A Time of Revealing and Manifestation
Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting
Pastor Bob Henry
January 4, 2026
Isaiah 60:1-6 (NRSV)
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth
and thick darkness the peoples,
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together; they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried in their nurses’ arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you;
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
This Tuesday, January 6th is not only Beth Henricks’ birthday (reminder to send cards), but it also marks the end of the 12 days from Christmas or December 25th, what the church has traditionally labeled, Epiphany.
I am sure most of us are aware of the Christmas Carol – The 12 Days of Christmas (Today is the 10th day of Christmas, so we should be receiving our 10 Lord’s a Leaping sometime, today – whatever that means.)
Either way, few people in the United States today celebrate these 12 days in which the song speaks. For most of us, Christmas is one day with lots and lots of prior build-up, and then as soon as it is over, we roll it back up into boxes and stick it in our attic until next December, when we do it all again.
Our family noticed that since it was unusually warm this Christmas, many people started taking Christmas decoration down the day after Christmas. It was almost startling for me, since I was taught as a child that you leave Christmas up until at least January 6th.
Today, the 12 Days of Christmas have become a time to finally rest and take a breather after the exhaustion of Christmas. I always take vacation from Christmas to New Years for this very reason.
Sadly, this is almost a necessity, since our lives and schedules dictate so much during the holiday season.
History shows us that these 12 days were supposed to be a way for Christians to Celebrate and even “break the cycle” of the secular world’s busyness.
Many Christians would take the 12 days of Christmas off from work. Many would even wait until Christmas Eve to put up their Christmas Tree and would plan decorating events for each of the 12 days. Many traditions were created during this time.
It was a time of celebration, a time of family and community, and it all was to focus on the incarnation of Jesus in our world.
Some even believed it to be a time to center down and allow Christ to be revealed in us again, each year.
If anything, it was to be a season of revealing and manifestation.
That is why it is no coincidence then that these 12 days would end with an “Epiphany” - a manifestation of a divine or supernatural being.
Yet, I think we do not spend enough time learning about and understanding the Epiphany. I love how Diana Butler Bass explains the Epiphany, she says,
The wise men awaited a sign in the sky — a star — to guide them on this journey. Revelations break in, light shines forth, and glory appears. Such things are from the realms of mystery, awe, and wonder. They surprise and disrupt the normal course of existence.
Epiphanies are not of our making.
But it would be a mistake to believe that we are only passive recipients of epiphanies. We need to be alert for their appearance and search out the trailings of their presence. Revelations can be missed if one isn’t attentive or attuned to the possibilities of sacred surprise.
The Magi, of course, were looking for a sign. They were professional spiritual seekers! But they weren’t content just gazing upon the star. They didn’t remain in some distant locale and admire its glory from afar. They got up and followed it to its source. And their journey even involved danger — as a treacherous king attempted to use them to manipulate this manifestation for his own evil purposes. They kept going.
We may not create epiphanies, but we respond to them. Epiphanies grab a hold of us; we can’t shake them. Epiphanies ask something of us. The star is an invitation, a calling to do something — to act.
These verses from Isaiah (which Steve read for us this morning), underscore this:
Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
We arise; we shine — glory entices us, woos us, into the light. We don’t just observe. Epiphany embraces and vivifies us.
Epiphany is a manifestation, the mystery revealed, and an invitation to discover grace, goodness, and God. It is neither a magic fix nor a moment when utopia arrives. But the birth, the star, and heavenly glory don’t eliminate the darkness. Rather, such revelations cast the light that we need to see the way.
Epiphany beckons us to pay attention and participate in widening the circle of light in the world — to push back against all brittle injustice and brutality. Whether a babe in Bethlehem or a burning bush, epiphanies are guide stars on a longer journey toward healing, liberation, and peace.
Perhaps these words, a seasonal benediction of sorts, from Madeleine L’Engle (from a Ring of Endless Light) capture the fullest sense of Epiphany (Stranger Things does not have to be the only one utilizing Madeleine L’Engle right now):
This is my charge to you.
You are to be a light bearer.
You are to choose the light.
Arise. Shine.
In technical jargon or in theological circles, what Diana Butler Bass is doing is good old fashion Jewish “midrash.”
Midrash means retelling a sacred story in a way that has special meaning for the current time, to fit a new occasion, and a different context, and from a different point of view.
I feel like we need to declare 2026 as a year of Midrash at First Friends. Where we will seek to retell the sacred stories in a way that speaks to our current day and situations.
But before we declare that for us all, I want us to think this morning about “epiphany” in our personal context, much like Diana Butler Bass did.
In our postmodern world today, epiphany has come to mean a revelation of a truth about oneself.
As Quakers, we believe the Light of Christ resides within us and thus we are the hands and feet of Christ being revealed to our world. Or as Madeline L’Engle put it, you and I “are to be light bearers.”
This means you and I are the manifestation of the Christ Light to our neighbors, communities, workplaces, and yes, especially our own families.
Our lives could be considered a living midrash. Just ponder that for a moment.
Folks, you and I are not only living midrashs, but our lives could be the next epiphany to our communities – the next revelation and manifestation of the Light of Christ to our world. Now, that is something for us to really ponder.
This is what Jesus was getting at in his Beatitudes, when he said,
You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
We are not only the Light, but the incarnation of the gospel (the good news) to our hurting world.
Just maybe that children’s anthem we so love to sing, “This Little Light of Mine” has a much deeper meaning for us, today, than we know.
And just maybe those Christians in the Middle Ages understood the need to reflect and center down on the incarnation of Christ for those 12 days so they could have a new epiphany in and through their own lives.
Imagine the difference we might make in our current world – in 2026 – if we were to live out, reveal, make manifest, and answer the invitation to discover grace, goodness, and the Divine in our world each day. Make those our resolutions!
It all sounds great, but it isn’t easy – as Diana Butler Bass said, “heavenly glory doesn’t eliminate the darkness.”
Let’s be honest, the reality of this, is that when we live out this Christ Light within us, like Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus, we find Herod coming after us – literally wanting to kill us.
I believe Herod is a metaphor. Herod is the people in our lives or sometimes our own ego saying that the predictable and normal are simply ok. “You don’t need an epiphany…You are not an epiphany…there is just not that of God in you.”
We are surrounded by “Herods,” and they want to kill creativity, suppress change, prevent life from flourishing and growing. They do not want justice but rather punishment, revenge rather than renewal, and for us to embrace chaos over peace.
As well, “Herod” is often that voice inside of you saying you are not good enough, or you can’t do that, or you don’t have time. Herod is the voice of oppression and injustice.
So, it makes sense then at this time of year, to take a personal inventory of ourselves. To write out New Year’s resolutions, to join gyms and go on diets and make changes to our bodies, minds, and even theologies.
And when we make changes and work to live, reveal, and manifest the Quaker Way and Testimonies (SPICES) in our life, I believe the world benefits.
Whenever I need a reminder that there is that of God within me, that I am a light, that my “Herods” may be after me, but will not prevail, I read the words of the late, John Lewis. May his words be our charge this morning,
You are a light.
You are the light.
Never let anyone—any person or any force—dampen, dim or diminish your light.
Study the path of others to make your way easier and more abundant.
Lean toward the whispers of your own heart, discover the universal truth, and follow its dictates…
Release the need to hate, to harbor division, and the enticement of revenge.
Release all bitterness. Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won.
Choose confrontation wisely, but when it is your time don't be afraid to stand up, speak up, and speak out against injustice.
And if you follow your truth down the road to peace and the affirmation of love, if you shine like a beacon for all to see, then the poetry of all the great dreamers and philosophers is yours to manifest in a nation, a world community, and a Beloved Community that is finally at peace with itself.
ARISE and SHINE, AMEN!
Now, let us take a moment to quiet our souls to enter Waiting Worship. As we do, I have provided queries to ponder in light of this message.
· How am I allowing the Christ Light to be revealed and manifest in and through me?
· Who are the personal “Herods” I need to keep at bay?
· What retelling or Midrash do I need to do in my life to make my faith more relevant in the New Year?