Epiphany
noun
\ i-ˈpi-fə-nē \
plural epiphanie1. (capitalized) January 6 observed as a church festival in commemoration of the coming of the Magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles or in the Eastern Church in commemoration of the baptism of Christ
Source: Merriam Webster Online
2. an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being
3. a. (1). a usually sudden manifestation or perception of the essential nature or meaning of something
(2). an intuitive grasp of reality through something (such as an event) usually simple and striking
(3). an illuminating discovery, realization, or disclosure
b. a revealing scene or moment
A Flash of Insight
The word epiphany is one of my favorite words in the English language. I love the sound of it, and the idea of “having an epiphany”—that sudden burst of insight—is an appealing, compelling thought. It’s something I long for in my creative pursuits: that burst of inspiration or insight that surprises and delights, connecting ideas that seemed separate.
The origins of the word confirm this more secular definition of epiphany as a simple flash of insight: it’s from the Greek, epiphainein, which means “to manifest, display, show off; come suddenly into view.” (source: Online Etymology Dictionary)
Of Divine Origins
But the other definitions of the word are those that connect this manifestation of insight to something more divine in origin, and which is more akin to my own beliefs about where epiphanies come from: that epiphanies aren’t just neurons flashing, but are manifestation of the divine in the everyday, connecting us to the mysteries of the universe.
The second definition, “an appearance or manifestation especially of a divine being,” makes explicit this connection.
The Epiphany of Jesus Christ
And the first definition shows the connection of this idea of divine manifestation to an event in the Jesus story: the coming of the Magi (Wise Men) to Bethlehem, and Christ’s first manifestation — the appearance of God made flesh — to the Gentiles.
And so the celebration of this event is known as Epiphany, for us to remember that manifestation of God in the form of the Christ Child, and how the Wise Men honored him:
“And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew 2: 9-11, NLT)
You Order All Things image by Lawrence OP, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0