Epiphany: “Love your Neighbor as Yourself”

Epiphany: a time to “Love your neighbor as yourself”

We always end the Christmas season with the story from Matthew’s gospel where   Magi, strangers travelling from a faraway land by the light of a star, welcome the Christ child.  They recognize him as the long awaited Messiah of Israel. Remarkably, Jesus is not only for God’s chosen people, Israel, he has come for all people.  His great light which draws all humanity is the Epiphany (manifestation) of which we speak.

I have been gifted this Christmas with a garden flag that is also a kind of epiphany.  It says:

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR WHO DOESN’T:

Look like you, think like you,

Love like you, speak like you,

Pray like you, vote like you,

LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, NO EXCEPTIONS.

I understand the message of this sign to be that we are all so different, yet all worthy of love.  This love of neighbor includes all races, affiliations, sexualities, languages, religions, and political beliefs.  Often, people are divided because of these (and other) differences, but God has come for ALL people, no exceptions.  In light of God’s love for diversity, we too are called to accept and respect everyone, whether we agree with them or not.  It is easy to embrace the people who are like us, and more challenging to find a welcome for those we wouldn’t normally embrace.  But that is the test of our love; can we love as God loves?  So I have to end with a question: who is it that you have trouble accepting/loving?  He/she is your neighbor—no exceptions.

God bless us all                                                                   Rev Ann Marie