It is hard to believe that February is upon us.  Ordinary time has a habit of passing quickly as we return to the more mundane routines of our lives and get back in the swing of things that we consider normal - the way things are.   Interspersed in all of that routine have been a couple of events that are less routine, the annual meeting (well, ... annually) and preparation for electing a new bishop (hopefully much less frequently).   They have taken up time and energy that are a break from the ordinary, but that helps highlight the value of paying attention to the ordinary. 

  This month of February finds us continuing in Ordinary Time - the season after the Epiphany.  Ash Wednesday won't be until the 6th of March.   As we look at this time, I have a few reflections that I call:

E-words for E-piscopalians.  And I am not talking here about e-mail or e-bay.  

  The first word is Epiphany.  As you have heard in church, the word refers to "Manifestation" or revelation.  In the Christian sense, it refers to the revealing of God in Christ, specifically to the magi, but also through the Baptism of Christ (when the voice from heaven proclaimed Jesus as a beloved Son), the first recorded miracle of transforming water into wine at the Wedding Feast of Cana (where his followers believed in his powers), through various healings and miracles, and through the Transfiguration (where his face and garments were transfigured as he was talking with prophets Moses and Elijah).  We all have our own epiphany moments in our lives, whether we recognize them or not.  Some are moments where we come to recognize that the divine has broken into our mundane lives and we catch a glimpse of God's presence revealed to us.  We are less likely to recognize when we are instruments of epiphany to others - something in our speech or actions helps others to recognize the divine presence.

  The second word is Enthusiasm.   Certainly this is a word that is related to excitement, and traditionally, Episcopalians have not been know for demonstrating enthusiasm in Sunday liturgy.  We tend to leave that to others.  At root, from the Greek, the word means "of God's substance".  To be enthusiastic is to be filled with God.  In the same way that we need to reclaim the Scriptures from those who misuse it, we need to reclaim enthusiasm as part of the Christian life. 

  The third word is Evangelism (No - don't look away now, stay with me!).   We tend to associate evangelism with folks going door to door, or standing on the street corner with big, black floppy bibles.   At root, the word refers to Good News, the gospel.   Indeed, Gospel is an English word derived from Good (God) News, where the romance languages use variations of <evangelico> for the word Gospel.  We refer to the gospel writers as Evangelists, those telling the Good News. 

  So, what is Good News in your life?   What fills you with the Joy of God?   What are you willing to reveal of that Good News to others?   That becomes a way to frame sharing our stories with our friends and neighbours.  We are willing to talk about that great new restaurant that we found, why not talk about our relationships with God and how we are nourished in the relationship with our church community.