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January 06, 2005
Epiphany greetings ....
The feast of the Epiphany draws to a close as I write, the "Men from the East" depart the crib and "return home another way". As our Lord Abbot said in his homily at tonight's Solemn Mass it is impossible for anyone who has truly met Christ to return home the same as they were before they met Him. So it was, that we too, on this night, were challenged to "return to your place after communion, another way". It was interesting to see how many attempted to do so.
Today is, in the Orthodox calendar, as important as Christmas for the simple reason that, with the Magi's visit, the Messiah moved from being a purely Jewish saviour, to being the Holy One sent to all humankind. The "Men of the East" came to the crib as our representatives, their gifts were our gifts, their recognition of Him as our Messiah was a call to us to see and meet Him as well.
As Christ became man in the birth at Christmas so that we could become like Him, and became like God, so at the Epiphany this was revealed to the world. As St John says; "The Word became flesh and dwelled among us; and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father."
It is appropriate that we consider this and, especially at this time of sorrow for the tsunami victims, remember that it was in this act that He identified Himself with us and with our opain and sorrow.
"The Light was in the world, and the world saw it not." It is really time to change that! Perhaops we should all consider "returning home another way!"
Posted by The Gray Monk at January 6, 2005 10:05 PM