Homily For The Feast of the Epiphany 2026

In our collect for today, we pray: “O GOD, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant that we, who know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”  Epiphany is a celebration of the first worship of Jesus by the Gentiles.  For Epiphany means manifestation.  We take it as common that the Gentiles would have an inheritance in Christ, that God has included many of us who are Gentiles in his Church.  In our Gospel and Our Epistle, we have the theme of light.  The light of the star leading the Magi, the wise men, to the place where the Messiah was to be found.  The Epistle is the teaching of St. Paul - the Apostle to the Gentiles - about the joy of their inclusion in Christ. 

This zealous Jew was arrested, converted by the bright light of Christ’s presence on the road to Damascus - where Jesus identified himself with the Christians - men and women who he said were his body - why are you persecuting me?   We will celebrate the conversion of St. Paul at the end of the month - January 25.  

The Epistle is the light of revelation that resulted from the first light of the Gospel on that road to Damascus.  Part of the light that St. Paul received after his conversion, after his time in Arabia in meditation and study, is that the Gentiles were to be included in the Church without being made Jews first. In the book of Acts we see St. Paul contending with the other apostles on table fellowship, basic acceptance of the Gentiles.  St. Paul confronts Peter on the issue in Acts 15.  This spirit of godly inclusion is what is in view in the Apostle’s epistle to the Ephesians. 

The light of the Gospel caused Paul to suffer imprisonment for the sake of the Gentiles.  True, he was a prisoner for the Gospel of Jesus Christ but the root of his opposition came from those who saw him include Gentiles among the Christian community.  It is the grace of God - that unmerited favor of the Lord for the Gentiles that St. Paul by revelation, one could argue by epiphany, the manifestation of God, that the Gentiles should be fellow-heris, of the same body, and partakers of his promise by the Gospel.  St. Paul says this revelation, this epiphany was not known to the sons of men, and only known to the apostles and the prophets by the work of the Holy Spirit.  

It was conceivable that the Gentiles would come and worship like we see with our Gospel.  There were Old Testament examples of Gentiles coming to learn the wisdom of Solomon.  There were Gentiles who received healing, miracles through the ministries of the prophets, like Elijah and Elisha.  It made sense that the Messiah would be attended by nobles from the Gentile world. 

The shamefulness of our Gospel is the awareness of the particulars about Messiah - by his own people - yet no commitment, zeal to see what drew these Gentiles hundreds of miles from the east.  The Gentiles worshipped the true King of Israel, they worshipped him that would reconcile all nations, all tribes through his perfect sacrifice.  For Jesus was not only the true Israel; he was also the second Adam.   

Not only would the Gentiles worship, notice according to our Epistle that St. Paul’s says they will be integrated, share the same body with Jews in the Church.  Jews and Gentiles are united in faith in the promises of God announced in the Good News of Jesus.  Indeed, what St. Paul calls here the “unsearchable riches of Christ”.  That all men, Jews and Gentiles, may have fellowship together in the revelation made known by Christ’s coming in the flesh. 

St. Paul is saying it is the eternal purpose of God is “now realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, first through his historical work of salvation and then through its subsequent proclamation in the world. What is this eternal purpose which is now being worked out in history, this divine plan which thus belongs to both history and eternity? It concerns the church, the creating of a new and reconciled humanity in union with Jesus Christ. This is the ‘mystery’, hidden for ages but now revealed.

The ministry of the Gentiles through Jesus Christ began with the Magi, Gentile wisemen committed to being obedient to the light of revelation given to them.  God honored their hunger and led them to Christ where they worshipped. 

Being the first of many millions of Gentiles to turn their hearts in faith to the Son of God who unites all men in his loving embrace on the cross, who unites all nations in his resurrection from the dead, who creates a peculiar people zealous for good works as members together in HIs body, the Church.  

Let us pray. O GOD, who by the leading of a star didst manifest thy only-begotten Son to the Gentiles; Mercifully grant that we, who know thee now by faith, may after this life have the fruition of thy glorious Godhead; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”