Epiphany has come and gone. For those who are unaware, Epiphany is celebrated on January 6, twelve days after Christmas. It is traditionally the time when the visit of the magi to Jesus is celebrated.
There’s tons of material written about the magi – these mysterious “wise men” from the East, these non-Jews who come to worship the Jewish messiah. Even though this story is close to my heart and has inspired millions of people over the centuries, their identity remains a mystery. Were they astrologers? Magicians? Scholars?
Perhaps a combination of all three, but we’ll really never know.
To the world they are nameless and faceless, like the multitudes who worship Jesus. And like so many believers, they find themselves caught between their desire to pay tribute to the King of the Jews and the schemes of the powers-that-be to thwart and silence God’s plan of salvation for creation.
Their mere presence at the feet of Jesus shames the Jewish religious leaders, who are conspicuously absent from the traditional manger scene. They come asking where the “king of the Jews” has been born, and though the religious leaders know the answer, they are apparently not inclined to follow them and offer their worship to this messiah.
They come with little fanfare, but their mere presence causes Herod “and all Jerusalem with him” to be “disturbed.” (Matthew 2:3) And we know why: suddenly there is another power, another claim to kingship to be reckoned with. Apparently the “king of the Jews” is no longer Herod, no longer Caesar. The King cannot be found in the halls of political power, nor is he counted among the ranks of Rome’s conquering military generals. This King has been born in Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, a backwoods area of a backwater province on the backside of mighty Rome.
Amazing that someone so humble would cause the mighty to tremble with anxiety and fear.
If we have eyes to see and ears to hear, though, we also might tremble. Recently I’ve come to see the magi not just as mysterious Gentiles who’ve come to worship Jesus, but as representative of me! I’m a Gentile, and though I hesitate to call myself a “wise man,” I do find myself caught between a simple desire to worship Jesus and the manipulative (“tempting”) powers of this world.
But there’s a deeper connection, one I haven’t yet seen until this year. The magi offer rare and precious gifts; these gifts represent all that I am called to offer in my worship.
But am I ready to offer that which is rare and precious to me? It’s there that my identification with the magi becomes much more challenging; it’s easy to be a nameless, faceless worshiper of Jesus. I’m just one in the crowd. A number to be counted. I come because it makes me feel good, because it’s expected, because I’m looking for something: a blessing, healing, direction, purpose.
I come because I need something.
But am I ready to give something?
Monday, January 10, 2011
Friday, December 31, 2010
My Magi & Me, Part One
While at a family Christmas gathering the day after Christmas I overheard someone say, “I can’t believe they’re still playing Christmas music on the radio!”
Wow. It’s the day after Christmas, and they’re already supposed to stop playing Christmas music? I realized I had just met one of my favorite Dr. Seuss characters: the Grinch who stole Christmas. Fortunately, I had enough “Christmas spirit” in me to survive the diatribe against the radio deejays who were unashamedly blaring Christmas music while Christmas was still happening! (that’s right, a little sarcasm there…)
The culture as a whole wants to move on from Christmas almost immediately and go right on into the celebration of the New Year. It’s all about the money of course. Christmas has come and gone; people are ready to move on to the next sparkly, dazzling “thing.”
For those who don’t succumb to the culture’s every whim, though, for those who have our minds set on the real meaning of Christmas, for those who have been taught (or are being taught!) patience, we are not yet ready to simply move on to the next thing.
The magi won’t allow it.
Into the running and hustle and bustle of the after Christmas sales, the preparations for the New Year’s parties and the generalized anxiety and unease that comes with facing a new year and all the hoped-for resolutions we’ll make come the magi.
They come quietly. No parades. No fanfare. No brash announcements or slick advertising campaigns. They simply ride into town and ask a straightforward, simple question: “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2, NIV)
Their question is almost laughable to our modern ear. We might respond: “Uhhh… dudes, Christmas is over. Wanna buy a toaster? It’s 20% off!”
It may seem like the magi have come too late. The baby has been born. The angels have made their announcement; the shepherds have gone away from the manger spreading this fledgling gospel to all who would hear it (Luke 2:17-18).
And now here come the magi, the eastern astronomers or magicians or wise men or whatever they were, to see the Christ child named Jesus.
Lest we be tempted to embrace the New Year and “move on already!” the magi serve to remind us that the Christmas season isn’t over. In fact, it’s just begun. Remember that song, the 12 Days of Christmas? Yes? Well, the 12 days of Christmas are NOT the 12 days before Christmas! Traditionally, they’re the 12 days after Christmas Day! And the 12 Days of Christmas culminate on January 6, otherwise known as epiphany, which means “appearing” or “manifestation.”
Sounds great! But so what? Does this mean we get 12 days of parties and shopping and gift-getting and gift-giving? Does it mean we get 12 days off work? (I really don’t have enough sarcasm to do that one justice!)
Oh no! Does it mean we have to go to 12 church services?!?!? 12 Christmas plays? 12 Christmas cantatas? 12 bake sales? 12 visits to the mall to see Santa? 12 Christmas feasts?
Aaaaagggghhhh!!!!!
It’s no wonder the culture wants to “Move on already!” and get Christmas as far behind us as we can! We’ve turned the celebration of a truly divine miracle into one of the busiest and most hectic times of the year.
Again, though, the magi won’t allow it.
They must make their journey to the Christ child. They must tell of their mission to the wealthy and the privileged. They must go to the halls of Herod the pseudo-king and remind the powerful and influential and independent that the Creator God has at last come into the world to accomplish his salvation as a humble, dependent child of meager, tax-paying parents.
They must make their journey, and so must we.
Christmas is not over. It has just begun. The child still calls to us. The star still guides.
And the wise men still seek him.
Are you making this journey?
Wow. It’s the day after Christmas, and they’re already supposed to stop playing Christmas music? I realized I had just met one of my favorite Dr. Seuss characters: the Grinch who stole Christmas. Fortunately, I had enough “Christmas spirit” in me to survive the diatribe against the radio deejays who were unashamedly blaring Christmas music while Christmas was still happening! (that’s right, a little sarcasm there…)
The culture as a whole wants to move on from Christmas almost immediately and go right on into the celebration of the New Year. It’s all about the money of course. Christmas has come and gone; people are ready to move on to the next sparkly, dazzling “thing.”
For those who don’t succumb to the culture’s every whim, though, for those who have our minds set on the real meaning of Christmas, for those who have been taught (or are being taught!) patience, we are not yet ready to simply move on to the next thing.
The magi won’t allow it.
Into the running and hustle and bustle of the after Christmas sales, the preparations for the New Year’s parties and the generalized anxiety and unease that comes with facing a new year and all the hoped-for resolutions we’ll make come the magi.
They come quietly. No parades. No fanfare. No brash announcements or slick advertising campaigns. They simply ride into town and ask a straightforward, simple question: “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:2, NIV)
Their question is almost laughable to our modern ear. We might respond: “Uhhh… dudes, Christmas is over. Wanna buy a toaster? It’s 20% off!”
It may seem like the magi have come too late. The baby has been born. The angels have made their announcement; the shepherds have gone away from the manger spreading this fledgling gospel to all who would hear it (Luke 2:17-18).
And now here come the magi, the eastern astronomers or magicians or wise men or whatever they were, to see the Christ child named Jesus.
Lest we be tempted to embrace the New Year and “move on already!” the magi serve to remind us that the Christmas season isn’t over. In fact, it’s just begun. Remember that song, the 12 Days of Christmas? Yes? Well, the 12 days of Christmas are NOT the 12 days before Christmas! Traditionally, they’re the 12 days after Christmas Day! And the 12 Days of Christmas culminate on January 6, otherwise known as epiphany, which means “appearing” or “manifestation.”
Sounds great! But so what? Does this mean we get 12 days of parties and shopping and gift-getting and gift-giving? Does it mean we get 12 days off work? (I really don’t have enough sarcasm to do that one justice!)
Oh no! Does it mean we have to go to 12 church services?!?!? 12 Christmas plays? 12 Christmas cantatas? 12 bake sales? 12 visits to the mall to see Santa? 12 Christmas feasts?
Aaaaagggghhhh!!!!!
It’s no wonder the culture wants to “Move on already!” and get Christmas as far behind us as we can! We’ve turned the celebration of a truly divine miracle into one of the busiest and most hectic times of the year.
Again, though, the magi won’t allow it.
They must make their journey to the Christ child. They must tell of their mission to the wealthy and the privileged. They must go to the halls of Herod the pseudo-king and remind the powerful and influential and independent that the Creator God has at last come into the world to accomplish his salvation as a humble, dependent child of meager, tax-paying parents.
They must make their journey, and so must we.
Christmas is not over. It has just begun. The child still calls to us. The star still guides.
And the wise men still seek him.
Are you making this journey?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg)