Jan. 6 is a date of annual importance in the Christian faith. On Jan. 6, Christian churches sanctify Epiphany — the holiday which remembers when the Magi visited the little child Jesus in Bethlehem and witnessed the revelation of the incarnation, God with us. Epiphany honors the coming of the Light of the World into the darkness of our sorrow.
Usually, Epiphany comes and goes as a minor Church holiday, but after Jan. 6, 2021, it is likely even those outside the Christian faith community will take note of the revelation which occurred on that date. Sadly, the revelation of Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021 had little to do with orthodox Christian faith and nothing to do with light.
In Washington D.C. we witnessed the depth of the darkness of human hearts as an angry mob assaulted their fellow citizens, disrupted their government, and threatened the very country they claimed to love. We witnessed thousands of images, videos, and tweets as the United States Capitol building was invaded by hostile forces for the first time since the War of 1812.
We witnessed scenes such as our elected officials cowering for safety on the congressional floor, frantic peace officers drawing pistols behind a barricaded door in our very own Senate chambers, countless clashes between a violent mob and law enforcement, and a horde of angry rioters chasing a lone officer up a staircase as they burst into our Capitol Building.
We witnessed fear, anger, violence. We witnessed the insanity of mob rule. We witnessed the fragility of our democracy. We witnessed a threat to the foundational beliefs of our identity as a free society and a free people.
We witnessed evil.
And in the midst, I saw among the American flags, Confederate flags, and Trump flags flying over the mob, several Christian flags that proclaimed “Jesus Saves,” and those carrying symbols of Christian faith were waved by the rioters amid the violence.
Tragically, the history of Christianity has been marred by violence carried out in the name of the Savior, who is proclaimed the Prince of Peace on Epiphany. Too often, the hearts of those professing faith in the Light of the World have spread darkness throughout the world.
As a Christian, I mourn this evil. As a Christian, I denounce this evil. As a Christian, I repent of this evil in my own heart, evil which has led me to be silent in the face of injustice, evil which has led me to accommodate hateful division in the name of false unity, evil which has led me to fail to stand against those of my own spiritual house who have propagated this kind of violence, hatred, and destruction in the name of the Christ.
Traditionally, Epiphany is a day of revelation of light. On Jan. 6, 2021, the darkness of our souls was revealed instead.
We must oppose the kind of reckless rhetoric and vile disregard for each other’s humanity which has plagued our culture –— and, indeed our world — in recent years and has escalated since 2020.
As a Christian, I read in the Bible that the way of overthrowing such strongholds of hate is not by violently storming the strongholds of others, but by first overthrowing the power of evil (sin) in my own heart.
This is not merely the ending of an action — such as the going home after mobbing, looting, and rioting in the nation’s capital. Rather, it is the replacing of evil with good. It is the heart transplant that goes beyond merely refraining from defaming the character of others but goes to the step of witnessing to the humanity of others and working for their good.
This overcoming of evil with good, as the apostle Paul prescribed in Romans 12:21, redirects the dangerous path our society is on currently. It loosens the clenched fists which we raise in violence and vengeance. It cools the tempers inflamed by hate speech. It quiets the raging voices on our televisions and social media outlets.
And in the stillness, it affords us the opportunity for self-examination and reflection. It calls us to confess our complicity and repent — to turn away from — the hardness of our hearts. And it leads us to engage in the hard work of healing — healing ourselves and healing others.
We have witnessed evil.
Let us now turn from it and let good be revealed.
The Rev. Adam R. Knapp, a native of Hope and a former Republic sportswriter, is an ordained clergyman in the United Methodist Church. He is serving as pastor at Floresville United Methodist Church in Floresville, Texas.
