The Magi

" After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, '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.' When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed. . . He called together all the chief priests and scribes and asked them where the Christ was to be born, 'In Bethlehem', they replied, 'for this is what the prophet has written.' Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, 'Go and make careful search for the child. A soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.'

The Magi went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. They saw the child with his mother Mary and they bowed down and worshipped him. They presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream: 'Get up', he said, 'take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.' "[ Matthew 2: 1-13].

January 8 is Epiphany, or Three Kings Day. It is the day when we celebrate the arrival of the Magi at the place where Jesus was born. It is also the day in the Christian calendar when the Christmas season officially ends.

I think that every Christian child must know this story. We think of the Kings bearing gifts and we realize that, in its simplest sense, this is a story that explains why we give gifts at Christmas time.

But it is a story about so much more than that. It is a story of secular kings worshipping a tiny baby lying in a manger. It is a story of the exalted royalty of this earth paying homage to a tiny, but divine infant resting in the humblest of environments. This contrast is a foretelling of Jesus' lesson of "The humble shall be exalted, and the exalted shall be humbled." [Matthew 23:12].


Who are the Magi? Some say that they were wise men, in the priestly class. I think of them as the intellectuals of their day. A dear relative of mine was recently admonished, "YOU are Christian??!! You are way too smart for that!"  I love this story of the Magi, because it tells me that wise men (and women) are indeed followers of Christ.

Others say that the Magi are Kings from various regions. This teaches me that Jesus is there for ALL of us, no matter where we are from. And so, it is fitting that we call him a King of all nations.

As the Magi went on their journey, the star to the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the baby Jesus lay. It is then that the Magi were overjoyed! I love this image! Here, I see that, like the Magi, we are all on a spiritual journey, seeking Jesus, finding joy. In that journey, the star is always ahead of us in our sight, and that star is the light of Jesus.

As we pursue our life as followers of Jesus, we need to keep our eyes heavenward, towards His light. But we are not alone in our journey. We travel together, as the Magi did.

Yet, there are dangers to us as Christians. There are those who wanted to kill Jesus, and there are those who will hate us and pursue us as His followers, as well. King Herod feared Jesus' power, which Herod knew would be far greater than any earthly power that he would have as king.

The Magi obeyed God, who came to them in dream and warned them not to return to Jerusalem. They did not obey their earthly King Herod's command, to return and tell him where Jesus was. There are times when we must "Give to God what is God's". [Matthew 22:21].

And so, the Magi did not return to Jerusalem as King Herod asked. They took a different route. I have had to do that myself in my journey as a Christian. I have had to tuck my cross necklace under my shirt at times, so as not to invite non-believers' mockery and blasphemy.  I have had to go off to church quietly and not rub it into the faces of the unfaithful in my life. I do not ever apologize for my faith, but I do not foolishly walk straight into persecution either. Sometimes detours in our journey are justified.

There are also dangers in those who will deny you your faith. King Herod wanted to find Jesus and kill him. Who are the Herod's in YOUR life, who would steal your faith, your gifts, your joy?  After I reached age 14, my family refused to take me to church. They were not joyful people, certainly not hopeful in placing their faith in God. They did not think much of my gifts either, and they did not allow me to to pursue them. I have learned in my walk as a Christian that I need to "outwalk" those deniers, and outsmart them, just as the Magi did.

The Magi fulfilled their destiny by going out and spreading the word about the Christ child. We are to do the same: to spread the Word, to live the Word, to follow the Way, despite the dangers.

The threat against Jesus, from Herod, foretells Jesus' ultimate Crufixion. But the Herod's of the world cannot win out over the abiding Power of Jesus' love, and His eternal reign. And Jesus will take us with Him, if we only believe in Him and follow His light!

(c) The Spiritual Devotional 2012. All Rights Reserved.