Today is The Epiphany, Christ being revealed to the Magi who follow a star to reach Him. It is a curious event as it is iconic beyond the obvious. Here three men, outside the world of Israel, travel through difficulties to find Christ, worship Him, bring Him gifts and then protect Him from Herod. It is often described as the subservience of science, the world of knowledge, to the Divine. The image of the three wise men is one of the most recognizable images of Christianity although they are on the stage for but a few minutes and are gone. But their importance is gigantic as they are gentiles.
I first remember "epiphany" through James Joyce, the novelist, who felt it part of his writing style, a literary device defined by Beja as "a sudden spiritual manifestation, whether from some object, scene, event, or memorable phase of the mind--the manifestation being out of proportion to the significance or strictly logical relevance of whatever produces it"--particularly in The Dubliners but also in Portrait of the Artist and Ulysses. Usually it involves insight, usually personal but sometimes into the world.
It is a small but remarkably indelible picture in the extraordinary huge story of Christ.
I first remember "epiphany" through James Joyce, the novelist, who felt it part of his writing style, a literary device defined by Beja as "a sudden spiritual manifestation, whether from some object, scene, event, or memorable phase of the mind--the manifestation being out of proportion to the significance or strictly logical relevance of whatever produces it"--particularly in The Dubliners but also in Portrait of the Artist and Ulysses. Usually it involves insight, usually personal but sometimes into the world.
It is a small but remarkably indelible picture in the extraordinary huge story of Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment