Catch A Falling Star: From Epiphany to Lent

Posted

Steve O’Connor, Director of Music Ministries

Sometime between the end of Sunday worship on March 2 and sundown Tuesday, March 4 a star will fall at All Saints.  Specifically, the large star now positioned above the high altar, placed there for the season of Epiphany, will come down, as we transition into the new season of Lent.

Since January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, the Church has celebrated the various manifestations, or “epiphanies” of Jesus’ divinity after his birth.  These have included the coming of the Magi, Christ’s baptism, the Wedding at Cana where he miraculously changed water into wine, the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, also called Candlemas where Christ’s light to the world is symbolically recognized in the blessing of the Church’s candles.  During these six weeks of the Season after Epiphany, we like the Wise Men, have followed the star, the “bright light” of Christ, as his divinity has been made known to us.

The Church now transitions into a time of conversion, a season of preparation for the coming Paschal mystery of Christ’s saving death and resurrection.  This preparation marks the season of Lent.  From the Old English word for “spring” – the time of lengthening days – Lent is a period of forty days (not including Sundays, each of which are “little Easters”), in which we are called to prepare for God’s saving gift of Easter.  All Christians are invited, in the words of the Book of Common Prayer, “to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.”

Theologically in Lent, we are reminded of God’s generosity.  The Lectionary readings for Lent 1 include the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the Old Testament’s second story of Creation.  The first Creation account, creation in six days and “God saw that it was good,” is the opening reading at the Easter Vigil during Holy Week.  The four primary scriptural symbols of the season are Bread and Water, Hunger and Thirst, Light and Darkness and Clothing and Nakedness.

Oscar Wilde’s interpretation of Psalm 130 is a fitting reminder of our need for God’s generous abundance:

Out of the depths I cry to thee, O Lord!
Lord, hear my voice!
Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
For with the Lord, there is steadfast love, and with him is plenteous redemption.
And he will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

As we transition from the season of Epiphany into the season of Lent, you are encouraged to “catch a falling star,” that is, to receive the saving Light of Christ and welcome into your life the abundant gifts of God.