Ephesians 1:3-14 New Revised Standard VersionClose

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. 5 He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. 11 In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, 12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; 14 this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.

Wisdom of Solomon 10 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

15 Holy people and blameless offspring wisdom[f] delivered from a nation of oppressors. 16 She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord and withstood dread kings with wonders and signs. 17 She gave to holy people the reward of their labors; she guided them along a marvelous way and became a shelter to them by day and a starry flame through the night. 18 She brought them over the Red Sea and led them through deep waters, 19 but she drowned their enemies and cast them up from the depth of the sea. 20 Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly; they sang hymns, O Lord, to your holy name and praised with one accord your defending hand, 21 for wisdom opened the mouths of those who were mute and made the tongues of infants speak clearly.

Reflection:

Epiphany commemorates the visit of the Magi as well as the manifestation of a divine supernatural being. The word ‘Epiphany” comes from the Greek meaning “to reveal” as it was when Jesus was repealed to the world.

One's openness to seek the presence of the divine is both an act of faith and wisdom. As we experience the coming of the new year and cast our visions on the horizon I wonder how we might avail ourselves to encounter Jesus Christ revealed to us?

In what ways are we encouraged and inspired to encounter Jesus afresh?

May I recommend the following:

Let us choose to see Jesus in the face of every person we meet.
May we always acknowledge the gift of the presence of the divine in the midst of the routine and even mundane tasks of the day.
Commit ourselves to embracing and sharing the love of Jesus especially as we struggle to make sense of the atrocities of the world.

The gift of the Epiphany is as near to us as we are to ourselves. Like the Magi, may we leave places of familiarity and comfort with the intent of encountering the divine Jesus. In his presence may we alway bring and offer the very best of ourselves and our gifts. May we find every encounter with the Christ Child,transformative and lifegiving.

-Rev. La'Vetta J. Ross