Today’s readings focus on epiphanies, occasions when the glories of the Lord are revealed. We can identify with Isaiah’s description that the earth is covered in darkness and thick clouds cover the peoples.

People often complain they’re being “kept in the dark.” They may feel that way at work, in the community, with their children or other family members, and even at church. Here’s an opportunity to remind your community that the light of Christ is available to one and all.

That introduces the problem in the eternal story of powers and principalities. So doggone many earthly authorities vie for our allegiance. We try to juggle our obedience to laws both mortal and divine, splayed between church and state or personal profit and love of neighbor.

For many people, the problem starts in autumn when the clocks are turned back an hour and evening darkness comes earlier. Depending on where a person lives, it is a sign that there will be precious little sunlight to enjoy until winter turns her face toward spring.

When the Hubble space telescope began beaming back never-before-seen images of stars in the making, the sheer power and glory of these dramatic and psychedelic unfoldings rendered most of us awestruck.

Whenever I hear the Christmas story told, Herod always comes across like a 2-year-old. This king of Judea is self-absorbed, jealous of anyone who might steal his spotlight, and willing to destroy anything or anyone to get his way.

The Magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Let us bring our prayers like gifts before the newborn king.

No one likes to see the holidays end. Historically, Christmas is part of a much larger season of manifestation, including what we now call Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord, and the wedding feast of Cana.

Today the Magi gaze in deep wonder at what they see: heaven on earth, earth in heaven, a human being in God, God in a human being, one whom the whole universe cannot contain now enclosed in a tiny body. —Saint Peter Chrysologus