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Sermon, by Pastor Joel
January 5, 2025
Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12
The context of this sermon is
100% written by a human
I am married to someone who loves the colour and sparkle of Christmas and would probably leave up the decorations for months. But of course that is not liturgically correct. And so we have reached a compromise. On the first day of epiphany the gold and glitz of Christmas are put away. But the lights remain on the tree, as does the greenery, sparkling up the house during the long days of winter until Lent. This compromise has not only maintained peace in my marriage but has also kept the comfort and quiet spirit of epiphany in our minds, well after the signs of Christmas have been packed up for next year.
Indeed, it is the glow of wisdom in epiphany that should speak to all of us in the weeks ahead. We heard this morning about the Magi who, having dodged Herod’s inquisition and followed the star, have finally arrived at the manger. These educated people, who have come to see Jesus we are told, lay their gifts before him and are overwhelmed with joy. How that experience informed their teachings from that day forth, we can only guess. But at least, we understand, they did not turn around and go back to Herod to spill what they’d seen. As the gospel says, they avoided the angry ruler by taking another road home.
Where do we find the wisdom of Epiphany? How do we follow the star in the sky that leads us to the comfort and peace of the manger, however that manifests in our lives? Perhaps we might look for Magi in our midst and take guidance from them.
This year, my partner, Erin, came up with an interesting idea in her job covering happiness for The Globe and Mail. She asked Canadians to send in the names of the “happiest people they know.” More than 100 names were sent in, and Erin so far has interviewed only a small number. But I have been hearing about them for weeks – their inspiring idea of happiness, the clarity of their own priorities, and the advice they would offer for those of us searching to be happier. In the end, Erin’s story included 12 kernels of wisdom from the group.
What comes through when you read their stories is that they did not have perfect lives. A young woman had lost her father when she was in university. A father waiting for his first child was diagnosed with an incurable cancer. Maybe, they all said, their personalities leaned toward happiness to start. But they had also worked hard to develop their sense of self, to build happy and meaningful lives. One woman learned to forgive her ex-partner and the friend of hers with whom he had started a relationship. A retired principal, who had left his training to become a Jesuit priest, had wrestled with what he would now do, and went off to Calcutta to volunteer. He found himself, one afternoon, sitting with Mother Teresa, asking her for guidance. Follow your deepest desire, she told him, and it will work out. What I think Mother Teresa was saying was know yourself – learn who you are – and your path will be clear.
So what were the 12 lessons from these happy Canadians? I will share four that especially resonated with me.
The first one: Stay curious about the people you love, a young woman advised. She said she never has her phone out when talking to her closest friends: she listens carefully, watches their body language, and asks questions to truly understand their words. Active listening. A skill we could probably all improve.
The second: When Life is hard, maintain perspective. Today is not tomorrow. The young father had received his cancer diagnose in late winter 2020, around the same time his wife discovered she was carrying their first child. Of course, you know what happened in 2020: the pandemic delayed his surgery, and when he finally started treatment, his wife could not visit. After his daughter was born, he had to return alone to hospital to continue his care. And yet, when he looked back on that year, he had to laugh. It could have always been worse he said. What’s more, he insisted, today cannot be allowed to define tomorrow. You can grow and change and adapt. Perhaps embracing life comes into particular relief when you are not yet 40, and facing your own mortality. But isn’t the time for embracing life right now – whatever your age?
The third: Talk to strangers. I have spoken about this before, but these people were also the ones who would say good morning to their neighbors, who struck up a conversation at the mechanic’s, who learned about the people buying their tomatoes. “Don’t spend a lot of time talking about the weather,” one of them said. When you ask deeper questions, you come away having learned more –even if you never see that person again.
And finally -- this one was Erin’s favourite, and she has won me over, so I will include it: “Have fun. Blow Bubbles. Dance and Sing.” The people talked about how, as adults, we don’t place enough value on fun – blowing bubbles with your mom might seem frivolous when you have work to do. But in these fun, silly moments, they said, you create memories and connections that sustain you when life gets hard. By having fun, you practice joy, you learn to care less what other people think, and build a life of meaning.
In this season of Epiphany, this is my New Year’s Resolution. Not to define 2025 by don’ts. If you want to add some don’ts -- don’t drink alcohol, don’t eat too many cookies – give it a go. But for every don’t, create at least two dos: Do talk to strangers. Do practice gratitude. Do listen better. Do have fun.
The Christmas story is not defined by what the people in the manger didn’t do – but what they did. Just like the Magi following the star, we can be active participants as well. We can follow the gospel, rather than bending to law. For there lies the spirit of God and the divine life. And for the people whom others see as at peace and wise, there lies happiness.
Amen.