Readings for Epiphany 5C:
Isaiah 6:1-8; Luke 5:1-11
February 7, 2010
The Rev. Karen Faye Siegfriedt
St. Jude the Apostle Episcopal Church, Cupertino, CA
Isaiah said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips.” [Is. 6] Peter said: “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” [Lk. 5]
On this fifth Sunday of Epiphany, we read two stories about Isaiah and Peter experiencing an epiphany- a revelation of God in their daily life. These “divine” epiphanies made it possible for these two men to see themselves as they truly were and as a result empowered them to answer God’s call. From a religious point of view, an epiphany reveals a truth and if embraced, can be very transformative. Sometimes an epiphany comes in the form of a bright shining star, shedding light on our path such that we know without question the direction we need to take. Other times, an epiphany comes in the form of words, giving us an insight or the where-with-all to move forward. Sometimes an epiphany comes in the form of a feeling, a time when the heart is deeply warmed and we become aware of the healing grace and prompting of the Spirit. Whatever form an epiphany might take, its purpose is to enable us to see the truth and to answer God’s call live an abundant life. Today I would like to talk about recognizing epiphanies so that we can learn the truth and become free to seek the abundant life that God created us to have. I will use the readings from Isaiah and Luke as my texts.
Thirty years ago, I found myself visiting a friend in Memphis TN. She was a pediatrician whom I met when I was working as a student nurse in Appalachia. She was from a different social class and exposed me to new ideas and ways of being. While driving her car, she warned me that I was driving too aggressively. She said to me: “You see this world as if it were a jungle. You’re protective, defensive, assertive, always prepared for some kind of danger. And because you see the world as a jungle, some of your behavior is alienating.” These words were strong for a 25-year-old to hear and they hit me hard. I was embarrassed and my embarrassment turned to shame. I think the reason her comments hit me so hard was because they were true. Having been brought up in the housing projects of Boston, I did see the world as a jungle and had developed some rough edges. These rough edges limited me from being the full person that God created me to be and it also hindered me from furthering my career. This epiphany which came in the words of a friend, gave me an opportunity to see the truth about myself and therefore the opportunity to make a decision on whether to remain stuck in a limited lifestyle or to seek the abundant life that God created me for. Thank goodness for epiphanies, even the painful ones!
In today’s reading, the prophet Isaiah had an epiphany of God in the temple. Isaiah lived in Jerusalem about 2800 years ago. This was a time when Assyria began to dominate the Middle East and life was very tenuous. Isaiah was called to prophesy to a people whose hearts had grown hard and whose eyes had become blind to the will of God. Sometime around the year 740 BCE, Isaiah had a mystical experience of God in the temple. This happened in the inner sanctuary, where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. This holy area was considered the throne of God, where incense and chanting and ritual would permeate the sanctuary. It was here that Isaiah had an epiphany during which he realized the truth about himself as a man of “unclean lips.”
The scriptures do not tell us what Isaiah meant by “a man of unclean lips” but we can assume that his speech and communications were “wanting” and his words did not fully reflect God’s will. Perhaps because he was willing to admit his shortcomings and the truth about himself, God’s grace was able to work a healing in his speaking. His lips were cleansed, his sins were blotted out, and he was strengthened in his vocation to preach some difficult words. You can read more about the fullness of his ministry and subsequent prophecies in the Book of Isaiah. But what stands out for me in this passage is that it was through the spiritual discipline of worship that he received an epiphany that changed his life and the lives of the Jewish people in Israel. Christians and Jews alike, continue to be inspired by his words that are recorded in the biblical text.
In today’s reading from the gospel of Luke, Jesus is preaching to the crowds from a small fishing boat belonging to Simon-Peter. After his sermon is over, he gives Peter a fishing tip and tells him where to cast his net. Peter obeys and the ‘fishing tip’ pans out. In fact, so many fish are caught that the fishing boats begin to sink. Two things stand out for me in this miracle story. First, Peter (who is a fisherman) is humble and open enough to listen to the advice of a carpenter. There is a tendency in human nature to listen only to those loud voices of expertise. As a result, we often miss out on an epiphany by those different or quiet voices that can often point us in the right direction.
The second thing that stands out for me in this story is that Peter interprets the catch of fish, not simply as a good fishing tip, but as an epiphany of the divine. And because he recognizes and reflects on this epiphany, he is able to see the truth about his character. As light is shed on his sinfulness, he becomes humble and open to a new call. Peter begins to understand Jesus as God’s word for him and willingly changes his focus from a vocation of fishing to that of an apostle.
Unclean lips, sinful character, jungle mentality, rough edges…these are a few of the alienating behaviors and attitudes that keep us from experiencing abundant life. The religious term that is used to describe alienation from God, ourselves, and others is ‘Sin.’ Sin limits our human potential. I believe each person has some specific sin that needs healing in order to move forward. It could be cynicism, low self-esteem, addictive behavior, a lack of courage, self-centeredness, or pride. Whatever it is for you, these limitations keep a person in bondage and prevent us from being the people that God created us to be. They also cause a great deal of pain and suffering in the world. That is why the path of transformation includes being released from the bondage of sin to a freedom of abundant life.
The good news is, we can break free from the bondage of sin that limits our life by responding to epiphanies when they happen. God is always longing for our healing and so God continues to reveal God’s self in many ways. But often times we don’t even recognize an epiphany when it happens to us.
One of the difficulties in recognizing an epiphany is that we are often looking for a bright, beacon of light or 2x4 to get our attention. But most epiphanies are subtle, a soft voice, a simple comment, a fleeting feeling, a gradual realization that all is not well.
Another reason we do not recognize an epiphany is because we often avoid the light, afraid to have the ‘void within’ exposed, and thus have to experience the painful feelings- “Woe is me- I am a man of unclean lips.” “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” This is why some people stay so busy, afraid to face the silence of the night. But a person of faith, a person who is on the spiritual path, needs to seek the whole truth. We must become aware of our darker side, the empty side, the hurting side, so that we do not carry our mistakes into the future or pass them onto our children. Our soul longs to experience the abundant life that God has promised us.
Finally, a third reason we do not recognize an epiphany is because we think we already have all of the answers or we just need a little more information. But because our experience of ourselves is subjective, it is hard to critique ourselves from the inside and notice where we fall short of the glory of God. A few years ago, I took golf lessons and then went out to play. Even though I had learned the technique and believed in my mind that I was doing it right, I had difficulty driving the ball effectively and in the right direction. It wasn’t until someone took some pictures of me “killing the ball” that I realized there was a significant difference between what I thought I was doing and what I actually was doing. That is why it often takes someone or something outside our self to shed light on the truth. And once the light is shed, it takes a posture of humility and vulnerability on our part to embrace the insight.
“Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ.” {Today’s Collect, BCP 216}
| Updated February 20, 2010 |
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