Theophany

January 9, 2005 (First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ)

By The Very Rev. Terry White, Dean

- Isaiah 42:1-9
- Psalm 89:20-29
- Acts 10:34-38
- Matthew 3:13-17

(From The Lectionary Page)

The word “blog” topped Merriam-Webster's list of the ten words people most often looked up in their On-Line Dictionary. The official entry reads: blog. noun [short for Weblog] (1999) : a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.

The Random House Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary includes new words with each edition. The 2004 new word list includes definitions for hottie, microbrowser, identity theft, dot-commer, and bazillion (which every 9 year-old can tell you is already a word).

From the Eastern Orthodox tradition comes a word which must be used in conjunction with the Baptism of Christ. Theophany: a manifestation of God in His uncreated glory. Biblical theophanies include God appearing to Abraham in the form of three men (Gen. 18:1-15), and to Jacob in a dream. Theophany refers also to Christ's resurrection appearances. But the Baptism of Christ is the greatest theophany, for there the Holy Trinity is completely revealed: the Father’s voice, the Spirit as a dove, and the Son.

The Orthodox Feast of the Epiphany, which means literally “a breaking through from above,” celebrates in one feast the Magi arriving to worship the Holy Child, Christ’s Baptism, and Jesus’ first miracle of changing water into wine. But the theophany at the Jordan River receives the greatest celebration, for from that point on, all know that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah, the promised Chosen One foretold by Isaiah.

In Matthew’s account of this theophany, John the Baptist, perhaps in low whisper, says to Jesus, “I need your baptism – so why do you come to me?” Jesus replies: “Let it be so now, for this will fulfill all righteousness.” Matthew wants to emphasize that in Jesus, the great fall, the disobedience of our first parents in Eden is undone. Matthew would like our processional hymn:

The sinless one to Jordan came,
and in the river shared our stain,
God’s righteousness he thus fulfilled,
and chose the path his Father willed.
(Hymn 120)

Many of us prefer lessons which challenge us to live out our faith, to do something: to love our neighbor, be a servant, strive to forgive. To be honest, as a preacher I prefer such lessons that call us to be “doers.” But throughout the church year, there are times we are not challenged to “act” nearly so much as we are called to worship, to stop and – forgive my slang – but in a holy sense, to shut up and sit down. Adore, marvel, and bask in the glory we are privileged to glimpse.

Contemplate this theophany: At the Jordan, when Jesus was baptized, the Holy Trinity was revealed for the first time.

When Jesus came up out of the River, his Father said: "This is my Son. I love him, and he pleases me." Imagine the impact those words had on Jesus not only at that time, but as he lived and taught, and especially in his last days as he emptied himself upon the Cross.

Imagine the power those words could have on our world, "Your baptism, your journey with me and toward me, pleases me." The next time you listen to a sermon on TV or read an article or book that claims to be about the Christian life, listen closely. Can you hear God saying: "You are mine, your baptismal commitment pleases me, and you are loved”?

While shopping in the Country Club Plaza recently I heard a man on a street corner proclaiming John 3:16: “God so loved the world that he sent his only Son, that all who believe in him should not perish but have eternal life!” Such good news, such hope, such love! A marvelous message for this city to hear!

And as I was hoping for the street corner preacher to say just that, he then continued: “But what happens if you don’t accept Jesus?” – and he then launched into a series of graphic woes of eternal damnation – not all of them I recognized as being biblical and perhaps were wishful thinking on his part. (And by the way, from his list I learned that I am not destined for much fun in the hereafter!)

If only all who claim to preach the Gospel could simply and accurately imitate the voice from heaven that Matthew describes: "You are mine, and your baptism pleases me, and you are loved."

What a motivation such words are! Life becomes a series of opportunities to say thank you to God. Knowing our worth in God’s eyes inspires us to create justice, to be a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, and release those held in a prison of darkness.

And lest I condemn a street preacher for ignoring such a message, I must challenge myself and the mission of this cathedral: what else can we be saying about how pleased God is with his daughters and sons. Peter says that God shows no partiality, and neither must we.

But here I go preaching about doing. First, let us stand in awe of the glory revealed in the waters of the Jordan.

My friends, today let us hold tight to what God promised at Jesus’ baptism, for the same words apply to our own baptisms: "you are mine, says God, and that pleases me to no end." If we each can remember that, and if our cathedral parish can continue to live into these words, how outrageously different will our lives and world be. At the Jordan, there was a breaking through from above, a theophany. At this Table today another theophany as Christ’s glory is revealed in the Bread of Life and Cup of Salvation. Let us not miss the power of this sacred moment. And then, inspired by this vision, be about our mission as Christ-bearers.