Dear Family in Christ 07 January 2025
Epiphany
Epiphany means a sudden or great revealing or manifestation.
It is celebrated in the Western Christian Church, on January 6th, and lasts until the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday.
It represents the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles—the Gentile’s Christmas.
The main theme of epiphany is— Jesus as the light of the world, revealed to all nations, including the Gentiles.
The number of Sundays differ every year, depending on when Easter falls, but it always begins with the Baptism of Jesus and end with the Transfiguration.
Wikipedia defines “epiphany” as a feeling.
“Generally, the term is used to describe scientific breakthrough, religious, or philosophical discoveries (defined earlier as experiences of sudden and striking realization), but it can apply in any situation in which an enlightening realization allows a problem or situation to be understood from a new and deeper perspective.”
The church celebrates Epiphany as the sudden realization of not just the wise men, but of all disciples of Christ in every age, that Jesus is the physical manifestation of God.
In the early church (and in eastern churches today) the day of Epiphany marked the culmination of the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany cycle and was a day for celebration, gift-giving, and most important, baptism into the Christian faith.
This day, even more than Christmas, is the day-of-days for followers of Jesus Christ.
Keeping in mind the popular definition of epiphany as well as the liturgical definition, one way to approach this day and this story from Matthew’s Gospel, is by telling a story of an epiphany that you had.
Tell a story from your own life that helped you see and understand Jesus from a new perspective.
Maybe it isn’t one “big” experience that brought a sudden and striking new realization.
Maybe your story of faith is a whole collection of smaller stories that have added up over time to your realization that Jesus Christ is Lord of your life.
Or maybe something has happened recently that opened you up to a new insight.
Whatever strikes you first is what you should go with.
disciple of Jesus Christ.
They need to know why you have decided to follow Jesus.
Don’t talk around it or intellectualize it or try to make it entertaining.
Just be clear and honest.
Tell others a story about a time when you were suddenly and inexplicably opened up to the reality of Christ in your midst.
Give a concrete example of epiphany in your life.
Why? Because if we don’t set the example for what it means to share our faith stories then we miss an important opportunity each week to teach others how to share their faith with the people they meet.
I may not be there to hear each and every one of you, but please know that I am praying for you, that as you reflect and prepare you may be truly inspired by the one who has shown forth the light of God in this world and in your life personally.
Epiphany is about proclaiming the gift of God’s grace that was given without merit to each one of us.
It is about living in the light of that grace so that it shines on all people—woman or man, gentile or Jew, slave or free, Muslim or Buddhist or Christian or Hindu or none of the above.
Epiphany, answer the questions of:
1) Who is Jesus? The very Son of God
2) Who He came for? All of humankind, not just the Jews
3) What He came to do? Die and rise to redeem humanity.
4) Where shall we find Him? When he was 12 years old, his family left Jerusalem and 3 days later, noticed him missing. When they finally found Him, He was in His Father’s house, teaching. Today, also, we find Him in the Word and in the Sacraments of the Church.
5) When should we follow? NOW. The Wise Men followed immediately, there’s an urgency, that this chance to meet Him won’t be here forever.
6) How do we worship? The Wise Men, the learned people from the East, prostrated themselves before a BABY and they bring their best to Him.
Let us pray:
As the prophet Isaiah rang out, “Arise, shine; for your light has come;” empower your Church, O God, to ring out the Good News of the Light of your son Jesus, which pierces even the deepest darkness. God of radiant light, your love illumines our hopes before we know them, And our needs before we ask. Kindle your flame within us, that in our prayers and service, we may know your transforming presence at work in the world around us. All this we ask through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Clergy moving:
We offer prayers for all who are moving house to take up new assignments in ministry in our Diocese, their families and those amongst whom they minister. May God guide them through this transition and equip them with the new tools required for their ministry.
Matriculants, Basic and Tertiary Education.
We wish those who sat for matric exams well and offer prayers as they await results and prepare for their futures. We are reminded that we are all differently abled and gifted and that to fail first time around does not mean that we have reached the end of the road, but rather that we shall rise, try again and push on. We pray for the psychological and spiritual wellness of all in our Basic and Tertiary institutions.
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We remain hopeful that graduates may find employment in their respective sectors and just payment for their labours as they contribute to economic growth.
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Please note the following Institutions:
- Revd. Simphiwe Mhobo as Rector of Christ the Redeemer, Tembalethu, George on Sunday 19 January 2025 at 15:00pm.
- Revd. Otsile Elijah Morolong as Rector of St. Matthews Beaufort-West on Saturday, 25 January 2025 at 14:00pm.
- The Dean Designate Ven. Lyndon Du Plessis as Rector of the Cathedral of St. Mark the Evangelist and Dean on Sunday, 26 January 2025 at 15:00pm.
- Revd. Jo-Anne Claasen as Rector of St. Lukes’s Albertinia on Saturday, 01 February 2025 at 14:00pm.
- Ven. Calvin Frans as Rector of All Saints, Mossel Bay on Sunday, 02 February 2025 at 15:00pm.
- Revd. Keith Muller as Rector of St. Simons and St. John’s, Oudtshoorn on Saturday, 08 February 2025 at 14:00pm.
- Revd. Noel Weber as Rector of St. Augustine’s, Melkhoutfontein on Sunday, 09 February 2025 at 15:00pm.
- Revd. Maria Jacobs as Priest-In-Charge of St. Agnes, Zoar and St. Lukes, Ladysmith on Sunday, 16 February 2025 at 15:00pm, at St. Agnes, Zoar
Please pray for these appointees, their families, and constituencies.
More dates for Institutions will be advance in due time.
God Bless.
The Right Reverend Edwin Desmond Pockpass
BISHOP OF GEORGE
