Epiphany - Sunday, January 6, 2008

Last year, I read a little story of what would have happened if there had been three wise women instead of three wise men, come searching for Baby Jesus?

They would have asked for directions …
arrived on time … helped deliver the baby …
cleaned the stable … brought practical gifts …
and made a casserole.

But as they left, they would have said something like:
“Did you see what sandals Mary was wearing with her gown? Can you believe how they don’t match?”
“I heard that Joseph is not working right now.”
“Hmm, that baby doesn’t look anything like Joseph!”

Indeed, the Epiphany story is very familiar to us, yet you may be amazed to find how much we are influenced by Christmas carols, pageants and popular renditions of the story. The Biblical version does not mention the number of men involved. The number three comes more from legend and from the fact that 3 gifts were brought and presented to Jesus. We sing, “We three kings of Orient are...” The Bible never says that they are kings. It calls them “magi”. Many English translations render this Greek word, “wise men” (NRSV: “astrologers” in a footnote). That is being far too kind and misleading about these foreign visitors. Perhaps, because these visitors from the East are such good models of faith, we have been afraid to really present them for what they were. Originally, in Persia, Magi were dream-interpreters. By Jesus’ time, the term referred to astronomers, fortune-tellers, or star-gazers. In fact, our word magic or magician comes from this word “magi”. They were experts in horoscope - a practice condemned by Jewish standards. We may compare them to people in fortune-teller booths, or people on the psychic hotline or other “occupations” that fore-tell the future by stars, tea leaves and Tarot cards, etc. In today’s world, Magi and fortune-tellers would enjoy a better reputation, since many people in our world do check their horoscope as they begin a new day. Followers of New Age religions have probably given old superstition a good name.

It is ironic that Gentiles of dubious occupation came looking for a new Jewish king, and became heroes of the Christmas/Epiphany story. To Matthew, it foreshadows the inclusion and salvation of foreigners and outsiders of the Jewish community.

As Christians, what kind of magi are we? Which stars do we consult as we start each new day? (Toronto Star with your morning coffee?) What type of spiritual GPS do we follow and get our direction from? BIBLE? Do we have any kind of spiritual pursuit? Or, do we just go through life aimlessly and without a clear purpose?

There are two current movies which I have not seen, but I am intrigued by their premises:

The first one is “National Treasure: Book of Secrets”, apparently not that good a movie. No matter how absurd the plot happens to be, stories about treasure hunting, from Treasure Island to Relic Hunter, Indiana Jones to Tomb Raider there is something exciting and adventurous that universally attracts both children and adults. However, our sense of adventure has been largely reduced to bargain hunting and shopping for the best deal in town or Buffalo.

The second movie is called “The Bucket List”. The title comes from an incident in the Morgan Freeman character’s youth - when as a freshman college student aspiring to a degree he was never able to complete, he received some fascinating advice from a philosophy professor who suggested that his students compile a list of all the things they wanted to do in life before they kicked the bucket. The story follows two men terminally ill with cancer (Jack Nicholson and Freeman) on a road trip with a wish list of things to do before they die, including sky diving, racing classic cars and going around the world in a private jet. I am not suggesting that we all go home and make up our own bucket list tonight. However, if you were to do it, what would you put down? What would be most important on your wish list? How does that reflect on your values and outlook on life, before death? What would make your life complete and worthwhile before it is over? I don’t think it is morbid, but rather very much life-affirming!

Remember in Luke’s story of the birth of Jesus, there are two elderly persons named Simone and Anna, who recognized Jesus as the coming Messiah, when his parents brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem for dedication when he was 40 days old. The Song of Simeon, otherwise known to Anglicans as the canticle Nunc Dimittis, is a favorite of Evensong, beginning with these words: “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation…”

How many of us would include “knowing Jesus Christ as our personal saviour and redeemer” on our Bucket List? Or, if you already have done that, make it your priority in making sure all those whom you love also come to the same knowledge of salvation.

Epiphany is about a Star. Those Magi embarked on a journey of discovery: seeking, searching, finding; guided and led by a Star. These days, every one wants to be a star! - a super star as in American and Canadian idols. When you are the star, life is all about you, according to the world. You want all the attention drawn toward you. But what if life as a star is about pointing to another? What if our life, as significant or insignificant it may be, should be drawing attention to a bigger star than ourselves? Do you want to be Stars for Jesus or do you want to be Stars just for yourselves? Epiphany poses this challenge: How can we become more effective or attractive stars pointing others, especially those outside of the Church, toward Jesus? Can we be the best GPS available leading other seekers to find Christ? Do we possess that Star quality?
Epiphany is a good time to take the journey ourselves. The Magi made the trip searching for something worth their while. Would we dare to be as adventurous? They did follow the star and found a newborn king, although not the obvious one they had expected in a palace, but one out in the marginal little town of Bethlehem. They also took a very different way home afterwards!

Indeed, there is a double meaning in the final sentence of the story. It does mean that these Magi went home by another road and avoided seeing Herod again; but it is also true that they went home with another way. In Acts, the followers of Jesus were called followers of the Way. After being with the infant Jesus, the Magi were changed. They no longer acted or believed the same way they had before. They went home by another way.

Part of the new way is that they discovered the king on God’s terms, not through their own understanding or assumptions. They discovered the new king through God's revelations to them - both through the star and through the Scriptures (as proclaimed by the religious leaders). They chose to follow the child who was the newborn king in Bethlehem, instead of the tyrant king who resided in a palace in Jerusalem. This is a story about two different kings. One rules by fear, control, violence, lies and deceit. Yet, he is also threatened by his own fear: when he is troubled, all of Jerusalem trembled with him. The other king born vulnerable and died vulnerable, who at the end of Matthew’s story ultimately cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” on the cross where soldiers mocked him as “the King of the Jews”. The world usually chooses power and influence over powerlessness and vulnerability. Perhaps the Magi followed a more radical way than for which they were given credits.

The Magi went home a transformed people! Epiphany and revelation are not for our intellectual pursuits and private, esoteric enjoyment, its main challenge is how God will change us and our lives. Do we go home by a different way after our worship today? Can you recall any epiphany moments in your lives that allow for you to have a glimpse of the Glory of God? Like windows or skylight that let the light shine through, the little epiphanies show us God in a new and High Definition way. (HD differences: black & white vs. color TV) Can you tell the difference? Do you have better, corrected vision to gauge your spiritual life?

No matter what our experiences are today, the invitation for us is to come, worship the newborn King, where we greet Him again in worship, through songs, words, prayers, bread and wine in this gathering and go home by a different way.

Thanks be to God. Amen.
Fr. Victor (www.stjd.ca)