Following into Risky Obedience
Writing about the meaning of Epiphany Season at the beginning of Advent is particularly challenging; the rhythm of publishing The HighWay pushes me to overlap the seasons of the Church year. I realize how much I physically occupy, immerse myself in each season, how much the season shapes me. It seems I want to actually live through the season of Holy Waiting and then the Festival of the Incarnation each year in order to figure out anew how to respond practically in my life as a disciple! Epiphany is a call to action. It is a season of Response to the good news of Jesus’ birth. God is born in our midst! The Mysterious Transcendent Divine Creator of the Universe is united with the fragility of fleeting Human Life. “Heaven and Nature Sing!”
Now that the last drop of eggnog has been drunk, the leftover turkey soup frozen, the figures of the creche lovingly packed away, there is a “so what” season. Jesus is born: so what!? How does it make a difference for those of us who are followers of that same Jesus?
I pray that over the Christmas Season you caught once again the wonder of God’s engagement with Earth. That wonder stirs us to love Earth as God does. That joy has power to lift us out of despair and cynicism into concrete hope. God’s gift renews our energy for service to neighbour.
One of the values we adopted in Synod 2023 is “Daring Discipleship”. This theme will be a focus of our Diocesan work in 2025. To be a disciple of Jesus means to follow a path of service, of self-giving, and in the process discover that this service is a way to draw closer to God. Being a disciple does take daring. The practical love Jesus calls us to is risky, costly, demanding our all. We dare to participate in God’s work of mending the earth. We cooperate with God’s will to bring healing and wholeness for all creatures, including humans!
In Epiphany may our imagination for discipleship be rekindled:
- Invite a grieving acquaintance for coffee and give them your best compassionate listening, as they need time and space to retell the story of their loss. Give them the gift of no advice, just listen.
- Take homemade soup to a lonely person.
- Volunteer for the local environmental group.
- Organize a spring clean-up of invasive species along the river.
- Write a letter on behalf of Amnesty International.
- Phone the cousin from whom you are estranged
What niggling call to discipleship could you attend to this winter?
How could you make the healing power of Jesus practical and real?
May you have a Blessed Epiphany, that blesses others!
Yours in Christ, +Lynne
