Epiphany and Isaiah’s Vision

This is the time of year on the liturgical calendar that is known as Epiphany, a time to discover the meaning of Christ’s coming to earth, to understand our role in the world.

1-30-10 moonset

Today’s and yesterday’s lectionary reading came from Isaiah 6:1-13, when Isaiah describes his vision of seeing God on his throne surrounded by seraphs. Isaiah is cleansed with a hot coal so he can go out and tell people to change their ways. ILM could really do that image justice but I certainly don’t envy Isaiah’s mission. Telling people to change their ways or suffer the consequences is not the most desired mission.  People don’t want to hear it.  Helping people who are homeless, hungry, or sick seems to be easier than telling people not to be judgemental and simply to help.

That’s where the “epiphany” comes in: our role is to help all those who need help, not just the ones we choose to help because we think they “deserve” help more than others.

It’s been a theme I’ve heard a lot recently, both in a positive and negative context. “Why help them when they are too lazy to help themselves?” “Those people are here illegally, those law-breakers don’t deserve this.”  On the other side, “Our role is to be God’s hands and feet – just make yourself available and let God handle how it turns out.”  It’s not our job to decide who  to help, it’s our job simply to help.  I loved the quote Jimmy used in his sermon this week: when Billy Sunday was told he was “rubbing the fur the wrong way”, he told them to “turn the cat around”.  Sometimes we just have to stand firm and not be afraid to tell the truth, in as loving a way as possible.

First crocus of the year: January 30, 2010

Sunrise over Ventura, January 30, 2010