Epiphany
by Fr.Gus Carter
1/8/06

The Feast of the Epiphany celebrates the revelation of God in both nature and in Jesus Christ. The wise men used the signs of nature to help discover the presence of God among us. St. Paul in the Epistle to the Romans states, "For what can be known about God is evident to everyone ... Ever since the creation of the world, God's invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what God has made." (Rom 1:19-20) St. Paul also says that in Christ, "all were created... it is Christ in you, the hope for Glory." (Coll:27) We humans are images of God and images of Christ. The need for God is in every person as St. Augustine made clear. Tendencies toward Christ-like ways are found in all humans. For example, there is much evidence that the capacity for compassion is found in every human being. We should expect, then, that elements of our faith are found in a multitude of places in the human mind and heart. We should always be able to learn from others, find echoes of our faith in most religions and wherever people speak of essential elements of human living.

I have spoken often of the peak experiences of all the major religions of the world. Buddhists, Muslims, Hindu's and Jews all speak of their profound experiences of inexpressible good at the heart of the universe.

Alcoholics Anonymous insists that to stay sober one must trust that the processes of life are always friendly. The ancient Romans spoke of loving one's fate as a virtue. Karl Jung, whose psychology has been noted for its friendliness to religions, stated, "The Givens of life can be embraced with an unconditional yes to that which is without subjective protest, an acceptance of the conditions of existence... an acceptance of my own nature as I happen to be." I have quoted in the past from the book, "The Five things We Cannot Change." The author states, "The yes to life is a willingness to land on concrete reality without a pillow to buffer us. Such a yes makes us flexible, attuning us to a shifting world, opening us to whatever life brings. Such a yes is not a stoic surrender to the status quo, but a courageous one - an alignment to reality. Once we trust reality more than our hopes and expectations, our yes becomes an "open sesame" to spiritual surprises." The author continues, "Yes is the brave ally of serenity; no is the scared accomplice of anxiety." In our Catholic faith we are aware of the Providence of God. Any pain or harm life brings us can be turned into a blessing. Another quote from St. Paul says, "We know that all things work for good for those who love God." (Rom 8"20)
Buddhists declare that to become enlightened, to know how to conduct life well, we must be mindful. Mindfulness is an unconditional yes to what is as it is. We face issues in the here and now without protest or blame, honoring the here and now without the distractions of fear or desire. We seek to live in the present, not the past or future. When we are mindful, we meet each moment with openness, curiosity and kindness.

Jesus calls himself, "The way, the truth and the life." He said, "The truth will set you free." Living the truth means facing reality as clearly and openly as possible. David Richo catalogues the major givens of life: 1) Everything changes and ends; 2) Things do not always go according to plan: 3) Life is not always fair' 4) Pain is part of life; 5) People are not loving and loyal all the time. When these things happen to us, we are reminded that God is in control. We believe that there are things that God puts into our lives that are designed to prepare us for eternal life. As a matter of fact, once we say yes, the givens of life are suddenly revealed as gifts. The givens are relentless but also rich in wisdom. Saying yes to the givens becomes an ingredient of character. depth and compassion.

Every human whoever lived faced the five major givens. This makes them part of being human, so they must be a necessary part. Therefore, anything can happens to anyone. To believe this grants us two wonderful gifts. First, we let go of our sense that we are entitled to special treatment or that we are exempt from life's hard knocks. Second, believing that anything can happen to us, helps us become humble and helps us feel our comradeship with our fellow humans. There is something consoling about a sense of belonging, of being in it with everyone else no matter how difficult life may become. One of the most profound yet common mystical experiences is of the incredible unity of all things. From this we gain a sense of how special each person is. For me respect for others is the foundation of charity. Each person needs and deserves our love.