The current season of the liturgical church calendar is marked by using Epiphany Sunday as it’s beginning. It’s called “Ordinary Time,” and the weeks are noted as the first Sunday after Epiphany, the second Sunday after Epiphany, and so on. Epiphany is understood as the manifestation of Christ to the people of the earth, the “epiphanies” of Jesus’ divinity. His birth, the coming of the magi, his baptism, and the wedding at Cana are examples.
My favorite account of the divinity of Jesus is in John 21:13-35. Jesus joins two of his disciples as they walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus. During their day-long journey together, “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] interprets to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
At the time, the disciples did not recognize that their traveling companion was Jesus. They were saddened by Jesus’ recent crucifixion and hopeful that he would conquer death as he had promised. Amid their sadness and confusion, they did not recognize Jesus for who he was—until Jesus physically left their presence.
Then the disciples said, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
Moments of epiphany cause our hearts to burn within us. We hope Laity Lodge Youth Camp and Laity Lodge Family Camp can be a catalyst for kids and families recognizing Jesus’ epiphanies in their lives. We pray that “ordinary time” will continue to provide moments of epiphany. We pray that Jesus’ divinity will manifest in our lives, and our hearts burn within us.
Questions to consider:
Read John 21:13-35