Revealed to the Nations
“Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawning.”
Hiroshi Tabata's "Morning Star" beautifully captures the luminous wonder of the Epiphany story. The soft glow enveloping the Christ child alludes to the light of God's glory rising upon the world. The subtle awe in Mary and Joseph's simple, darkened faces conveys the mystery of this child who draws magi from afar to pay him homage, ushering in a new era of grace for all nations.
The adoring animals in the foreground suggest all creation rejoicing at its Maker's coming, a hint of the peaceable kingdom where "all nations serve him.". Tabata's inclusion of the Amazon parrot honors the universality of Christ's light, reaching even Brazilian tribes, while the shepherds on the distant hillside represent the lowly invited to worship their King. It also representative of Tabata’s own biography: it was his experiences among the Xingu peoples of Brazil — far from his native Japan — that precipitated his conversion to Christianity.
Most powerfully, the star's radiance on the Christ child's face proclaims him as the true Morning Star, the Light of the World who enlightens every person. It evokes the Epiphany star leading the magi to bow before the infant Messiah, revealing God's grace for all people. Yet it also points to Christ as the Dayspring from on high, the Rising Sun come to shine on those living in darkness. As Paul declares, this grace is for all believers, Jew and Gentile alike, who now share in the promise of the gospel .
Tabata recognized in the Scriptures mysteries infinitely deeper than we can grasp. His "Morning Star" offers a glimpse of this spiritual depth - the overflowing love revealed through Incarnation. Bathed in celestial light, the Holy Family represents a new dawn, the daybreak of divine glory resurrected in all nations on earth as it is in heaven. The Epiphany star beckons us, with the magi, shepherds, and all the saints, to follow its beam to the manger throne and there pay homage to our King.
The mystery of Christ…has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.
— Ephesians 3:4-5
Feast of the Epiphany (Observed)
Texts for this Week
Prayer
O God, by the leading of a star you manifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Arise, Shine, Jerusalem!
Palestrina's setting of "Surge Illuminare" radiates with the illuminating glory proclaimed on Epiphany. It is a joyful dramatization of Isaiah 60:1 - "Arise, shine; for your light has come!" - envisioning Christ as the great Light dawning upon Israel and drawing nations to the brightness of his rising. Palestrina's series of melismatic rising lines suggest humanity streaming together, gazing upon God's glory now revealed through the Incarnation.
Byrd achieves a similar effect in his setting of the text. The convergence of sonorities speaks of the intrinsic interests of Renaissance music to explore, through the techniques being developed, the possibility of conveying the motions of this essential epiphany text.
