Epiphany babies are twice blessed. They don’t get quite the attention as kids born on Christmas, nor do they get as lost in the intensity of Christmas celebrations. Epiphany kids grow up knowing the wise men bring gifts to the baby Jesus and that is part of the Gospel around the feast of the Epiphany, so it is hard to miss an Epiphany birthday.
Canon Barnabas Hunt is an Epiphany baby and we always try to be at the noon Mass on Epiphany. This year was no exception. Others were there, too. The noon Eucharist at the cathedral is something special. It breaks the hectic pace of life at midday with the breaking of bread and blessing of wine in the quiet presence of our beautiful cathedral. It is as if each day the Gospel comes to life at noon and Jesus says ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'” Mark 6:30-31 (NIV).
On Epiphany this year about twenty of us gathered for a special Eucharist marking Epiphany. Canon Alden Franklin celebrated. Our Sub-Dean Allisyn Thomas assisted. The ever present Canon Verger, Brooks Mason was chief acolyte and Canon Chris Harris was Thurifer, so the chapel was filled with sweet incense. It was a holy time. Noonday Masses don’t last long. From the time the bell rings in the narthex summoning the faithful until the dismissal is about a half hour.
Epiphany is about showing Christ to the gentiles. As we left the chapel and walked passed the transept, saying goodbye to the celebrant, we were greeted by one of our long time cathedral members, who was also at the communion service, and so began the second breaking of bread, near the pulpit. Today would have been her late husband’s birthday, too. She came to Mass to remember him and celebrate their many years together. A few of us remained to join her as she took out some fruit cake and shortbread, paper plates and plastic forks on a temporary table that was left from another event. We all knew her and him. We knew where they sat every Sunday and the faithful ministry they did as members of the parish family. He loved baking epiphany cake that contain three little crowns symbolic of the three Kings. She showed us one of the last pictures of her beloved as we shared stories together while the pale light of the afternoon January sun filtered through the stained glass windows.
Those who stayed had other places to go and other things to do, but it was a day of giving gifts and showing Christ to each other and in that precious moment that’s what we did.
Rev. Andrew Rank is a Canon of the Cathedral.
