You are to know, then, that this is Epiphany time. You see they are called the Sundays of the Epiphany; and Epiphany time is the time of Manifestation, the time when Christ was pleased to manifest Himself, and make His glory known to the world. According to which, the Church hath suited her office, and fitted us with a course of service, that might help to bring into our minds in order, the things themselves, as they were done here by Christ our Saviour while He was upon the earth. Thus there were three great and prime manifestations that He made of Himself.
The Church begins with them at Twelfth Day. The first, that He made to the Gentiles; and accordingly propounds to you the Gospel of the star that appeared in the East, with the Collect, 'O God, Which didst manifest Thy only begotten Son to the Gentiles.' The next was the first manifestation we read of which He made of Himself to the Jews, while He sat with them in the Temple, and shewed them what He was, even at twelve years of age; and accordingly did the Church propound that story for the Gospel the last Sunday, which was the first after the Epiphany.
The third was the first manifestation that He made of Himself to His disciples, who had been called but a little before, and were now invited with Him to the marriage at Cana. Answerable whereunto is the Gospel propounded unto us by the Church this third day, and the third day there was a marriage in Cana,' so it begins; and at it, Jesus 'manifested forth His glory, and His disciples believed on Him,' so it ends. There were other miracles whereby Christ manifested Himself too, and they have their times hereafter but these were the first, in every kind, as St. John says, 'This was the beginning of miracles that He did;' and therefore hath the Church appointed the three first days after His Nativity, for the solemn memory and anniversary celebration of them.
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