“At the heart of Christian faith is the almost unbelievable idea that the infinitely incomprehensible holy mystery of God does not remain forever remote but draws near in radical proximity to the world.” (Elizabeth Johnson, Quest for the Living God)
We celebrate this Sunday the feast of the Epiphany (Little Christmas) in honor of the incomprehensible, unspeakable nearness, and holy mystery of God as manifested to the Gentiles. This Gospel story http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010613.cfm has the makings of a Hollywood movie with high drama, a plot which features desert travel, guiding stars, divine dreaming, a dark force of threatening danger accompanied with the shadows of envy, revenge, and power. And in contrast, a vulnerable new born child.
These Magi were Gentiles from the Persian priestly class from the East, which is present day Iraq and Iran. They were wisdom figures, interpreters of dreams, star-gazers, who observed the movements of the plants and stars. Scholars do not know which star they saw, but it spoke to them about the entry of a king into the world. They traveled to Jerusalem thinking that the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies was to be found there.
The Magi confront King Herod, telling him that they seek a new ruler – a new Light – a new Truth! This does not go over well with Herod. He gets distressed when he hears of their intentions. The Gospel story continues to reveal Herod’s secret meeting with the Magi, desiring his need to find this new born king, but it is only false piety, arrogance, paranoia, and hate that rule his heart.
The Magi continue their trek across deserts, without any assistance of Map Quest, or a spiritual GPS – with only the light of an extraordinary star which stops over the place where the child is in the small insignificant town of Bethlehem. This drama continues to reveal that they entered the home, finding Jesus in the arms of his mother - they are filled with joy at the sight!!
Creator of the Stars; God of Epiphanies, You are the Great Star; You have marked our paths with light; You have filled our sky with stars naming each star,
Guiding it until it shines into our hearts; Awakening us to deeper seeing, new revelations, and brighter epiphanies (Author ~ Macrina Wiederkehr)
To Be Continued:
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