The light in our guest bedroom was not working. It just stopped. I tested and found the switch was bad, so I decided I needed to replaced the wall switch, but, not immediately.
I finally did it yesterday. The light still did not come on.
Thinking what it could possibly be, I came to the conclusion that as I was crawling around in the attic, I must have knock something loose. I decided to finish my repairs later that night.
I didn’t.
I got up early this morning, walked to that room and flipped the switch and the light still did not come on.
Maybe it fixed itself during the night.
Before I climbed into the attic, I thought I would check the wiring in the fixture itself. I walked over to the fixture, took off the cover, and immediately saw the problem. I put in a light bulb.
It hard to let a light shine if you don't have a source of light.
Today scripture begins with the prophet’s cry to Jerusalem, “Rise up and let your light shine.” It was a cry to a people and to the city that was in a downtrodden and desperate state.
It was not just a cry to overcome the economic and social woes that had been forced upon a people and city over the ages. It was more importantly a cry to rise up and shine in the light of God’s glory.
The prophet promises all nations will witness the light of the LORD’s glory that comes forth from the salvation of Israel. The light that Jerusalem provides to the world is God’s redemption and in that redemption people of all the world will be able walk in God’s glory.
That prophecy is repeated In the Psalms in the cry for God’s justice to include all the world and all the nations within it. The psalm proclaims the Kings will bring tribute to the LORD and God and his glory will be manifest to all nations.
That is what epiphany celebrates.
Science tells us there was something special in the sky at that time. The magi saw it. They knew it meant something specials. They saw this light in the sky as a manifestation of the glory of God. And they followed it and came to the child they found under the star.
The scripture does not give us their names or their number but only the gifts - frankincense, gold, and myrrh.
Tradition tells us who they are:
Gaspar has brown hair and wears a green cloak and a gold crown with green jewels. He is the King of Sheba. Gaspar brings Frankincense to Jesus. Frankincense represents Jesus’ divinity.
Melchior, who has long white hair and a white beard, wears a gold cloak and Is the King of Arabia. Melchior is said to have brought gold to Jesus. Gold is the sign of Jesus Christ’s kingship.
Balthazar is the King of Tarse and Egypt and is man of color. He has black and wears a purple cloak. Balthazar brings Myrrh. The myrrh foretold his suffering.
The magi represents the rest of the world that is not Israel. The rest of the world made of anonymous people that comes from obscurity and returns to obscurity. In a simple way testifying to the light of Christ and the glory of God.
Even then those who recognized Jesus as something more than just a man were persecuted. They paid him homage and praised him as king; because of that they were warned not to return to Herrod, and left by another route.
Just like the magi, the light of Christ is revealed to us. People of every race come voluntarily to Jesus. We are brought to the light of Christ through the apostles, through the scripture, through traditions, and by the Church.
We cannot let the light that is the Glory of God shine in the world unless we have the source of that light. We are to share that light of love in us through the gospel of Christ Jesus with the world.
Rise and let the light of Christ shine in you. Be good, be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live your love one another. Amen.
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