Rev. Linda B. Hirst

December 31, 2001

Matthew 2:1-12

 This coming Saturday, January 6th, is the day the greater church celebrates the discovery of the Christ child by the wise men.  The star "stopped" so the story goes and they found him amidst the sweet scent of hay.  They followed the star, like a single candle lit in the dark black night and they found him.

 We call this story, this event, Epiphany.  The word "epiphany" comes from the Greek word manifestation.  Epiphany is both a day and a season of the church year.  It is a celebration of God made manifest - made known to the world in this child called Jesus.  The Magi (the wise men, wise ones) represent us, the seekers of the world, and Jesus is revealed to them (and to us) as God; the light of the world.

 Epiphany is not necessarily a familiar church celebration for many of us.  One of my friends swears that deep down I must be  Episcopal whenever I talk about Epiphany.  I assure her that Epiphany is not a celebration reserved exclusively for those who are Episcopal.  But it is sandwiched in between Christmas, New Year's and of course, the Super Bowl, so it does tend to get overlooked.

 Over the years I have tried to pay more attention to Epiphany - to this wondrous event of God being made known to all the world; to us.  In the past I've gotten together with a bunch of friends and we've stood outside at night looking at the stars, looking for that star, hoping for clarity, for that sign, that word from God.  I figure if there's any night God is going to make him or herself known to me, January 6th - Epiphany - is it.

 Others have epiphany parties; rumor has it the French celebrate Epiphany or Twelfth Night which includes the serving of the Twelfth Night cake,  which contains a small figure of the baby Jesus.  Tradition has it that the person who finds the baby Jesus in his or her serving will have good fortune in the new year.

 I know a woman pastor who began this custom of having an Epiphany party complete with cake and baby Jesus at her home; the first time she did this her dinner guests happened to be a seminary professor, a seminary president, a couple of other pastors and a well-known author and preacher.  As she explained the tradition of the Twelfth Night cake, her guests rolled their eyes and exchanged cynical glances all around the table, all except for one - who exclaimed with some seriousness and enthusiasm.... ìI want the baby Jesus!  I want to get the baby Jesus!

 This is the time of year when we're all searching for the baby Jesus.   From the beginning of Advent up to Christmas Eve, churches are packed.  Last Sunday we had almost 1500 people between the four services.  Some people come for the music.  Some people come because the church looks exceptionally beautiful this year of year.  Some people come because they're in town visiting family and this is what you do on Christmas Eve.  But the sheer numbers, not just here, but in churches everywhere indicate that most people are searching for something...following that star.  Looking for the baby Jesus.

 There are many, many people wandering around at Christmas time and wondering to themselves if not out loud?  "Where is he?  Where is the Christ child?"

 I know this because I have been there. It wasn't that long ago; just a few years actually - I was new to working for the church and still trying to figure out just what it was I was doing when I was told I would be responsible for the Christmas Pageant at the Family Service.  Now I have helped with a few pageants over the years; for those of you who have not yet had the privilege of doing this, it is similar to God creating the heavens and the earth out of chaos.  While everyone was sitting in church singing  joyful hymns about the coming of Christ, all I could think about what this tidal wave called Christmas about to crash down upon me. With each lighting of the Advent Candle
I would have a panic attack because it meant Christmas was three weeks away, two weeks away, one week away and I was not ready.

 At adult bible studies people would talk about looking for Jesus, where do you find him this time of year, to which I would respond, "What are you talking about?    I don't have time to look for Jesus! I have a pageant to plan!"

 Before I knew it Christmas Eve was upon us.  It was time.  As many of you know the family service is always a joyful and loud service; kids, babies, grownups.  The church was packed, the energy level was high and after some really awful rehearsals where we wondered if we were actually going to be able to pull a pageant off, it looked like it must might work.  The lights were dimmed and the pageant began.  I settled down up front, focused on the script to help direct kids if necessary.

 Mary and Joseph walked up to the front right on cue and placed baby Jesus  in the manger.  From a few pews back I heard a little boy whisper "Where is he?  Where's the baby?"  Now,  you normally don't get to see the baby Jesus during a Christmas pageant.  You may see some feet sticking up in the air, but mostly you only see the shepherds and wise ones looking on, adoring the holy infant.  This was no exception.  "Where is he?", the child whispered again.  Adults come to see the their children or grandchildren in the pageant.  The kids come to see the baby Jesus.

 The shepherds approached the front of the church.  I held my breath as the cows and ships - mostly kindergartners - meandered up the steps and gathered around the manger.  The angels came forward and belted out "Hark the Herald Angels Sing."  It was going wonderfully - when right towards the end baby Jesus started crying, her little feet kicking wildly.  The little girl who was our Mary looked down at me and baby Jesus' mother;  her eyes wide with panic (but she was still smiling and never breaking out of character!)  Her look said it all:  "What should I do?"

 So we urged her to pick up the baby Jesus.  We used complicated hand signals;  we mouthed the words, "Pick her up!"  We smiled and we prompted.  Finally, after a couple of minutes the boy who was Joseph leaned over and whispered to Mary loud enough for all to hear:  "Pick her up!"  So she did.  She leaned over, picked up a beautiful, crying two month old baby  from the manger and held her up for all to see.   And there was the baby Jesus.

 And I was struck by that moment, that unexpected moment that wasn't in the script.   Those of us who had been searching and even those of us who had been too busy to search for the Christ child found him that night when a nervous young girl picked up an infant child to comfort her.    It was a glimpse of God and it was a beautiful sight to behold.

 Where is he?  Where is the Christ child? He is here.

 He is here in those crystal clear moments where God breaks through and touches us and he is here in those fleeting moments when we think something wonderful has just happened and we're not quite sure what it was.  We may find him Christmas Eve in music, song, scripture and word or the joyful and very loud 5:30 family service.  We may find him in the quiet of the night or in our giving and receiving.  We may need to search and pray and follow that star but we will find him, because he is here.

 You know, we spend Advent in expectation:  we sing songs like O Come, O Come Emmanuel.  We wait and prepare.  Then on Christmas we are presented with this child born in a lowly manger.  But the story doesn't end there in that crib.  When all the pageants are finished and all the decorations put back in a box and the tree thrown out in the back yard, even though we may think Christmas is over, it's really just beginning.

 With the coming of Epiphany we are reminded that the birth of Jesus Christ is not just a pretty story to watch from the sidelines.  It is an invitation to step in and become part of the story - to pick up the baby, so to speak, like the scared little girl who played Mary.   To, as the prophet Isaiah said, Arise and let your light shine.  Embrace the Christ that has been revealed to you and be a light on behalf of all those who live in darkness.

 I'd like to close with a reading which I think is particularly appropriate for this season.  It's a traditional Quaker Meditation.

 When the song of the angel is stilled,  When the star in the sky is gone.
 When the kings and the princes are home,
 When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
 The work of Christmas begins:
  To find the lost,
  To heal the broken,
  To feed the hungry,
  To release the prisoner,
  To rebuild the nations,
  To bring peace among sisters and brothers,
  To make music in the heart.

"Where is he? Where is the Christ child? He is here."  Thanks be to God.