THEOLOGICAL CLUE

The numbering of the Sundays of Epiphany warns the liturgically-initiated that the climax of the season of manifestation and ministry is approaching, and that with it comes the beginning of Lent. Christmas and the Epiphany of our Lord have diminished in the thought and worship of the churches by this point in Epiphany. Theological clues continue to surface in the name - Epiphany - of the season that the Episcopal and Lutheran churches use for these Sundays. "Ordinary Time 6" and "Proper 6" cannot remind preachers and people that they are still in Epiphanytide, let alone give them any theological clues. One of the reasons that the Roman Church dropped "epiphany" for these Sundays is undoubtedly because the last Sundays of this period have replaced the "gesima" Sundays with…