Doubting like Luther, and trying to test like a Berean, this is where I think aloud about Christian belief and practice. It is also where I share resources of interest to other struggling believers.

Baptized and confirmed in the American Lutheran Church, I explored New Age spirituality for a time but have since worshiped the Trinitarian God of Christianity in many different churches, my denominational preference being Lutheran. I believe in salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. My greatest struggle is prayer. My greatest annoyance is legalism and the notion that blind obedience to the Law will bring sanctification. My greatest fear is that I don't believe correctly. Yet, my greatest hope is that as I grow in my understanding of the grace that God extends to me daily, I will grow in my ability to walk in and demonstrate that grace to others.

Monday, March 25, 2013

A Liturgical Resource: Epiphany

Notes from Ordering Our Days in His Peace:  An Introduction to the Christian Church Year
by H. R. Curtis.
-------------------------
Once again:  the Church year has three major seasons:  Christmas, Easter and the Time of the Church (also known as Ordinary Time).  Each season of the year focuses on a single part of the salvation story.  Christmas shares with us the story of how God the Father sent Jesus the Son into the world to be born and to live our humanity (only perfectly, of course).  Christmas ends with the onset of Easter, the season that shares the story of what Jesus did for us by dying on the cross and rising again from the dead.  The Time of the Church shares the tale of the Holy Spirit and His work among us in and through Word and Sacrament.  The Church employs various liturgical tools to help in the telling of this story of God and His love for us.

THE TIME OF CHRISTMAS --- The Epiphany of Our Lord

Celebrated on January 6th, Epiphany is both a feast day and a season.  It is the revealing of Christ to the world.  This is the day when the Magi, wise men who were Gentiles, came to worship the Lord Jesus, showing that, now, everyone on earth had access to God through the new temple, Christ.  Gentiles (non-Israelites) who, during the time of the Old Testament, had no access to the temple to worship God because they were not considered His children, would now be blessed, fulfilling the promise made to Abraham:

...and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed. --- Genesis 12:3 (ESV)

As a season, Epiphany is also that time of the Church year when Christ is revealed more and more as the Son of God:  at His Baptism, Jesus is identified as the Christ and the Holy Spirit descends upon Him;  He overcomes the temptations of Satan before the start of active ministry;  and He performs miracles that increasingly demonstrate His power over nature, demons, etc.  Whether feast day or season, Epiphany is a time of revealing.

Liturgical colors during Epiphany:  white and green

On the Feast of the Epiphany, the color of the altar vestments is white, again representing purity, light, divinity, eternity, and joy.  It is the color that points to Christ.  It is the color that is used for the Church feast days of Jesus.

The color for the season of Epiphany, the Sundays following January 6th, is green because they are actually a small step into Ordinary Time, that part of the Church year containing no special observances like we have during Advent and Christmas.  During the season of Epiphany, we focus on how Christ grew "in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man."  The Gospel readings teach about Jesus' miracles, especially those that involve healing to illustrate how Christ came to make all things new.  Green is a color that is associated with growth and newness of life.

Liturgical music during Epiphany:  nothing of note

Special observances during Epiphany:  Baptism of Our Lord and the Presentation of the Lord

On the first Sunday after Epiphany, we recall the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist in the Jordan River.  As Jesus was without sin, why in the world was this necessary?  It is part and parcel of the perfect Christ experiencing our humanity.  To quote from the book (page 18):

Jesus is baptized into our sins so that our Baptism might be into His death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins.

Forty days after the Feast of the Nativity (Christmas Day), some Lutherans observe the Purification of Mary and the Presentation of Our Lord.  These days are actually recognized together, and both are considered feast days of Jesus, therefore their liturgical color is white.  So, after recognizing the season of Epiphany as a small step into Ordinary Time with a change to the color green, this day is actually a small step back into the Time of Christmas whose liturgical color is white.  Kind of odd, I admit, but the liturgical calendar should be thought of as a guideline, not a set of hard-and-fast rules.

Note:  in my experience, Lutherans do not actively observe either the Purification of Mary or the Presentation of the Lord.

Worship events during Epiphany:  evening worship on the Feast of the Epiphany
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