For so many of us, the Advent season is a rush of celebrating with friends and family. In that rush, we often miss time to wonder and awe at the incarnation of the Light of the World coming to dwell among us. As we move from one celebration to the next, we find ourselves weary rather than hopeful The season that is supposed to renew our joy and hope drains us instead.
Epiphany invites us to look for the light just like the wise people who looked up and saw the star in the East and followed it becoming witnesses to this great occurrence. The revelation that this child born so humbly will change the world is something we can discover here and now.
One of my favorite parts of the account of the wise people coming to see Jesus is the part at the end of Matthew’s account:
[H]aving been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Matthew 2:12
Not only were the wise people looking up for signs of miracles. They were also listening to their dreams. They knew this child was special and they understood why Herod really wanted them to tell him if they had found the Christ Child.
This Epiphany, this invitation is the same for us.
Look up and see the miracles that Creator God has done.
Listen to our dreams.
Dreams of hope.
Dreams of warning.
Dreams of who we are becoming.
The Light Has Come! Alleluia! And we are witnesses to the way this Light changes the world!