Epiphany – Finding the “Aha” in the Everyday Puzzle

For every day of Advent this year, I enjoyed working on an Advent puzzle of the Nativity. Each day, I opened a small box corresponding to each day of December. Each box held a little surprise, a patch of the larger puzzle. I love puzzles, so for me this is both a delight and a practice of restraint—refraining from solving the entire puzzle in a day or two, instead of over the course of twenty-five days.

When solving a puzzle in this way, I tend to concentrate more on the shapes and colors, letting the picture emerge, knowing I only have a little portion to work on each day. One night, I was working on the puzzle a bit later than usual. My house was quiet. Everyone else was asleep. I began putting together a portion toward the middle, with many white pieces.

As I worked with a little patch I had put together of five or six pieces, I struggled to see how it related to the bigger portion I was working on. I slid the assembled chunk around, seeing where it might fit. Everything looked the same. And then a flash of recognition hit me, as I realized the L-shaped chunk I had needed was upside down. As I slowly turned it right-side-up, I felt silly. Here, staring in front of me was the face of the Christ child, clothed in white, ready to be placed in the manger!

Suddenly, it all seemed so simple, so clear, but before, all I saw were moving pieces of everyday, hum-drum colors—not the glory of the Christ child! Now Baby Jesus was staring at me face-to-face!

As we approach a new season of the church calendar called Epiphany, I am reminded, that Epiphany calls me to look past the events of my ordinary, everyday life, to see God’s workings, “aha” moments even when things are turned upside down, or scattered pieces lie on the table, to see God’s glory—Christ revealed.

This week from the lectionary, we read the passage where Jesus’ parents accidentally lost twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple (Luke 2:41-52). As a parent, I can only imagine the panic they must have felt when they lost track of their son in the temple flooded with people who had come to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem. Assuming Jesus was nearby, they traveled a whole day’s journey toward home before they realized they had no idea where Jesus was. In a panic, they traveled back toward the temple, searching for Jesus, and were “astonished” when they found Jesus not only in deep conversation with, but “wowing” the teachers of the temple. In their searching, Joseph and Mary missed the glory of Jesus sitting right there in front of them, going about “their Father’s business.”

The parent in me here wants to scold Jesus. How could you scare Mary and Joseph like this?

But after losing track of where Jesus was in my own Advent puzzle—missing Jesus’ presence right in the center of the Nativity puzzle picture—now I look on this story of twelve-year-old Jesus with fresh eyes. Or perhaps the eyes of Baby Jesus stare at me, giving me new eyes.

Maybe, when you are busy doing the day-to-day things like being a parent, or working, or making holiday preparations, maybe it’s a lot easier to lose track of the main thing—the glory of Christ revealed in the middle of everyday life?

Maybe you are like me and you grew up not knowing the meaning of Epiphany? I was not raised where the Church Calendar was used to mark the seasons of the Christian Year. For a long time, I thought the word Epiphany was something only Catholics do. The meaning was completely lost on me.

And even in traditions where I now lead worship, often, Epiphany is looked on as a one-day celebration to be observed on January 6. Because this date falls during Christian vacation, I have been in many churches that downplay or skip celebration of Epiphany altogether.

Epiphany means “arrival” or “manifestation.” It is a season to recognize the manifestation of Jesus as the Christ, Son of God. I think of these manifestations as “aha” moments when we see the glory of Jesus up against the scenery of our common, everyday life.

In Jesus’ early life, we celebrate three main epiphanies: The Magi following the miraculous star to see the gory of the Christ child (Matt 2:1-12), the Baptism of Jesus (Matt 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22), and Jesus’ First Miracle at the Wedding in Cana (John 2:1-11). Of course, many more “epiphanies” occur where we see God’s glory revealed in the life of Christ, including in this story of Jesus’ conversation with the teachers at the temple at twelve years of age, but later in his teaching and miracles.

In this upcoming season of Epiphany, we are invited, as the wise men did, to follow the star—to be open to the appearing of Christ—to see Christ revealed as God, here on earth. To go deeper, we are invited to see Christ in the everyday—to see Christ revealed in God, in our everyday life of faith.

Here is a helpful explanation of Epiphany: What is Epiphany? - The Presbyterian Outlook

Here is a wonderful beginning of ideas, if you would like to celebrate Epiphany at church and at home: Epiphany Celebration Ideas for Families and Churches | Faithward.org

During my doctoral studies, I did a project that studied the liturgies of the Winter Pascha celebration of Russian Orthodox faith. You can read more here in this beautiful collection: The Winter Pascha: Readings for the Christmas-Epiphany Season: Hopko, Thomas. Hopko likens the celebrations of the Winter Pascha at Christmas Eve to Good Friday and the celebration of resurrection on Easter to Christmastide. In both instances, they celebrate the glory of Jesus for several days and weeks after Christmas and Easter, living more fully into the beautiful revelation revealed in the glory of Christ. In my church tradition, we tend to return to the color of “ordinary time,” which is green, but I love the idea of putting up white, in parallel to the Days of Resurrection after Easter, to remind us to expect the unexpected, to be fully aware of the “aha” moments—to experience the fullness of God revealed in Christ Jesus.

Epiphany reminds us to be open, to expect the unexpected, to know that Jesus is going to show up in new ways. Epiphany reminds us to be ready for the “ahas”—seeing Jesus in the pieces of the puzzle of everyday life, and letting God show us Jesus in new ways.

So, I encourage you, if you have not practiced Epiphany before, to consider beginning an Epiphany celebration or tradition today. Currently we are on the Sixth Day of Christmas. Please note: Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas is another wonderful tradition which you can read about more here: 12 Days of Christmas Carol - Lyrics Meaning and History.

But since we still have six days, you have time to prepare to practice and celebrate Epiphany in a deeper way.

Perhaps you might want to mark the Twelfth Night Celebration, or bake a King’s Cake? One of my family’s favorite Epiphany traditions is finding Baby Jesus in the Kings Cake, along with other hidden crowns and symbols related to Jesus.

Even if you aren’t able to celebrate with a cake or party, I do invite you to practice the season of Epiphany. The season of Epiphany is observed in many traditions from January 6, Ephiphany Day, to Ash Wednesday before Lent.

Perhaps we could begin this season by simply keeping a journal, adding to a star garland, designating an Epiphany jar of “aha” noticings, or an Epiphany Wall full of sticky notes, marking the ways we see Jesus working in our everyday life. (See more details below.)

Each day, you might ask yourself: where did I see Jesus revealed in someone or something today?

Now don’t overcomplicate this! And don’t panic if you struggle to see Jesus. That’s part of the spirituality of Epiphany—making ourselves open to what is unseen, to look earnestly without expectation, but to be completely open to the surprise of Christ’s glory.

Epiphanies can be mysterious and abundant, like the face of Jesus staring me in the face of my puzzle. But other times the “ahas” of Jesus can seem almost too simple. We have to be careful not to miss the subtle, almost hidden epiphanies of Jesus. Jesus is revealed in sunlight, in the laughter of a child, in the loving gesture of a friend, in the comfort we feel when we see that God is present, even in a difficult circumstance. Jesus is everywhere, but if we are trying too hard, we might miss the face of Jesus staring directly at us!

That is the spiritual discipline found in practicing the season of Epiphany. By seeking to be more aware, by opening ourselves to the unexpected, we can practice seeing the “ahas” of Jesus in the everyday puzzle of life.

We have “aha” moments every day, but if we can unintentionally miss them. Epiphany invites us to stop, to follow the Star, to see Jesus in the puzzle of our everyday life.

Jesus is here. Jesus rules and reigns over all. But often, in the messy pieces of everyday life, we can miss it.

John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.”

Epiphany invites us to stop and ask: “Where did I see Jesus today?”

I invite you to take up the practice of looking for Jesus in this season of Epiphany, to take notice—to say “aha” – that’s the glory of Jesus working in your everyday life.

Simple Ideas for Practicing Epiphany in Everyday “Ahas” at Home, Work, Church:

1. Epiphany Journal. Consider keeping a Journal from Epiphany, Jan. 6 to Ash Wednesday, Mar. 5, 2025. For each day, take a few minutes to ask: “How have I seen Jesus today in someone or something?” Write what you notice. Whether you have clear noticing, or less to notice, pray: “Jesus, help me see you today.”

2. Epiphany Wall. Gather a pile of sticky notices. Designate a wall in your home or at work, your desk, in your classroom, where everyone is invited to write on a sticky note when they notice Jesus revealed in something or someone.” Write on a note at the top of the wall the prayer: “Jesus, help me see you more clearly today.”

3. Epiphany Jar. Keep a jar in your home or on your desk, etc. with paper cutout in stars. Every time you have an “aha” moment where you see Jesus, write that on a piece of paper. Consider reading through all the papers during Lent. This Jar could be kept individually or as a family or as a church. Of course, this could be a variation, displayed in a garland of stars, etc.

Consider keeping your collection of 2025 Epiphany “ahas” to come back to in Epiphany 2026, to remind you of Christ’s presence in your life, family, and world.