The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy
rising.
-
Isaiah 60:3
The Season of Epiphany is a season of
recognizing how the Light of Christ shines in the lives to whom he was
revealed. In our scripture readings for this extended season this year
(primarily from the Gospel of Matthew), we hear time after time of how God’s
salvation was being made in Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ. From his baptism
through his purification through his ministry, those with whom he came into
contact were shown the light of salvation and recognized Jesus as the Messiah.
Our final few Sundays are linked to Matthew’s
sharing of Jesus penultimate teaching, the Sermon on the Mount. In these
extended discourses (which may or may not have been from a single communicative
moment, but which encapsulate the essence of Jesus’ message) Jesus shares with
his disciples, followers and curious onlookers the endless desire of God to
reach God’s people, to break down barriers of doubt, and to empower the
listeners to share the Good News in confidence.
This message is one of challenge, though,
as it requires the listener to eschew habitual responses and “repent” in the
essential meaning of the word: turn it around. If you mourn, turn it around:
you shall be comforted; if you save your light, turn it around: be a light to
the world. If you do what the law says, turn it around: rather, do what God
intends. If you harbor anger, turn it around: be reconciled with those who
confront you. If you seek vengeance, turn it around: keep nothing from those
who want. If you hate your enemies, turn it around: love those who hate you.
When we see conversions in the lives of the
sinful, we doubt the sincerity, and certainly we can question the veracity of
instant changes in behaviors, attitudes and values. Yet we must also affirm
that conversion and change from what we would normally do is exactly what
Christ is calling us to do. We are challenged, even confronted, to abandon the
habitual, expected response and turn it around.
In fact, it is in the Sermon on the Mount
that we find a wonderful guide for Christian living – a life of loving,
reconciling, giving, praying, worshiping, serving, and relaxing into a life of
service and grace. If we can live into the teachings of Jesus, maybe we can
also bring about epiphanies in others, shine a light in their darkness, and
inspire them as he has inspired us to live life anew and turn it around.
Peace in Christ,
Fr. Shawn
