Rest on the Flight into Egypt

Epiphany commemorates the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem bringing gifts to the Christ child. According to the Gospel of Matthew, soon after the visit from the Magi, Joseph was warned that he and his family should flee their homeland and go to Egypt to seek refuge from King Herod's attempt to kill their infant son.

On this Feast of Epiphany, I am re-posting a poem inspired by the French artist Luc Olivier Merson.

Rest on the Flight into Egypt

How still the air must be this night –

A wisp of smoke

Moves straight to the sky

As the fugitive fire 

Slowly dies.

How still the night

As the light of heaven

Rests in Egypt’s ancient arms.

How still the night

As donkey grazes and

Joseph sleeps
While beyond the distant river
Some petty tyrant
Fashions weapons of war.

And a newly blessed mother

Slumbers in the protective Sabbath

Of a watchful Sphinx.

                                                 ~ CK

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Image: Rest on the Flight into Egypt, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Artist: Luc Olivier Merson (French, 1846–1920)

Medium: Oil on canvas
Date: 1879

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Epiphany: We All Win!

On this Feast of Epiphany, we celebrate with the English hymn, "Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning;" 

lyrics by Reginald Herber (1783-1826), music, "Morning Star," by Joseph Harding (1850-1911).

The hymn was first published in 1811 and found its way into the hymnal in 1827, the year after Herber's death. Apparently, the hymn caused some controversy in its opening line, with "sons of the morning" being changed to "stars of the morning" in some hymnals, and still troubling some who thought the hymn was worshiping a star. There is a certain poetic quality in the phrase "sons of the morning" in reference to the stars in the sky -- perhaps an echo of Job 38:7: "When morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy."

The second verse is quite masterful in it's humble setting and mythic expanse:

               Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining;

               Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall;

               Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,

               Maker and Monarch and Savior of all!

"Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning" was written specifically for the feast of the Epiphany by Herber, and did indeed become one of the most frequently used hymns for this day of the liturgical calendar. And why not? The story proclaims that from the highest star to the lowest estate, we all win!

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The Feast of the Epiphany

January 6 marks the Feast of the Epiphany, the liturgical date used to commemorate the Wise Men’s arrival from the East to see the child Jesus, as told in the Gospel of Matthew. It is the date which culminates the twelve days of Christmastide, and is some cultures is the date for traditional gift giving.  

Unfortunately, Christmas – as celebrated in the United States – begins with commercial bombardment at least by Thanksgiving (in some cases as early as Halloween!) with radio stations giving entire programming to Christmas jingles and advertisers promoting what you really need to buy this season. It all comes to a crashing halt by dinner on Christmas Day for many, and completely vanishes on December 26.

My friend Loren Peters is a recent graduate from The Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest in Austin Texas. He has been reminding his friends on Facebook that there are twelve days of Christmas celebration by posting a brief sentence on his status each day about regarding each day of Christmas. It is a refreshing reminder of what is now foreign to so many: that Chrismas does not end on Christmas Day.  It BEGINS on December 25 and goes on for 12 days until Epiphany on January 6. 

After all, isn't EPIPHANY what we hope will actually happen to us every once in a while? That there will be a moment when we find ourselves within proximity and realization of the Ground of All Being right before our eyes! It could happen anytime; we can use this day to remind us to be aware of it when that moment comes.






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