Known Before We Are Named: God's Epiphany of Life

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Lord, give us eyes to see and ears to hear, that we may learn Your Word together as a family. We give You all praise and honor and glory, in Jesus’ holy Name. Amen.

Introduction: Epiphany and Human Dignity

Good morning again, Encouragers.

On this Second Sunday after Epiphany, the Church continues to reflect on how God reveals Himself, and how, in that revelation, we come to understand who we truly are.

Epiphany is not only about the manifestation of Christ to the world; it is also about what His appearing reveals concerning human life itself.

Our Collect this morning reminds us that Almighty God “dost govern all things in heaven and earth,” and that His will for His people is peace, not chaos, fear, or violence.

That divine governance extends to every human life, from its very beginning. God’s peace is found when we see life as He sees it: sacred, purposeful, and known by Him before we draw our first breath.

Today, as we observe Right to Life Sunday, we embrace and affirm that every human life bears the imprint of divine purpose.

This understanding transcends political or social perspectives; it is a sacred truth—revealed in Holy Scripture and made manifest in the person of Jesus Christ.

Life Begins with God’s Intimate Knowledge

Through the prophet Jeremiah, the Lord declares:

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.”

The Hebrew word translated as “knew” is yada. This knowing is not a casual awareness but an intimate, covenantal knowing. It is the same word used elsewhere in Scripture to describe the deepest personal relationship. Jeremiah is describing a reality in that God’s knowledge precedes human formation.

Before Jeremiah could speak, before he could serve, before he could even be born, God knew him, set him apart, and called him. And this divine knowing is not unique to Jeremiah. It extends to every human life.

Life does not begin with recognition by others … with viability outside the womb, or with human choice. It begins with God’s knowing.

Every child conceived is first known by the Almighty, woven into His purposes long before parents are aware that new life has begun.

Our worth, then, is rooted not in what we can do, but in whose we are.

The Psalmist’s Wonder at Divine Formation

Psalm 139 gives us the language of worship to confess this truth:

“For thou hast possessed my reins; thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.”

The word translated covered carries the sense of being woven together or hedged about with care. A few verses later, the psalmist speaks of being “curiously wrought,” which describes the careful, intricate work of an embroiderer. It’s an image of God as a master artisan, intently crafting each human life with purpose and skill.

The womb is not hidden from God. The secret places of human development are fully open before Him. Every life is lived first coram Deo—before the face of God. Before we are known by our parents, before we are seen by the world, we are beheld by our Creator with love, purpose, and infinite care.

Christ’s Identity Declared Before Ministry

In today’s Gospel, Jesus comes to the Jordan to be baptized by John. As He rises from the water, the heavens are opened, the Spirit descends, and the Father declares:

“Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Notice the timing. This declaration comes before Jesus preaches a sermon, performs a miracle, heals the sick, or goes to the Cross. Sonship precedes service. Being cherished comes before being productive.

That pattern is essential for how we understand human dignity. Worth is not earned through achievement; it is bestowed by divine love. Human dignity does not come from independence, usefulness, or accomplishment. It comes from being created and named by God.

Permit me a personal word. I stand before you today because, sixty-eight years ago, a fifteen-year-old girl found herself pregnant and unmarried. Granted, she should never have been in that situation in the first place.

Nevertheless, faced with a difficult decision, she chose life. She chose to give the child she carried—the child who became me—the opportunity to be born. She entrusted me to a couple who longed for a child but could not have one of their own.

That courageous decision allowed God’s purposes to unfold: my adoption, my calling, and every moment of ministry I have since been given. Life truly is a series of choices, and every life deserves the opportunity to make them, including the ultimate choice of receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Transformed Living as a Witness to Life

In Romans 12, St. Paul calls the Church to live differently in response to God’s mercy:

“Let love be without dissimulation… Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love.”

The word Paul uses for “brotherly love” is philadelphia—a deep and nurturing affection that embodies the bond shared within a loving family.

Christians are called to embrace one another with this same protective and sacrificial care, and especially the vulnerable, with the same protective, sacrificial care we would show our own kin.

This is where the Church’s witness to the sanctity and richness of life truly takes root—manifesting in the lives of individuals transformed by the boundless mercy of Christ.

The question extends beyond merely identifying what we oppose; it involves a meaningful reflection on whether our own lives reflect the love of Christ.

Are we extending compassion toward the frightened, the wounded, and the voiceless? In this way, our actions and attitudes should radiate the embrace of Christ’s love in a world that desperately needs it.

Paul continues by commending patience, prayer, generosity, and hospitality. A Church that defends life must also welcome, support, and accompany those who find themselves in fearful or overwhelming circumstances.

Speaking the Truth with Grace

Holy Scripture does not permit us to treat human life as disposable. From Jeremiah’s calling, to the psalmist’s wonder, to the Father’s declaration over Christ, the testimony is clear: every human life is sacred, from conception to natural death.

At the same time, the Gospel does not allow us to withhold grace. Many carry deep sorrow through abortion, miscarriage, or decisions made in desperation.

The Church must speak plainly that life is sacred, and with equal clarity proclaim that Christ forgives, heals, and restores.

We are called to defend the defenseless and to embrace the broken; to uphold truth while extending mercy; to oppose a culture of death by embodying a culture of life marked by compassion, generosity, and love.

Our Epiphany Calling and the Altar Before Us

Epiphany reveals not only Christ, but our vocation as His people. We are called to bear witness to the God who gives life, sustains life, and redeems life.

That witness takes many forms: supporting mothers who are afraid; defending those who cannot speak for themselves; offering forgiveness where there has been sin; choosing faithfulness over convenience.

This is why St. Barnabas supports The Sealy Resource Pregnancy Center with financial and in-kind donations.

And this calling brings us, always, back to the altar.

For here, at the Holy Table, we encounter the Author of Life Himself. Here we receive not an idea, but the Person of Christ Jesus, who entered our humanity, sanctified it, and redeemed it by the gift of His own Body and Blood.

The One who was known and beloved before His ministry now gives Himself to us as our food and our life.

As we come to Holy Communion, we are reminded that our lives are not our own; they have been bought with a price. Nourished by this Sacrament, may God grant us eyes to see life as He sees it, hearts to love as He loves, and courage to bear faithful witness to the Gospel of Life.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

For the Prayers of the Whole State of Christ’s Church

We beseech thee also, for all innocent human life, especially for children yet unborn; that thou wouldest protect them by thy providence, strengthen their mothers and fathers, and grant wisdom, compassion, and righteousness to all who bear authority and influence over their lives. And we humbly pray for all who sorrow or repent because of the loss of a child, that they may find forgiveness, healing, and peace through the mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord.