Jesus teaches us how to be fully human, and then invites us to be salt and light for the world. How we live our lives teaches something. It makes a difference in the world not only through direct cause and effect – but it also ripples out in what people see and what people hear; in how we convey, in our lived-out lives, what matters most and what it means to be human. We learn by living – and our living teaches something too.

The Beatitudes describe how God is infusing the world with good. They give us a lens – that draws us into a vision –that comes to life in the lives we live. What we learn with Jesus is nothing less than how to be fully human.

Jesus invites us to ask questions – to seek understanding beyond what we know now;  to learn and grow; and to learn to live together in the complexity of the things we can’t yet comprehend.

As part of the humanity we have in Jesus Christ, God gives us the capacity to learn from our mistakes, and help set the world right.

Standing knee-deep in the waters of baptism, we find our true humanity in Jesus Christ. Jesus embodies and invites us into that full humanity – the fullness of life lived out in mutuality, sharing, love, healing, and peace.

On Epiphany Sunday, we consider the two journey stories that we find in Matthew 2 -- the journey of the Magi seeking the Christ, and the journey of Joseph, Mary, and Joseph as they seek refuge in Egypt. In a world of disruption and power-over, God accompanies us and empowers us to find our way to the new life birthed in Jesus Christ.

Into a menacing world, in Jesus Christ, God is birthing a new humanity, grounded in human decency and overflowing with tender mercy.

God longs for a just world, ordered to center the well-being of the poor and vulnerable.

In a world of violence and war, we long for peace. In our longing, we find God already longing for us, ready to teach us the ways that lead to peace.

God empowers us to see the good that God is doing in the world, give thanks, and then live out our gratitude in ways that keep putting more and more good into the world.