Epiphany Procession & Choral Eucharist

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The triptych behind the altar of the Chantry Chapel of Saint Thomas Church shows three manifestations of Jesus as the Christ, two of which are explicitly part of the Epiphany Procession this morning. Above is the scene in the left-most panel, the Baptism of Our Lord by John the Baptist (our Second Lesson today). Note the dove descending from heaven. Although you cannot see the voice, it is saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”¬† That voice and those words are heard again at the Transfiguration, which we’ll recall on Last Sunday after the Epiphany, just before Ash Wednesday.

Service details:
The Epiphany Procession involves two processions in one.

First, it is a physical procession of the choir through the church, beginning with the responsory sung from the Great Stairwell,  and proceeding to the back of the nave, near the narthex, from where more music is sung. The procession includes the journey of the three Magi (probationers from the choir school), who carry their gifts down the center aisle to the Crèche as the choir sings from the back of the nave.

Second, this service is a procession of three texts from Holy Scripture of the manifestations of Jesus as the Christ; three week’s Gospel lessons rolled into one Sunday service. And so you will first hear of the visit of the Magi (which we also heard last week), and then of the Baptism of our Lord (the assigned Gospel for today), and then of his first miracle at the wedding at Cana (which we’ll also hear next week).

These manifestations and others (the Presentation and the Transfiguration among them) form a bridge that connects the dots, because they tell us who Jesus of Nazareth is. Positioned as we currently are in the liturgical year between Christmas and Lent, we are invited in this season of the Epiphany to see that the baby born in Bethlehem is indeed the promised Messiah, the Christ, the Savior of the world. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and was full of grace and truth…and the world accepted him not.

We cannot fully understand the joy of Christmas or the depth of Good Friday without first perceiving that the little baby of whom the angels sing is the same person that changes water to wine and gives the blind their sight, is the same man who is nailed to the cross by the principalities of this world. And we cannot get to the victory of Easter unless it is true that this man who was born in a stable and who ministered in Galilee and who was nailed to a cross is indeed God himself.

‚ñ∫If you are new to Saint Thomas, new to the Episcopal Church, and/or new to Christianity, consider attending the Rector’s Christian Doctrine Class, which begins anew on Tuesday, January 15 at 6:30pm. The class is free and all are welcome.

‚ñ∫The Rector speaks about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which begins later this week on the Feast of the Confession of Saint Peter, in his weekly audio message.

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