[393.2] ILLUMINATING DARKNESS

Meanwhile, it's still Epiphany - and Christ emerges in the shadows, not as a "blinding light", but more like a "ray of darkness", bringing surprising, incalculable redemptive possibility to what seems just mire and muck. Look again. This is a different kind of radiance to the sort that we can generate, attach to a switch, and position or point at will.

"God’s revelation in Christ is revelation in concealment, secrecy. All other so-called revelation is revelation in openness. But who then can see the revelation in concealment? .. Nobody [but those who see] God’s judgement and grace in the midst of human weakness, sin and death, where otherwise [humanity] can see only godlessess.’ Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Theology of Crisis

"Darkness... there is something about the context of darkness. Only in darkness can you see the light for what it is." (Thanks, Maggi Dawn)

"For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3.3)

The word epiphany comes from the Greek - epiphaneia - which denotes manifestation, a making-known. With the exception of Easter, it is the oldest season of the church year. In early Christian communities, it was a time when new converts were admitted to the ekklesia, the Christly body politic, after a period of exploration and preparation. {Pic: Eiphany icon of St Giles}

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