epiphany

The story is told of a nativity play that was enlivened by a small boy who had been running around getting in the way until one of the children's leaders persuaded him to watch for the wise men. 

While the rest of the action took place on the stage, he kept his eyes firmly on the door at the back and when the three kings started to process down the aisle he leapt up in delight, flung his arms in the air shouting, ‘They’re coming, they’re coming!’ to the congregation. And as the procession got nearer to the front, he rushed up on stage shouting to the angels and shepherds ‘Look, they’re coming’, then across to Mary and Joseph still calling out in excitement, ‘They’re coming’ and his spontaneous joy infected the whole congregation.

In Orthodox churches, they celebrate Christmas on 6 January because they think the story isn’t complete until the arrival of the Wise Men so their nativity plays usually take place at Epiphany rather than before Christmas.

Even though the wise men managed to get themselves lost, the star was still there to guide them to Jesus if they had looked in the right direction. So often in the bustle & busyness of Christmas and New Years, and now in the distractions of COVID-19 lockdown, we let our attention wander and focus on so many things instead of looking for the light which will lead us to Jesus. 

I was in conversation with a couple of friends in Uganda and Kenya yesterday who were bemoaning the distractedness of fellow believers as COVID-19 takes its toll in their countries. We ended by reminding ourselves of the necessity to keep our focus on who we are in Christ. I trust and pray that at the beginning of this year, in the midst of all that so easily distracts us, we will remember who we are in and because of Jesus.

There are not a lot of Epiphany carols, but one is Sydney Carter’s "Every star shall sing a carol".