Rector's Reflections - January, Epiphany in 2006

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Like the traveling magi, each one of us is on a journey of faith. And often, like them, we are confused about our true destination. The magi were following a star, but when it stopped over Jerusalem, they assumed they had found the place where the Messiah was to be born. After all, the Messiah would have to be born in a place of earthly power and Jerusalem was the center of Jewish-Roman power. Those who understood the scriptures straightened them out; not Jerusalem, but Bethlehem, was to be the place of the Messiah’s birth.

Their mistake, however, was costly. Herod’s people got wind of their journey, became threatened, and decided to kill all of the newborn males in Bethlehem. Jesus was spared because Joseph, warned in a dream about Herod’s plot, took Jesus and Mary to Egypt.

The confusion of the magi had unintended consequences, quite deadly, and it was due to the fact that they couldn’t fathom a king being born away from the center of earthly power.

Where will God be found in our lives? What is our true destination? Where will we find the Messiah?

It probably will not be where we expect to find him. But let us remember Mary’s proclamation and take it as our clue, “ He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly.”

As my preaching professor used to say, “there’s a sermon in that.”

Blessings,

(The Reverend) Susan W. Klein