The Epiphany of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Epiphany is the feast of manifestation, and it begins where the Western Church most loves to begin: with the Magi kneeling before the child Christ, the nations already coming to worship Israel's King. But it does not stop there. It reminds the reader that the older Christian memory of this day also held together the baptism in Jordan and the sign at Cana, three moments in which Christ was shown forth. That broader vision explains why the East and West developed the feast with different emphases, the East dwelling more strongly on the baptism and the West on the adoration of the Magi.

The result is not a mere retelling of a Christmas scene. It is a liturgical meditation on the Savior made known to the world. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh remain in view, but so do the river Jordan, the wedding feast, and the Church's long memory of revelation.