Bishop Ward encourages us to go forth into every place bearing the light and love of Christ who has come to us anew this Christmas.
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1
These words of Isaiah are the great invitation of Epiphany the day of light, the day of love, the day of worship, the day of seeking, the day of mission.
The story is told in the second chapter of Matthew. Wiseones from the East come, and they say, “where is the one who was born to rule over the Jews, for we have seen a bright star in the East and we have come to honor this one.”
The Celtic Order for Daily Morning Prayer poses this question: “Who is it that you seek this day?” And we answer we seek the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, and with all our strength. And as we answer, we follow these strange astrologers from faraway places as they journey to the place where the Christ Child lies.
In this season after Epiphany, we turn toward the world from which they came. So, let us go forth into every place bearing the light and love of Christ who has come to us anew this Christmas.
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”