Epiphany 2026

Epiphany marks the end of the Christmas season, with the commemoration of the arrival of the wise men. Follow this link to read my post about Twelfth Night and Epiphany.

James Taylor’s song about the Magi, “Home by Another Way,” has been quoted in countless sermons by me and many others for Epiphany, the end of Christmastide.

“Those magic men, the Magi
Some people call them wise
Or oriental, even kings
Well anyway, those guys
They visited with Jesus
They sure enjoyed their stay
Then warned in a dream of King Herod’s scheme
They went home by another way
Yes, they went home by another way
Home by another way”

Barbra Brown Taylor (no relation to James) references the song in her book, Home by Another Way.

“Maybe me and you can be wise guys too
And go home by another way
We can make it another way
Safe home as they used to say
Keep a weather eye to the chart on high
And go home another way”

I love Taylor’s song, from the Album Never Die Young, released in 1988. It’s a great song I’ll listen to over and over.

I didn’t grow up in the church and didn’t learn about Epiphany until I was nearly 30. It was another seven years before I became a baptized Christian, and a few years more before I entered seminary.

“Steer clear of royal welcomes
Avoid a big to-do
A king who would slaughter the innocents
Will not cut a deal for you
He really, really wants those presents
He’ll comb your camel’s fur
‘Til his boys announce they’ve found trace amounts
Of your frankincense, gold, and myrrh

Time to go home by another way
Home by another way
You have to figure the Gods saying play the odds
And go home by another way”

After seminary, Epiphany began to take on a much deeper spiritual significance for me because Jan. 6 is also my birthday.

Epiphany is one of the oldest, most cherished Christian traditions and the heart of the Christmas season.

You can find the sheet music for “Home by Another Way” here.

Click here to buy Never Die Young.

“We can make it another way
Safe home as they used to say
Keep a weather eye to the chart on high
And go home another way

Home is where they want you now
You can more or less assume that you’ll be welcome in the end
Mustn’t let King Herod haunt you so
Or fantasize his features when you’re looking at a friend”

“Well it pleasures me to be here
And to sing this song tonight
They tell me that life is a miracle
And I figured that they’re right
But Herod’s always out there
He’s got our cards on file
It’s a lead pipe cinch, if we give an inch
Then he realized it’d take a mile

It’s best to go home by another way
Home by another way
We got this far through a lucky star
But tomorrow is another day
We can make it another way
Safe home as they used to say
Keep a weather eye to the chart on high
And go home another way
Go home another way”

Perhaps it’s fitting that this significant holy day is ignored by the vast majority of American Christians who find Christmas in commercialism and not tradition.

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Follow this link to read my post about Confirmation Bias Christians.

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Keep the faith,