The Wise Man Epiphany 2023

Epiphany 2023 The Wise Man v1

We magi are a dedicated lot. We came from all over the far east, and for generations before us we magi have been dedicated to reading the ancient texts of many different cultures in an attempt to understand the world we live in, and what we ought to be doing. For centuries we and those magi before us have been keenly interested in the Hebrew prophets. Especially this text from Isaiah:

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;

but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.

Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you;

your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses' arms.

Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,

because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.

A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.

They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.

[Isaiah 60:1-6]

Not long ago, a few of our guild, after numerous calculations and scanning the heavens for the arrival of this Light, there suddenly appeared this one star which we were sure was the “Light” about which Isaiah had written centuries ago. A large group of us, including me, gathered to go and see for ourselves. And so, with a few gifts, and a multitude of camels, off we went. 

After a nearly year-long trek westward, always following the star, we arrived in the historic land of the Jews, now a province of the Roman Empire. Upon inquiry, we learned that a man named Herod, himself neither a Jew nor a Roman, was the appointed King of the Jews. A group of about ten of us were able to get an audience with this King of the Jews. Almost immediately we sensed he did not feel at home in this land, and as we talked it became clear that he believed neither in the God of Israel, nor did he give much thought to the gods of Olympus. He thought only of himself. 

Before talking about our search, he questioned us, and asked if we had any wisdom that might be helpful to him. “Beware of family entanglements,” one of us said. “And do not travel by water on Friday. As the sun moves into the house of Jupiter, affairs of the heart may prosper.” A desperate man, he took it hook, line and sinker. But it became evident that he wanted more than simple jingles. He became quite serious and asked where we thought this new “king of the Jews” we were looking for, this “light of the world,” might be born. We allowed that that’s precisely what we were asking him. He put his Hebrew consultants to work on it. Coming back the next day they announced that we should go to Bethlehem, the city of David. 

Then his face grew dark. Ominous really. With his hands shaking, he spoke: “Go and find the child. Then come back and tell me so that I too might go and worship him.” Never had I felt so cold. And so fortunate to be one of the magi and not a king. I ask you, does a man need to consult the stars to know that no king has ever bowed down to another king. He took us for fools, that sly, lost old fox, and so like fools we bowed and answered him, “Oh, yes. Of course! Of course!” As we went on our way, a demonic smile crossed his face, and the rings rattled on his boney fingers. Silently we vowed, never to see Herod again. [i] 

Why did we go? Was it not enough to know this thing was happening without having to be present to the birth? To this, not even the stars had an answer. It was another voice altogether urging us to go and see – a voice as deep within ourselves as the stars are deep in the ever-expanding universe. [ii] 

But why did I go? I could not have told you then, and I’m still not sure. It’s not that we had no motive, it’s that there were so many. Curiosity, I suppose. And being wise, we magi are a very curious lot. We wanted to see for ourselves the One about whom it was said even the stars bow down – and to acknowledge that even the wise sometimes have their doubts. And longing. Why does a thirsty man cross the desert sands as hot as fire at simply the possibility of water? As much as we longed to receive, we also longed to give. Why does a man labor and struggle all his life long so that in the end he has something to give to the One he loves? To the One who loves him? 

We finally arrived in Bethlehem, at a kataluma, a large, square, two-story edifice built around an open inner courtyard, to which the star had led us. We crossed the courtyard, past the well, and took the stairs up to the second story above the barns where the animals were kept. Our camels remained in the barns below. We could only go inside in groups of ten or so at a time, the room being quite small, but there they were. The man. The woman. Between them the king. We did not stay long. A few minutes as the clock goes; ten thousand thousand years our ancestor magi seeking the way, the truth and the life. We set our foolish gifts down on the floor and left by another way. Herod need not know, let alone see, what we had seen. 

I will tell you two terrible things. What we saw on the face of the newborn child was his death. The wood of the crib would one day be the wood of a Roman cross. Any fool could see it as well. It sat on his head like a crown. And we saw, as sure as the ground beneath our feet, that to stay with him, to follow him, would be to share in that death, and that is why we left – giving only our gifts, withholding the rest.[iii] 

And now, sisters and brothers, I will ask you a terrible question, and God knows I ask it of myself as well. Is the truth beyond all truths, beyond the stars, beyond all wisdom, just this: that to live without him is the real death; that to die with him is the only life? [iv] 

I now know, what I did not know then. I went to find out that the mystery my fellow magi and I had been chasing all these centuries had always been right before us the whole time. That the mystery that is the source of all life dwells among us and within us all. For what we saw in the child’s face was not that of any earthly king, but one who was born as one with the One; one with the true power, the true source of all that is, seen and unseen: the source of eternal love. 

Now, I no longer look to the stars for answers, but for beauty, wonder and love. I no longer spend hours each day consulting ancient texts, as beautiful as they are. I spend my days sitting in silence, what the Hebrews call prayer, to become ever closer to the light and the life we saw in that upper room, so that in some small way, I can become that which we seek. I sit and listen. And to set aside all the noise within and without that stands between us – between me, and the One we saw that day in Bethlehem – and whom I can still see every day in those he loves, his beloved of all generations, of all nations; he who is good news for all the people; he who comes daily to bring peace on earth and good will for all the people. For all the people. I sit. I listen. And then I sing with the prophet: 

Arise, shine; for your light has come,

and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you! 

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[i] Buechner, Frederick, The Magnificent Defeat (The Seabury Press, New York:1979) p.69

[ii] Ibid p.70

[iii] Ibid, p.71

[iv] Ibid, p.71-72