EPIPHANY

'Now is the twelfth day come'
'Out of the east a star shone bright'
'There is a blossom sprung of a thorn'
'Come, love we God'. William Herebert's translation of 'Hostis Herodis impie',

The 'Twelve Days of Christmas' come to an end today. To know more about what the song really means, see post of Dec. 18. Christ has come, and we learned what the twelve gifts mean. Anyway:

This is the day which is supposed to be revered throughout the Church. It is a triple play, as it were, of three key events in our Saviour's life. His manifestation of Who He is to the world. And, they are overwhelmingly thought of by Doctors and Saints to have happened on this same day! God truly works in a mysterious way, doesn't He? Anyway, the first of these happenings is when the Magi appeared to adore their God as an Infant, and to bring Him gifts as such to welcome their Divine King, to prepare for His glory and for anointing Him at His death. Secondly, this is the day when John the Baptist baptized Christ in the Jordan River, when the Eternal Father proclaimed Him as His Son. Thirdly, it is the day when Jesus using His Divine power turned water into wine at Cana. According to all the saints, it is impossible to prove that they did NOT occur on this same day. Cool, huh? And, this is why this Feast was always kept on this day, NOT the Sunday before, as we get today. We wouldn't want people to go to Church more than once a week, now would we? We just did that in the last couple of weeks. Actually, it wasn't so bad.

Here inserted is something from an Abbot named AElfric (c.955-c.1010):

As he often does, Ælfric begins his sermon by translating into English the name of the feast on which he is preaching: in this case Epiphania Domini becomes 'Godes geswutelungdæg', 'the day of God's manifestation'. It is a day of 'making clear', related to O.E. sweotol.

This day is called the Epiphany of the Lord, that is, 'the day of God's manifestation'. On this day Christ was manifested to the three kings, who from the eastern part of the world sought him with threefold offerings. Again, after the passage of years, he was manifested to the world on this day at his baptism, when the Holy Ghost, in the form of a dove, rested upon him, and the Father's voice sounded loudly from heaven, saying, "This is my dear Son, who is well pleasing to me; listen to him." On this day also he turned water into noble wine, and thereby manifested that he is the true Creator who could change created things. For these three reasons this feast is called God's Manifestation. (It's like the 'Triple Crown of religious things.)

On the first day of his birth he was revealed to three shepherds in the land of Judea, through the announcement of the angel. On the same day he was made known to the three astronomers in the east, through the bright star, but it was on this day they came with their offerings... The eastern astronomers saw a new bright star, not in heaven among other stars, but a lone wanderer between heaven and earth. Then they understood that the wondrous star indicated the birth of the true King in the country over which it glided; and they therefore came to the kingdom of Judea, and sorely frightened the wicked king Herod by their announcement; for without doubt earthly wickedness was confounded, when the heavenly greatness was disclosed.

Let us now return to the exposition of the Gospel, where we previously left it. The astronomers went into the place where the child was staying, and found him with his mother. Then with prostrate bodies they worshipped Christ, and opened their coffers, and offered to him threefold gifts, gold, and incense, and myrrh. Gold is fitting for a king; incense belongs to God's service; with myrrh the bodies of the dead are prepared that they may not soon rot. These three astronomers worshipped Christ, and offered to him symbolic gifts. The gold betokened that he is true King; the incense that he is true God; the myrrh that he was then mortal, though now he continues immortal in eternity...

My brothers, let us offer to our Lord gold, for we confess that he is true King, and rules everywhere. Let us offer to him incense, for we believe that he was always God, who at that time appeared as a man. Let us bring him myrrh, for we believe that he was mortal in our flesh, who is incapable of suffering in his divine nature. He was mortal in human nature before his Passion, but he is henceforth immortal, as we all shall be after the universal resurrection.

We have spoken of these threefold gifts, how they apply to Christ. We also wish to say how they apply to us in a figurative sense. Truly gold betokens wisdom; as Solomon said, "A goldhoard much to be desired lies in the mouth of a wise man." Incense represents holy prayer, of which the psalmist sang, "Lord, let my prayer be sent forth like burning incense in thy sight." By myrrh is shown the mortality of our flesh, of which Holy Church says, "My hands dropped myrrh." To the born King we bring gold, if we are shining in his sight with the brightness of heavenly wisdom. Incense we bring him, if we set fire to our thoughts on the altar of our heart with the eagerness of holy prayers, so that through heavenly desire we may give forth something of a sweet smell. Myrrh we offer him if we quell the lusts of the flesh by self-restraint. Myrrh, as we have already said, works to keep dead flesh from rotting quickly. Truly dead flesh rots shamefully when the mortal body serves overflowing lust, as the prophet said of a certain one, "The beasts rotted in their dung." The beasts rot in their dung when fleshly men end their days in the stench of their lust. But if we offer myrrh to God spiritually, then will our mortal body be preserved through self-restraint from the stenches of lust.


I would also like to add something from the Greek Church, honoring this holy day. It is called 'IN NATALI DOMINI':

I hear the angels singing at Bethlehem 'Gloria in excelsis Deo! I hear them tell us that there is peace on earth to men of good will. Oh! see that Virgin, she is lovelier than the heavens: for from her has risen a light to them that sat in darkness, exalting humble hearts that sing, as did the Angels, Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Rejoice, O Israel! Sing forth praise, all ye that love Sion! The chain of Adam's condemnation is broken; Paradise is opened to us; the Serpent is weakened, for woman, whom he had deceived in the beginning, is now before his gaze the Mother of the Creator. Oh! the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! She that had brought Death, the work of sin, into all flesh, is now, through the Mother of God, made the source of salvation. For of Her is born a Little Child who is the all-perfect God, and who, by his Birth, did but consecrate the Virginity of his Mother; by his swathing-bands he loosened the chains of sin; and by his own Infancy he comforted the pangs of child-birth to sorrowing Eve. Let every creature now keep choir and be glad, for Christ is come that he may reclaim mankind, and save our souls.

Thy Nativity, O Lord our God! brought to the world the light of knowledge; for by it they that had adored the stars, were taught, by a Star, to adore thee, the Sun of Justice, and acknowledge thee as the Orient from on high. Glory be to thee, O Lord!

Eden has been opened in Bethlehem! Come, let us go and see; we shall find the hidden Treasure. Come, let us go and possess in the Cave the things that are in Paradise. Here it is that there has appeared the un-watered Root that has budded forth our pardon. Here is the well not dug by human hand, of whose water David heretofore desired to drink. Here a Virgin has brought forth a Child, by whom she quickly slakes the thirst of Adam and David. Therefore, let us go more hastily to the place where is born the new Babe, who is God before all ages.

Rejoice, ye just; be glad, ye heavens; exult, ye mountains! Christ is born. The Virgin, cherub-like, sits bearing on her lap God, the Word made Flesh. The Shepherds are giving glory to the Babe. The Magi are offering gifts to the Lord. The Angels are singing this hymn:

O INCOMPREHENSIBLE GOD! GLORY BE TO THEE!

I would also like to add the following:

Canticle of Zachary (Luke 1.68-79)

Blessed + be the Lord God of Israel, * for He hath visited and redeemed His people,
And hath raised up the Abundance of salvation for us * in the lineage of David His servant.
Thus He foretold by the mouth of His holy prophets * who have been from times ancient;
That we might be saved from our enemies * from the hand of all that hate us.
Now is granted the mercy promised to our fathers, * remembering His holy covenant;
And the oath which He swore to Abraham our father * that He would extend to us;
That we, delivered from the hand of our enemies, * might serve Him without fear,
Living in holiness and righteousness * before Him all our days.
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, * for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways;
To give knowledge of salvation to His people * the remission of their sins,
Through the bounteous mercy of our God * in which the Orient from on high hath visited us,
To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, * to direct our feet into the way of peace.
Glory be to the Father. * As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. Amen.

Or instead of the above, the Magníficat may be recited. At the end of either, the Antiphon given above is repeated. Then the celebrant sings:

V. The Lord be with you. R. And with thy spirit.

Let us pray. O God, Who by the guidance of a star didst this day reveal thy Sole-Begotten Son to the Gentiles, grant that we who now know Thee by faith may be brought to the contemplation of Thy heavenly majesty. Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, eternally. R. Amen.