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Good morning.
An Epiphany is a moment of sudden realisation - the penny drops - something that was hidden is revealed.

Today, Christians celebrate the feast of the Epiphany, the time when the Magi, or wise men, followed a star that led them to the infant Jesus. There have been many attempts to deduce what astronomical phenomenon the travellers observed. Was it a supernova, or stellar explosion, or the appearance of a bright comet, or a fortuitous alignment of Jupiter and Saturn? No-one knows and no single explanation suffices.

The wise men experienced not one, but two epiphanies. The first was when they realised that the manuscripts they had been studying predicted a new King of the Jews – and they were so excited they dropped everything to look for him. Their second epiphany was realising that the infant they had found was this king – and they didn’t hesitate to offer him their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to affirm his kingship.

What meaning might the epiphanies of the wise men hold for us today? Are we, like them, open to new possibilities? Can we adapt to new situations when we find something different from what we expected?

Today is also Twelfth Night. As we pack away the Christmas decorations for another year, let us pray: for help to keep our minds open when we meet new people, or are offered different choices. Instead of gold, frankincense and myrrh, let us bring the gifts of tolerance, integrity and friendship to our families and communities.

May peace, truth and justice reign in our hearts and minds - and steer our actions through the coming year.
Amen.