feast of the Epiphany, Year C
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Matthew 2:1-12
God's presence is revealed to us in diverse ways: we can read the book of God's creation; we can search out the meaning of our dreams; we can learn from our own and others' experience; and we can listen to the voice of our sacred scriptures. This has nothing to do with naïve dependence on our own judgment or on the judgement of others. It has more to do with a way of being in the world that involves openness to the unexpected and a critical and careful communal dialogue between our life experience and our faith tradition. A deep awareness of our place in the Earth community teaches us respect for all creation and for its power to lead us beyond ourselves.
Epiphany is the feast of the wise ones or astrologers 'from the East' who are led beyond themselves and their immediate location by the rising of a star. They form their own preliminary hypothesis and travel west to search out the meaning of this sign. They learn from the official interpreters of the Jewish scriptures. They then follow the star that leads them to the new born child, the incarnate Wisdom of God.
The gospel does not stipulate how many wise ones or magi come to pay homage to the child. There is no indication in the story as to whether they are men or women or both. The three gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh have been traditionally associated with three different characters, usually kings, of diverse nationality and colour.
These strangers are the first to recognise 'God-with-us' in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. They also come to recognise, 'in a dream', the duplicity of Herod. They have the good sense not to accede to Herod's request to 'bring him word' of the newborn king. They return home 'by another road'.
The story-teller Matthew leaves room in the tableau for the insertion of the wise ones who will emerge through the ages. There is an invitation for us to enter into Matthew's drama, to be the wise ones, to join with people of different cultures, to engage in our own search for Wisdom, and to follow the star that leads to truth and lasting peace. It is also an invitation to be wary of those whose positions are threatened by a different sort of power, power based on vulnerability and openness to new life.
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