Being brave, foolish, and wise

Epiphany 2016

Matthew 2:1-12 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ²asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” ³When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; ⁴and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: ⁶‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” ⁷Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. ⁸Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”

⁹When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹²And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

All Christmas, the spotlight has been focused on the baby lying in the manger, the glow from the Holy Child reflecting on the face of his mother, his earthly father, the shepherds, even the animals. We see within the stable the cozy warmth of the manger holding the miracle of God’s gift of the incarnation, the Word made flesh. Yet atop that humble shelter, a star shines in the night, and the light of that star draws our attention to a faraway land, to a people who did not share the language or beliefs or even the same gods.

by Gentile da Fabriano

In the Old Testament, prophets proclaimed God’s promise that nations would bow down to the king of Israel, paying homage, bringing gifts, and recognizing the power and sovereignty of the ruler of God’s people. God’s mercy and love and presence would not be only for the insiders- God’s chosen people- but will be good news for foreigners, and expanding God’s tribe to include people who are very different from Abraham and Sarah and their descendants. And because of this inclusive salvation, God’s presence would found, not just in one specific and holy place, but everywhere.  So it is that the cozy scene at the crèche is not complete until we get some foreign wise men arriving from their dusty journey to Bethlehem. They’re part of the unfolding story of God’s salvation, too.

The Magi and the Star, Gentile da Fabriano, 1423

This story takes a while to be accomplished. While the baby is being born and the shepherds are receiving the news, the Wise Men are just getting the first glimpse of a wondrous sight- the brightest star they have ever seen. It’s unlike anything they’ve ever seen before, but being scholars, they figure that it means something. The star piques their curiosity- they have got to go see what it’s all about.

Adoration of the Magi, Guido da Siena

No one else goes with them- they’re the advance team, or maybe the only ones brave enough to head out on the journey. Maybe their friends and neighbors thought they were silly to head out without directions or certainty of their destination, only a start to guide them. So they are a small crew of people, heading out into the unknown, willing to go on what could be a wild goose chase. Somehow the wise men step out into the dark, ready to let a star guide them, daring to be a little foolish on the chance that this journey might lead to something greater than their usual lives.

We all have times in our lives when we are called to follow the glimmer of a new star, to step out on an unknown journey. Perhaps a major life change has happened, like the beginning of a relationship or an ending. Maybe you are waiting for the arrival of a child or you are unsure what the New Year will bring. Perhaps you don’t know what is next, but you know that the way things stand must change, will change, whether you want them to or not.

The Wise Men had to follow some vague directions, and they took some wrong turns and made a stop in Jerusalem at Herod’s palace first.  We, too, will take wrong turns and make dangerous stops along the way. Like the Wise Men, we will need to be brave and curious, willing to enter into foreign territory, and ready to meet the stranger. But the journey will be worth it for it will change our lives.

So let’s be ready to go out on foolish journeys, to risk our reputations and our comfort and our usual routines. With the Wise Men, let us go to seek God’s presence, to follow the light of God’s star, to see what God is up to. God goes before us and with us, a light in the darkness, a glimmer of a star in the cold night, calling us out into unfamiliar territory, into an uncharted future. On that road, God will meet us.  Amen.