The Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ
January 6, 2013 – The Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ – Year C [RCL] By The Rev. Deacon Nancy Rementer Isaiah 60: 1-6; Psalm 72: 1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3: 1-12; Gospel: Matthew 2: 1-12 “Frightened…Herod called together all the chief priests and scribes of the people …he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born…” Jesus, the Messiah, is often born in us, revealed to us, embraced by us in ways and in times we never expected. The Epiphany—a Greek word meaning “manifestation”—may be thought of as the “aha” moment when we encounter Jesus…when he is made real and we are suddenly aware of the presence of the Holy One in our midst—alive among us! In those moments, we experience an unexpected blessing— in a place where we didn’t intend to go but where we were meant to be. It has been almost nine years since we moved from the Outer Banks of North Carolina to Lancaster County, but I still remember the moments when I stood in the sand along the ocean’s edge and felt the power and glory of God’s majesty. “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is Holy Ground.” I was on Holy Ground! I encountered God in those moments…I could feel the calm and peace of the Lord in the ebb and flow of the waves. God was revealed in a way I didn’t expect; I suddenly understood in a new way…the vast presence of the wonder of the Holy…and I was never the same afterwards. On Thursday, once again, I experienced an unexpected blessing when I encountered Jesus alive among us…born in us, revealed to us, embraced by us. 140 five-gallon buckets filled with cleaning supplies donated by people from the ten churches of the Lancaster Convocation were delivered to the Lavallette Volunteer Fire Company in New Jersey by Fr. Pete Greenfield, Rev. Ellie Hart, Karen and Bob Whetstone, and Frank and me. We were a part of something bigger than ourselves. The Epiphany—a time of “making known and sending forth” the Good News of Jesus…born in us, his Light and Love shining through us. We found Jesus, not in a cradle in a house with his mother, Mary, but in the hearts and hands and feet of the people who care for the victims of a super storm that devastated homes and towns along the coast and the volunteers who labor to clean up their fragile barrier island.
“Sandy” had come ashore with a force and fury that ravaged these communities in ways we cannot imagine…and here we were in a place we didn’t intend to go where we were meant to be…suddenly aware of the Holy One in our midst. I stood on the sand, not along the ocean’s edge, but in the streets where the sand is piled deep and in the buildings where the sand is sticking to the floors…and felt the power and glory of God’s majesty. God was in our midst offering hope and renewal. The storm had ravaged the dunes and the ocean poured into the streets of these coastal towns, but people from far and near stretched out their hands to offer food, shelter, clothing, shovels and buckets, skill saws and chain saws…and hope to broken spirits where the Messiah was to be born. I encountered Jesus in these ocean towns and I will never be the same. Our little “convoy” made its way into the seaside town of Point Pleasant, each vehicle piled high inside with gallons of cleaning supplies. We were told there were “check points” and without a permit we would not be able to proceed to our destination—the Lavallette Volunteer Fire Company. “Halt!” A hand went up and a command came from a National Guardsman standing in the street, devastation all around him. “We are from the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania and have permission from the chief of the Lavallette Fire Company to deliver 140 buckets of cleaning supplies to the community.” “Sorry, sir. You cannot proceed beyond this point. Please turn around and take this road out to (blah, blah, blah I can never remember directions!) another road and across a bridge to the mainland. You cannot go through these towns.” A shepherd…he and his fellow guardsmen were protecting these fragile towns and the people…the face of Jesus in our midst—the shepherd protecting his flock…that not one more devastating blow of vandalism or destructive force would enter these communities while he was on guard…not on his watch. We turned around, as commanded. We were in a place we didn’t intend to go where we are meant to be. We called the fire chief for instruction and returned to the “check-point” to wait for him. He came ten minutes later, making known and sending forth the Good News of Jesus, full of compassion, strength and confidence driving the Lavallette Fire Company engine, lights flashing on the big red truck, to escort us through the towns of Point Pleasant, Mantoloking, and into Lavallette. What we saw took our breath
away…houses torn from their foundations and flipped upside down, some on their side; trees snapped off and what remained leaning so far over it was hard to see how it was still standing; driveways ripped apart with gaping sink holes making it almost impossible to reach the houses; debris and sand piled all around. These once lovely seaside streets lay in ruins as people struggle to dig out. Where was the Messiah to be born in this? One might ask. The Epiphany—Jesus is not in a cradle in the house with his mother, Mary. Jesus is in the streets making known his Good News. He is digging with shovels and operating backhoes and bulldozers and giant claws and pushing brooms and hauling out stinking, rotten, mildew/mold soaked drywall and wood. He is restoring power to the houses and buildings. The Messiah is born in the spirit of these people and is at work in the midst of destruction, offering hope and help to those in need. Arriving at the firehouse, we saw men standing in line to unload the vehicles and stack the buckets of cleaning supplies. We found Jesus here…making known and sending forth the Good News, here binding up the wounds…on call to offer relief. They were so thankful…so grateful for the people who took the time, spent their money and delivered these much-needed supplies to their fellow townspeople up and down the coast. They were so gracious and we could feel their thankfulness. It was a joy to be with them and to help hear their burden. We at St. John’s have been a part of this offering and they THANK YOU for your support and prayers. Much more is needed and I believe the Lancaster Convocation will be embracing opportunities to serve in ways that are meaningful, helpful and necessary in the months to come. There is much work to be done! As we left the firehouse to return home, we were escorted to Ortley, New Jersey, the next town over, by a volunteer who left her home and job in Florida to lead a staging operation based in Ortley. She had grown up two towns over along the NJ coast and had come back to aid in the recovery work. She was the one who found and recovered the “St. Elisabeth Episcopal Chapel” sign that was ripped from the ground and washed away with the building. It is now in the Ortley Municipal Building that is being used as a staging area. The police can no longer use this building that was nearly destroyed by the storm and have donated the space to her efforts. We see God’s Grace and the generous Spirit of Jesus.
I think of these words, “…inquiring of them where the Messiah was to be born…” The Messiah has been born anew in the hearts, hands and feet of those working to bring God’s grace and reveal God’s glory, power and majesty…to a people digging out from the sand, broken houses and broken hearts, sunken utility lines and pipes…to rebuild, restore and renew a community…making known and sending forth the Good News of Jesus. When you seek the face of Jesus, look around in places you didn’t intend to go where you are meant to be …to see where he is born, how he is revealed and when he embraces us—in the calm and in the turmoil—working in the broad human field to make broken things whole. Remembering: “Jesus has no hands but our hands to do his work today; he has no feet but our feet to lead men to his way; he has no help but our help to bring them to his side.” God works in and through us to accomplish his purpose when we are willing and able to respond. We have done his work; we have helped bear another’s burden in these small coastal towns. We have encountered God in acts of loving kindness and service. Amen.
“Sandy” had come ashore with a force and fury that ravaged these communities in ways we cannot imagine…and here we were in a place we didn’t intend to go where we were meant to be…suddenly aware of the Holy One in our midst. I stood on the sand, not along the ocean’s edge, but in the streets where the sand is piled deep and in the buildings where the sand is sticking to the floors…and felt the power and glory of God’s majesty. God was in our midst offering hope and renewal. The storm had ravaged the dunes and the ocean poured into the streets of these coastal towns, but people from far and near stretched out their hands to offer food, shelter, clothing, shovels and buckets, skill saws and chain saws…and hope to broken spirits where the Messiah was to be born. I encountered Jesus in these ocean towns and I will never be the same. Our little “convoy” made its way into the seaside town of Point Pleasant, each vehicle piled high inside with gallons of cleaning supplies. We were told there were “check points” and without a permit we would not be able to proceed to our destination—the Lavallette Volunteer Fire Company. “Halt!” A hand went up and a command came from a National Guardsman standing in the street, devastation all around him. “We are from the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania and have permission from the chief of the Lavallette Fire Company to deliver 140 buckets of cleaning supplies to the community.” “Sorry, sir. You cannot proceed beyond this point. Please turn around and take this road out to (blah, blah, blah I can never remember directions!) another road and across a bridge to the mainland. You cannot go through these towns.” A shepherd…he and his fellow guardsmen were protecting these fragile towns and the people…the face of Jesus in our midst—the shepherd protecting his flock…that not one more devastating blow of vandalism or destructive force would enter these communities while he was on guard…not on his watch. We turned around, as commanded. We were in a place we didn’t intend to go where we are meant to be. We called the fire chief for instruction and returned to the “check-point” to wait for him. He came ten minutes later, making known and sending forth the Good News of Jesus, full of compassion, strength and confidence driving the Lavallette Fire Company engine, lights flashing on the big red truck, to escort us through the towns of Point Pleasant, Mantoloking, and into Lavallette. What we saw took our breath
away…houses torn from their foundations and flipped upside down, some on their side; trees snapped off and what remained leaning so far over it was hard to see how it was still standing; driveways ripped apart with gaping sink holes making it almost impossible to reach the houses; debris and sand piled all around. These once lovely seaside streets lay in ruins as people struggle to dig out. Where was the Messiah to be born in this? One might ask. The Epiphany—Jesus is not in a cradle in the house with his mother, Mary. Jesus is in the streets making known his Good News. He is digging with shovels and operating backhoes and bulldozers and giant claws and pushing brooms and hauling out stinking, rotten, mildew/mold soaked drywall and wood. He is restoring power to the houses and buildings. The Messiah is born in the spirit of these people and is at work in the midst of destruction, offering hope and help to those in need. Arriving at the firehouse, we saw men standing in line to unload the vehicles and stack the buckets of cleaning supplies. We found Jesus here…making known and sending forth the Good News, here binding up the wounds…on call to offer relief. They were so thankful…so grateful for the people who took the time, spent their money and delivered these much-needed supplies to their fellow townspeople up and down the coast. They were so gracious and we could feel their thankfulness. It was a joy to be with them and to help hear their burden. We at St. John’s have been a part of this offering and they THANK YOU for your support and prayers. Much more is needed and I believe the Lancaster Convocation will be embracing opportunities to serve in ways that are meaningful, helpful and necessary in the months to come. There is much work to be done! As we left the firehouse to return home, we were escorted to Ortley, New Jersey, the next town over, by a volunteer who left her home and job in Florida to lead a staging operation based in Ortley. She had grown up two towns over along the NJ coast and had come back to aid in the recovery work. She was the one who found and recovered the “St. Elisabeth Episcopal Chapel” sign that was ripped from the ground and washed away with the building. It is now in the Ortley Municipal Building that is being used as a staging area. The police can no longer use this building that was nearly destroyed by the storm and have donated the space to her efforts. We see God’s Grace and the generous Spirit of Jesus.
I think of these words, “…inquiring of them where the Messiah was to be born…” The Messiah has been born anew in the hearts, hands and feet of those working to bring God’s grace and reveal God’s glory, power and majesty…to a people digging out from the sand, broken houses and broken hearts, sunken utility lines and pipes…to rebuild, restore and renew a community…making known and sending forth the Good News of Jesus. When you seek the face of Jesus, look around in places you didn’t intend to go where you are meant to be …to see where he is born, how he is revealed and when he embraces us—in the calm and in the turmoil—working in the broad human field to make broken things whole. Remembering: “Jesus has no hands but our hands to do his work today; he has no feet but our feet to lead men to his way; he has no help but our help to bring them to his side.” God works in and through us to accomplish his purpose when we are willing and able to respond. We have done his work; we have helped bear another’s burden in these small coastal towns. We have encountered God in acts of loving kindness and service. Amen.
