January 6 is known in the Christian tradition as Epiphany, the end of the 12-day Christmas season and a commemoration of the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus. Yet the sacred nature of the day this year was far from the minds of most Americans as news spread of protestors breaching the United States Capitol.
Few incidents in the past year have sparked as much discussion, vitriol, and second-guessing as have the events of that day. However, the melee of Jan. 6, 2021, does not stand alone, but instead culminates months of national unrest, fear, violence, and — to put it quite mildly — incivility. We are in rarified times of tension, uncertainty and distrust, and the church in America is struggling to find a way to lead through this unhappy era.
It is against this backdrop that people of faith are called to buck the trends of this world and look ahead with optimism. When society is in disarray, God is building a new thing.
I was reminded recently of Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Luke, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” Jesus was speaking of the End Times, but I think his point relates to all periods of confusion and fear. When you see the world around you engulfed in anger and uncertainty, lift up your heads, because God is working and will soon redeem those who believe in him.
What a powerful image. While most people cower, worried for tomorrow and distrustful even of friends and neighbors, Jesus tells the people of the church to lift up our heads, to arise, to show courage, and to look for Jesus to bring good news. Virus, quarantines, lockdowns, riots, protests — God is above it all, and will bring us through it all.
Though churches across our country have already struggled to adapt to the challenges of COVID-19, we must continue to rise to the occasion. We must be at work inside and outside the walls of the church to reach others with the message of grace and hope in these times. We must reach out to the lost and hurting now more than ever, to make it clear that these are not days for despair; to be clear that an all-powerful God has brought many peoples and many nations through much tougher times than these. We must be a voice of calm and wisdom in an era prone to insanity. In short, we as Christians must see every day as an opportunity to touch our world for the better, and to bring the message of Christ to our hurting neighbors.
While America is mired in discord and controversy, the church should be looking ahead to revival. We have the answers that politicians and pundits only pretend to have. We have the message the media will never know to share. We have the Good News that predates today’s troubles, and which will outlast all of today’s problems.
So lift up your heads, people of God, because this is our hour. We exist for moments like this, to bring wholeness to the broken, and holiness to the profane. Our world may be lost, but we know the way home.
The Rev. William E. Pike has pastored the United Methodist congregation in New Market since 2011. He can be reached by email at williamedwardpike@gmail.com.