Let's have an Epiphany!

Wikipedia gives the following top two definitions of 'Epiphany':

Epiphany (holiday), a Christian holiday on January 6 celebrating the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus
Epiphany (feeling), the sudden realization or comprehension of the essence or meaning of something

The word comes from the Greek for "to manifest" or "to show". At Epiphany, we in the Western Churches acknowledge our understanding - our 'seeing' - of Jesus as 'God made man' - the manifestation of the deity in the form of a human being.

In particular, we focus this understanding on the visit of the Magi (wise men) to Jesus at Bethlehem. The Magi, in the story told in Matthew's gospel, represent the whole of humanity - as opposed to just the Jewish world. They came, saw and acknowledged the Christ-child, paying him homage and giving gifts, demonstrating that this child was given for the benefit of the whole world.

So what will we 'see' at this time? The wonder of 'God made man'? The intersection of God's mercy with human frailty at a moment in time?

Here are some words by TS Eliot from The Rock for you to reflect on...

Waste and void. Waste and void. And darkness on the face
of the deep.

Then came at a predetermined moment,
a moment in time and of time,
A moment not out of time, but in time, in what we call history:
transecting, bisecting the world of time,
a moment in time, but not like a moment of time,
A moment in time but time was made through that moment:
for without the meaning there is no time,
and that moment in time gave the meaning.
Then it seemed as if men must proceed from light to light, in the light of the Word,
Through the Passion and Sacrifice saved in spite of their negative being.

TS Eliot 1934