Mtr Kelli Joyce

Dear friends in Christ,

The Feast of the Epiphany was this past Sunday, but our celebration of the appearing of Christ to the world is not over yet. Major feasts like Easter, Epiphany, Pentecost, and the Ascension are marked in the life of the church by what is known as an "octave." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octave_(liturgy) We continue to celebrate the feast throughout the seven days following it, for a total of eight days. Today, then, is the third day of the octave of the Epiphany. And even after next Sunday passes, we will continue to reflect together on the theme of the revelation of Jesus and his true nature to the world over the weeks to come, culminating in the readings for the Last Sunday after Epiphany, when we will hear about the Transfiguration of Christ on the mountain in the presence of his disciples.

In our common speaking, "epiphany" can refer to any sort of "a-ha!" moment, when a lightbulb goes off and we understand something we didn't before. During this time of the year, we have a special opportunity to focus on the many ways that God in Christ has been revealed to us. How has Jesus been made manifest to you in the last year? What passages of scripture have shown you a clearer picture of who Jesus is? Who has been his hands and feet to you, and how have you made him manifest to others?

As Christians we are not called to know a lot about God, but we are called to know God, and to make God known to others. As we begin this year, and as we continue our celebration of this great feast, I hope you will keep your eyes and your heart open to the surprising new ways and places that Christ may reveal his truth to you.

In peace,
Mtr. Kelli