Those Aha Moments
Haven’t we all had these moments of spiritual insight or sudden discovery? Sometimes we recognize them immediately for what they are; other times there is wisdom in hindsight. They are moments when the light bulb turns on big time, when you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way. They are flashes of brilliance, illuminating discoveries.
Aha! moments hit us with truth. They can fill us with grace and revelation. Aha! moments are also an acceptable definition of the word epiphany.
This Sunday we celebrate an awesome aha! moment in our faith history. The Feast of the Epiphany commemorates the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, who are represented by the Magi. This weekend the three wise men (and all of us!) arrive yet again at the stable in Bethlehem to pay homage to our God Incarnate.
I suspect the Magi must have had quite a few aha! moments before, during and after presenting themselves to the Holy Family. Their way was illuminated by a star and they knew to follow where it led. Whatever the length of the journey, they were motivated to find the newborn King of the Jews. They remembered to pack special gifts. These men took to heart a dreamed message and did not report back to Herod after finding the Christ child. Maybe they even had an aha! moment when they first met Herod, recognizing right away that there was something "off" about him!
Without a doubt, Mary & Joseph -- like all parents -- experienced many aha! moments. These grace-filled events must have sustained them but also raised questions, filed away for “reflecting on them in their hearts” at a later time.
It’s also worth mentioning a couple other members of our Biblical family with pivotal roles in the infancy narratives. Simeon and Anna experienced long-awaited and much-anticipated aha! moments during the presentation of Jesus in the temple. How else could Simeon have recognized that he was holding God’s salvation and the Light of the World in his arms? Or what prompted the prophetess Anna to come forward at that time to give thanks to God for this particular baby and spread the good news about him? [see Luke 2:25-38]
While I am neither very wise and not at all prophetic, my spiritual aha! moments are nonetheless powerful and grace-filled. One epiphany that I am pondering this week: Jesus can be born anew in my life each and every day—truly!! My question: What am I doing to encourage and nurture this daily rebirth?
On today’s eve of a new year, please take to heart your own aha! moments. Spend some time pondering them. Ask God for more of them. May these Spirit-filled revelations bless you abundantly.
Praying you find grace, peace and joy in 2022.