Like a blaze of color across a graphite landscape, an Epiphany of hope arrives as an outrage.

That's pretty isn't it. It's what we in the writing world call a pretty decent hook. Vivid, strong, ending with the unexpected.

But what does it do? It is the word equivalent of a good cover on an empty journal. It is vivid, strong, and unexpected, but it lacks content. What hope? What action? What Epiphany?

What is Epiphany?

Besides January 6th, it is the celebration of the arrival of the Magi to the Incarnation of the Divine. The conjunction of wisdom, tradition, mysticism, and God.

What is an epiphany?

It is the sudden arrival of understanding.

One might say that this is the day that we celebrate the arrival of understanding as a pure product of grace. The Magi, wise by trade, were struck with understanding that did not spring from their effort or study. As they knelt in front of the weakness of the incarnate Divine Child, they were struck with understanding. They had not come to the court of power, they had not come to the seat of wealth, they had not even come to the oracle of wisdom. They found the Divine self in the innocence, hope, and grace of a child.

I received a new nativity scene this year. It features all of the usual suspects, but everyone, including Jesus and the animals, are drawn with aggressive scowls on their little resin faces. It is called the "Negativity." I love their refusal to be drawn in. What exactly does the Christmas story do? Especially now. In the face of global grief, economic stratification, systemic racism, and two millennia? How does one call today a "sudden arrival of understanding" with any degree of hope or sincerity. Perhaps the Magi were not thrilled with this presentation of an infantile deity. The problems facing the first century were pretty intimidating. Surely someone more like Alexander the Great would be needed to contend with Caesar's and Herod's idea of "peace." Certainly the crucified were quiet. Surely someone more like Plato would be needed to bring wisdom to this violent world. Certainly the philosopher would make a thoughtful king.

But you and I and the Magi have come face to face with outrage of Divine humility. What is the epiphanal message that blazes through the centuries to our hearts? God, knowing of the violence of life, became incarnate, not as a mighty ruler, but as an infant and a toddler and a child and an adolescent and an adult. God was born into a life.

The Magi were confronted by grace that refused to step out of a life. Grace inhabits a life.

The ongoing life of the Christ arrives, suddenly, like a blaze of color, an outrage of hope, an embrace of what it means to be temporary rider on a blue planet in the vastness of the universe.