Epiphany 1

January 9, 2005

The prophet proclaimed God’s Word for the people: “Behold my servant, my chosen in whom my soul delights. I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations…”

But imagine the critics in the crowd of Ancient Israel: “In your dreams, Isaiah! Darkness—dark as night and deep as death—‘darkness covers the land and deep gloom enshrouds the peoples.’ Do you hear our words, prophet? Wake up! In the beginning the Word of God did cleave the darkness; but that was long ago. Now, we are exiles, strangers in a strange land. The people who once saw a great light now walk in darkness.”

“No,” Isaiah exclaims. “Do not be discouraged”, he pleads. “God will not fail but will establish justice on earth. Even the coastlands wait for God’s law.”

“How long?” demands a voice from the crowd. “The waters have risen up to our necks!” And so the prophet, in all faith and honesty, but not certain of how the people will take it, points the way: “Behold! God says ‘The old is passing away. New things are about to happen.”

“Dream on, Isaiah. You are worse off than we thought. At least we are being realistic.”

Advent Hope. Christmas Joy. Epiphany… Epiphany what?

Yes, if we are going to be realistic in a world that appears to be breaking apart, it is not easy to dream—to see the vision, The Epiphany, of God’s wholeness, Christ’s Peace. Who among Isaiah’s listeners would have dreamt that new things would come to be? Who could have dreamed that a child born in a manger would rise out of the Jordan waters the Man bathed with God’s Spirit?

The Magi had that dream. Led by the star, they journeyed in search of the one who would make all things new. They had the vision to see in the infant, God’s Son, the Man of God.

In hearing the Gospel story of this man Jesus being baptized, and in recalling those Wise Ones who were foolish enough to follow their dream, let us consider the importance of our baptism in Jesus Christ. For what Baptism is all about is going public with our dreams

Going public—taking risks; daring to live by our vision of Christ, the Light. Going public with our dreams—daring to dream because we know that if we do not reach beyond ourselves, we will never touch true humanness. Yet, we also know that criticism of such daring, such dreaming, hangs heavy in our atmosphere these days.

How often, like the Three Kings, do we see the star, but the clouds of pressing concerns and forecastes of troubled times obscure our vision and condition us into acting as if we had no dreams? How many of our dreams are shut up inside while we ‘stay the course’, while we ‘track down and eliminate our enemy’?

Let’s be realistic! Do we know what happens when dreams are held in detention? By locking them up, putting them on hold, we begin to sleep walk. Our spirits hunch over. We turn in on ourselves; we do not reach beyond ourselves. Indeed, we retreat by joining the crowd or becoming cynics. We become a nation of sleepwalkers.

Can you spot the signs of dream deprivation? Separated from humanity, from hope, from God, we become earthbound—a country obsessed with security, conveniently oblivious to the death toll in Iraq, habitually forgetful of our own people in need. The dream of Peace on Earth and Good will among All is ridiculed as unrealistic.

But then, the tsunami hit. What we are doing right now in response to that devastation is raising our sites and putting our focus back on the star that guided the Wise Men. But for how long? Let’s be realistic: The experts say we are in for at least a five year commitment in rebuilding South Asia, with much more aid money needed. The experts says we are in for at least five more years in Iraq, with 30,000 more troops needed now and throughout the duration. Which setting is going to be the recipient of charity and which the priority agenda of government? Are we going to sleepwalk through the decisions to be made, or are we going to wake up.

Christmas and Epiphany are not dreams to wake up from, but ones we must wake up to! Our noblest dreams are not ridiculous delusions. Hope is real. So is heaven. And in the baptism of Jesus, the very power of heaven goes public on earth.

By our baptism in Jesus Christ, we have the power and responsibility to dream out loud of Peace and Goodwill. But like the Magi, we need dare to risk the journey.

If we reach beyond ourselves, we will touch true humanness.

If we travel out of ourselves, we will arrive at Christ.

Even more than a dream come true, this is our commission, our apostolic calling. Baptism washes away our cynicism and drenches us in ‘call’—an amazing wake-up call. When you were baptized, you were touched by someone who was touched by someone, who was touched by someone who was an apostle who was touched by Jesus Christ.

God’s dream comes true, you become an apostle, when you touch others with Christ, when you go public with God’s dreams and become an eye opening vision to those who are blind to divine possibilities, when you bring out from the dungeons those prisoners who sit in darkness, and you baptize them with the Light.

God rouses us by throwing baptismal waters on us. So wake up, get up, go out and greet Christ—The Way, The Truth, The Life.

Realistically, you do have to be ready for its being different than you expected. This life is one unusual dream. The way is along new paths. The truth is not going to come wrapped neatly. And the life? Well, listen to these words by WH Auden about Jesus Christ (note: the conclusion of his Christmas Oratorio “For the Time Being”):

He is the Way. Follow him through the Land of Unlikeness; you will see rare beasts and have unique adventures.

He is the Truth. Seek him in the Kingdom of Anxiety: you will come to a great city that has expected your return for years.

He is the Life. Love him in the World of the Flesh: and at your marriage all its occasions shall dance for joy.

Amen.

Back