In a comic book my son-in-law gave me for Christmas I found a cute story.

A man is constantly put upon by his wife about reincarnation.

In his travels he finds himself purchasing a lamp. He brings it home and rubs it. Poof! A genie appears. He is granted one wish.

He tells the genie that he’s sick of his wife trying to get him to believe in reincarnation. He tells him to send him back to his old school. Poof! He finds himself a fish.

“Maybe there is something to reincarnation” he blubbers.

While I certainly do not believe in reincarnation, it does illustrate how words can have a few meanings.

For most the word “Epiphany” usually means an “aha” experience.

For many Christians when I wish them a blessed Epiphany season, I get a blank stare.

It is a season that truly burns the candle at both ends. The season begins with the story of the wise men following a star. It ends with our lord Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration shining like a star, startling the apostles.

What was the star of Bethlehem? We cannot say for sure.

I’ve been intrigued by the fact that Astronomer Johannes Kepler posited that in 6 B.C. (our current calendar is off by that many years) there was a special conjunction of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. There was a time when the planets were thought to be wandering stars, indeed that is what the name implies. But whatever it was, its light led the Magi. It is said, “The Wise still seek Him.”

On the mount of the Transfiguration of Jesus, (See Luke, the ninth chapter) Jesus shines as he meets Moses and Elijah, before his journey to Jerusalem and crucifixion. He also reminds us in Matthew, the fifth chapter that we are to be the light of the world.

The speed of light is an amazing thing. A beam of which takes only 8 minutes to reach our planet a distance of 93 million miles. A radio wave sent from earth reaches, at that speed, the planet Saturn in an hour in a half.

What does it mean for folks to be the “light of the world”? I will never forget in the ’50s that our Sunday school had a model of a lighthouse. Each time you put an offering coin in it, it would connect the electrical circuit and the light house would shine.

In our giving of time, talent and treasure we may be light in darkened world. It doesn’t have to be a supernova.

Light bearing can be as simple as inviting a neighbor to church, praying for him or helping to meet her need in some way. Someone noticed that folks in winter were coming underdressed to our food pantry when I lived in Berks County. A clothing drive was developed through our council of churches. No one was going to be cold if we could help it.

In what way will you be a star of hope in someone life this week? Your light bearing might be STAR-tling!