Follow Your Star
Epiphany Sunday – January 6, 2019
Preached at: Immanuel UCC – Catonsville, Maryland
Readings: Isaiah 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-12
Sermon:
Happy New Year! And Merry Christmas!
Today is Epiphany, which marks the last day in the liturgical season of Christmas. As we heard, Epiphany is the celebration of the Magi, when the Three Wise Men, or Three Kings, came to visit and offer gifts to the baby Jesus. In many cultures, Epiphany is the day when Christmas presents are exchanged, not Dec. 25th, the day of Jesus’ birth, but today, 12 days later, to represent when Jesus receives the presents of gold, frankincense, and myrrh from the travelers from afar.
Did you know that the three gifts presented to Jesus by the Wise Men have a deeper meaning?
First, Gold – the precious metal fit for a king, marking his kingly reign as the Messiah on Earth.
Second, Frankincense – a sacred incense used by priest in ceremonies, which marks him as a spiritual leader.
And finally, and perhaps most notably as it is not in the Prophecy from Isaiah, but is in the Gospel reading, Myrrh – What is myrrh? You many not know, in fact I did not until a friend told me recently, that Myrrh is actually resin or sap that in ancient times was used to anoint the dead.
So, from the time of his birth, Jesus is given all of the things he needs for the whole of his life’s journey, including his eventual death. Even as Jesus is being welcomed into the world as the, King of Kings, Prince of Peace, the Messiah, Immanuel – God with us – he is also celebrated as being fully human: the mark of the Living Christ.
What is known today as a sweet story of the Three Wise Men bringing their gifts as part of the nativity scene, the scripture is actually much darker. The Three Kings begin their sojourn into Judea by going to King Herod and asking where the new Messiah is, as they have come to pay him homage. Of course, rather than being honored by their presence, the king is threatened, and resolves to kill this so called “king of the Jews” – in the passages following our reading for today, King Herod orders the slaughter of every child two years or under born in and around Bethlehem, just to be sure.
The only way Jesus escapes this horrific mass-killing, is because Joseph has a dream and flees with his family to Egypt as a refugee until after Herod’s death. Only then, according to Matthew, does the family resettle in Nazareth. What struck me about the story of Epiphany on this year’s reading, is how much tragedy and violence underly the Celebration of the Birth of the Messiah. Jesus survives, but countless other innocent children, are needlessly killed in his stead. The cost of God coming to Earth, almost immediately, is the death of innocents.
Scripture seems to be reminding us that in the midst of greatness, there is also suffering. A celebration of salvation becomes a threat to those in power, and ultimately results in destruction. This seems a contradiction at first since most of the narratives we recall during the Christmas season are celebratory. And yet, with the promise of something new, there is always the threat that something else must die – in this case, Herod’s rule, but he does not go down without a fight.
This reminds me, albeit on a much less dramatic scale, of the season of Christmas itself. We wait in joyful anticipation and in preparation during the month of Advent for Jesus’ arrival. And at home too, we are making travel plans, buying and wrapping presents, and stuffing our faces with our favorite holiday treats!
But then comes New Year’s and the narrative changes. We begin to reflect on all that has happened in the year that has passed. Suddenly there is the pressure to have Resolutions – to remake oneself by setting intentions, starting “afresh”, and for some reason that is lost on me since it is still winter (and we are all still wearing the same clothes) – joining a gym and loosing the “holiday weight.”
So, in the same way, all the joy and celebration we have just felt with the birth of Christ, inevitably ebbs and flows and causes us to take pause. And when all the paper has been unwrapped, the decorations put away, and the tree taken down, we can feel a sense of emptiness, loneliness, or even exhaustion at having to start a whole other year over again.
New Year’s resolutions then, can provide a sense of purpose or inspiration, This is the year! I will meet my goals, volunteer more, connect to others, be happy! I will let go of the past and look toward the future with hope – A clean slate!
So I ask you: What gifts do you need for the year ahead?
Is it Gold? The mark of wealth, prosperity, and power? Financial security, or a sense of belonging to the earthly world? Or perhaps Frankincense? A deeper spiritual life, or the ability to lead from a place of connection to the Source?
Or maybe it is Myrrh? The sacred resin used to anoint what has died. Rather than seeing Myrrh as morbid, I invite you to be curious about the presence of Myrrh at the Epiphany. After all, the myrrh does not diminish the gifts of gold, or frankincense, but rather completes them. This gift offers us the ability to mark as Holy even the most tragic or difficult challenges in life as part of the sacred mystery. The fullness of our time on earth.
For many, the holidays are NOT the most wonderful time of year, but instead the annual, and sometimes painful, reminder of love ones they have lost, or of the abundance to which they have no access, their struggle to feed their families, or even to carry their children to safety in a new land. Life is full of challenges and these too, the Wise Men acknowledge and offer gifts so that Jesus is prepared for all that a human life brings.
This is the gift of Grace. That blessing, when we least expect it, or sometimes refuse to acknowledge we even need it. That powerful reminder that God is with us, through all of it. As we begin a new year, I invite you reflect on the past not with regret for mistakes that were made or plans unfinished, but with curiosity – and a spirit of Grace. Ask yourself: What from this past year am I needing to let go? What has died, and is waiting to be anointed with Myrrh, marked as Holy, and thanked for the lessons it has taught me?
So take a moment, right now, and reflect on something from this past year that no longer serves you… When your heart lands upon that which you are ready to leave behind, you may offer it a simple “thank you” and release from your life.When you have done this for all the things from this past year, you may find yourself asking this question: Where do I go from here?
I would suggest that the Wise Men have set a good example here as well: Follow the Star! Follow the Star… which is to say, Follow Your Star. Follow that shining light in you that guides you, even when other’s cannot see it.
Ultimately, the gifts of Epiphany are not about making life easy – as in, if I only had enough wealth, or fame, or spiritual connection, I would be able to accomplish my goals. No, the gifts of Epiphany are meant to help you on the journey of life. To ease the way when you come across one of life’s inevitable challenges.
An “epiphany,” by definition is a realization so strong, it cannot be ignored. Perhaps, the Christmas season ends with Epiphany, a full 12 days after Jesus’ birth, not just to celebrate the birth of the Messiah, but also to celebrate the journey that the Wise Men complete by having the faith to follow a star directly to their salvation. A journey we are all on.
The Mystery of Faith is to believe that God became flesh and dwelt among us, fully human and fully divine. And so, as long as you can believe that the impossible can be possible, the Grace of God is there to help you on your life’s journey. This New Year, begin by asking yourself these three questions: What is my star? What do I need for the journey? And who are the trusted few, I wish to bring with me along the way?
Happy Epiphany!
Amen.
