<\/p>\n
“Gabby opened her eyes.”<\/p>\n
When President Obama uttered these simple words, the crowd Four simple words. Four very spiritual words.<\/p>\n Congresswoman Giffords was shot at the beginning of the Christian Ms. Giffords is, of course, Jewish. <\/span>Although Epiphany is a Christian season, Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, The opposite is the case as well. <\/span>Closing our eyes is a sign of the end, When we open our eyes, we will see light and beauty. We will see the caring faces of loved ones. But opening our eyes, we will also see suffering and pain and violence. We see the steady gaze of a loving spouse; we also see the sinister glare of a deranged shooter. Open eyes see both. And in all that we see, God’s presence is somehow there. Comforting, healing: yes. But often seeing God is a call as well. A call to transform our world into God’s vision for humankind. God made manifest in the world; we must manifest God in the world. <\/font><\/p>\n Gabby opened her eyes. <\/span>May we also open ours and see the glory that shines round <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “Gabby opened her eyes.” When President Obama uttered these simple words, the crowd at the Tucson memorial service cheered wildly. “Gabby opened her eyes.” Four simple words. Four very spiritual words. Congresswoman Giffords was shot at the beginning of the Christian season called Epiphany. This year, Epiphany lasts until March 8, the day before Ash…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nat the Tucson memorial service cheered wildly. <\/span>“Gabby opened her eyes.”<\/p>\n
\nseason called Epiphany. <\/span>This year,
\nEpiphany lasts until March 8, the day before Ash Wednesday. <\/span>The word, epiphany, means
\n“manifestation,” “revelation,” or “unveiling.” <\/span>As it follows Christmas, it is the time of the year in which
\nChristians consider how God has appeared to us, where God is seen,
\nand how God is made manifest in the world. <\/span>Epiphany, its primary symbol the star, is about seeing the
\nlight.<\/p>\n
\nits roots are found in the Hebrew Bible.
\n<\/span>Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and many of the prophets experienced
\n“epiphanies,” where God appeared to them. <\/span>Indeed, the Jewish festival of <\/span>Hanukah is an epiphany celebration–the light of God is seen
\nhere on earth. <\/span>Early Christians
\nborrowed the word epiphaneia<\/i> from the
\nGreek version of the Jewish Scriptures where it referred to the visible
\npresence of God in the world. <\/span>Along
\nwith the star, the other symbol of Epiphany is the magi, the ancient wise men
\nwho were not Jews, who went on a journey to see the infant named Immanuel, or
\nGod-with-us. <\/span>Indeed, the Christian
\nseason of Epiphany celebrates God made manifest to the whole world, that God
\nwas no longer a distant God or only the God of the ancient Israelites–but that
\nGod is, indeed, visible to all who open their eyes. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nand Sikhs: <\/span>we are all searchers following
\nstars, looking for the presence of God in the world. <\/span>Opening our eyes is a sign of life, one of the first things
\ntiny babies do when after they make their way into the world. <\/span>But opening our eyes also symbolizes of
\nour common humanity–the search for love, meeting the healing looks of family and
\nfriends, God’s presence in others, the light that shines throughout the world,
\nand finding goodness in all the places we find ourselves along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nof death. <\/span>And it is also a symbol
\nof giving up, of not looking, of resignation. Shutting our eyes is akin to
\nturning our souls away from God, our loved ones, our neighbors. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\nabout us. <\/span>And, when we open
\nour eyes, may we not only cheer, but also be inspired, in the words of a traditional Epiphany
\nprayer, “<\/span>to contribute wisdom and good works for the benefit of the whole family.”
\n <\/span>Amen. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n