.

But other times, even recently, I have to admit that my light has been lower and the flame has needed to be lit by others kindness and love and support. It is great to know that people who have gone through struggles, are nice enough to be open and share their stories and their flames of light that have grown as they made it through.

Sometimes we are the magi that receive God’s light and sometimes we act as the Holy Family to share that light with others. This week I would like you to think about this phrase, “receive the light of Christ”.

Are you in a place where your flame is strong and you can look around and share that flame with someone who needs a kind word, or a listening ear, or a story of empathy and love that you can share to give a little fuel to their candle?

Or are you in a place that you need some “lighter fluid” so to speak? Are you ready to be open and ask for help from a parishioner, a friend, a family member, a colleague of maybe even a stranger who comes into your life?

I have always found it easier to give than to receive, as receiving many times means humility and opening ourselves up to asking for help and being more dependent.

So, I would ask you to take 5 minutes each morning this week, before you start your day to ask God: “Please Lord, show me how I am to receive your light today.”