An epiphany is an “aha” moment, a moment of clarity, when one intuitively sees the true nature or meaning of something. It is a sudden revelation or realization of a truth of great significance.

An Epiphany is a moment when you suddenly feel that you understand.

The word “epiphany” is from Koine Greek, the language of the New Testament, meaning “manifestation” or “appearance.” An epiphany results in a personal paradigm shift, which changes the way the recipient sees everything.

In the Christian church, the time between Dec. 25 and Jan. 6 is known as the Twelve Days of Christmas. The Feast of the Epiphany falls on the last of the 12 days, in the Western church, always on Jan. 6, a tradition dating back to the fifth-century church in Rome.

The Feast of the Epiphany points to a great truth for every living human being. The Good Shepherd, the Prince of Peace, has been born into the world. Jesus points to the Kingdom of God within us all, a call to care for creation and one another. That infant, ultimately crucified, demonstrating by his life and death his courage and the power of forgiveness.

The Feast of the Epiphany remembers the visit of the magi, the wise men who traveled to Bethlehem from afar, to witness, receive and spread the good news worldwide of the incarnation of our creator’s love in the person of Jesus the Christ.

Millions of Christians around the world, in Russia and Ukraine, and some even in Maine, on Epiphany will participate in a polar plunge — cold winter swimming. Perhaps the shock of the cold water will awaken participants to the malignant dangers of our errant human nature. Spiritual growth can be defined as a new way of seeing. This vision correction often taking place during or after a devastating crisis.

The anniversary of the insurrection at our nation’s Capitol falls on no better day of self-evaluation than the Feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 6, 2022.

Legend has it that observing a falling apple sparked the epiphany that would lead Isaac Newton to discover gravity. The uprising at the Capitol may lead us to rethink and restrain the many faults that accompany our politics and human nature.

What to do with an epiphany?

“Epiphanies feed creativity, particularly when we follow them, court them, nurture them, build relationships with them, introduce them to others so they can flourish and become something beyond themselves,” says Cindy Yantis, a writer and creativity coach. “The Epiphany — the awakening — is what matters, right? The follow up looks different for everyone. Sometimes the doing is not actually “doing” anything. It’s being the Epiphany. Living the realization, one day, one hour, one moment, one second at a time” that our lives are dependent upon on another telling the truth, living the truth, ultimately caring for creation and one another.

Sadly, our Christian America is split on the epiphany of Jan 6. “America First” inverts the primary words of Jesus: “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.”

The intention of Jesus is despoiled by the fresh current of White Evangelical Nationalism, reinforced by the many online posts of Franklin Graham (son of evangelist Billy Graham) and embraced by the likes of Texas Gov. Abbott, with his special delivery Christmas Eve gift of immigrants, blankets the holiday season with a cold chill.

In the marvelous 1991 movie “Hook,” Dustin Hoffman, as the titular character, expresses his own epiphany near the end of his tragic life. In fact the whole movie, superbly directed by Steven Spielberg, seems a parody of life in these United States.

Captain Hook concludes: “I’ve just had a sublime vision. All the jagged parts of my life have come together to form a complete and mystical whole. This is not a joke, I am committing suicide. My life is over, death is the only great adventure I have left.”

Our nation is poised on the edge between life and suicide, integrity and truthfulness and home and across the globe. Let’s count our epiphanies one by one — and act on them.

Father Jack Fles, of the All Saints Episcopal Church in Skowhegan, lives in Gardiner.

 

 

 

 

 

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