We are to be the Light of Christ
The Epiphany
Psalm 72: 1-7, 10-14; Matthew 2:1-12
1/06/09
Nita Byrd

Searching – that is how our story begins this evening. The wise men travel a great distance on a search, following a holy light only visible once night's darkness descends upon the world. Then arriving in Jerusalem they ask, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” [Matt. 2:2]

The wise men have traveled by night. When we travel at night by airplane we can rely upon instruments or if traveling by car we can rely on a Global Positioning System. These instruments designed by human hands give us a sense of security; but, what provides security to the wise men?

What motivates them to travel by night in cold constant emptiness, followed by gusty desert winds?

The Creator of Light who hurled all stars into space reserves one guiding light, one star to shine for Gentiles from the ends of the known Biblical world.

They come seeking a king, but this guiding light embraces the Wise Men when a child, the Divine Light, the in-breaking of God's Kingdom on Earth; when the child Jesus is born who becomes known as the Light of the World.

The gospel writer also presents a second search which does not seek the Divine Light present in the humble form of a young child. King Herod initiates a cloaked dialogue with the Wise Men. “Then he [sends] them to Bethlehem saying, 'Go search diligently for the child; and when you have found him bring me word so that I may go and pay him homage.'” King Herod's motives stand in direct opposition to the coming reign of God. This search is dictated by fear, a desire to maintain a position of privilege, and the preservation of systemic domination over part of society.

The Wise Men continue in search of a king guided by the heavenly star, but with a charge dictated by Herod. The search concludes when the wise men see “that the star [has] stopped; [and they are] overwhelmed with joy.”
I wonder; at what point did the Wise Men sense that their search would not bring them to a human monarch, but would culminate in the manifestation of the Source of All Being to the Gentile World? Did they know that Christ would be revealed to them, the cultural outsiders, at the beginning of his human life?

Their journey then pivots on a moment of transformation as they enter the house and see “the child with Mary his mother; and they [kneel] down and [pay him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they [offer] him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” The change in spirit experienced by the Wise Men in the presence of Christ is wondrously expressed by T. S. Eliot in a portion of his poem, “The Journey of the Magi” which reads:

We were led all that way for Birth or Death?
There was a birth certainly
We had evidence and no doubt.
I have seen birth and death, But had thought they were different;
This Birth was Hard and Bitter agony for us, like death,
our death.
We returned to our places, these kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here,
in the old dispensation, With an alien people clutching their gods.

The Wise Men experience a death to old paradigms and make room for the reign of God. An imminent decision is before them. They are compelled to return to their country by a new road avoiding Herod. They return with a new light. The Light of Christ which will shine in the darkness among those “clutching their gods” of the old dispensation. For the Wise Men, the old ways of doing things simply won't work anymore.

Every time we assemble at this altar in Christ's presence we should be transformed. Every time we worship in the liturgy of word and sacrament we are infused with Holy Presence and we pray to be sent “into the world in peace.” Our prayers should echo the prayers of the psalmist for the ruler of Israel to manifest God's justice, to
“defend the cause of the poor of the people, [give deliverance] to those who are needy,…and those who have no helper…[to redeem] their [lives] from oppression and violence, and [view] their [lives] as precious.” [Psalm 72:4, 12, 14]

Let us take the Light of Christ
in defense of every child who cries from illness in Zimbabwe;
in defense of every neighbor who suffers under oppressive immigration laws and labor practices in North Carolina;
in defense of every person denied health care in a land of prosperity;
in defense of a planet suffering from environmental degradation;
in defense of the 40,000 people who die every day under the enslaving conditions of extreme poverty worldwide;

Wherever there is oppression, violence, or war we are to take Christ's light. We are to be the light of Christ. As we share the light of Christ among ourselves, I am reminded of the hymn which allows us to sing in praise:
[That] we'll walk in the light, [that] beautiful light, [and] come where the dew drops of mercy are bright
Shine all around us by day and by night, Jesus
The light of the world.

I pray, Christ have mercy, --
and God's mercy abounds as prolific as the morning dew. Each one of us touches the other in ways that allow us to walk in this light of Jesus Christ our Savior as we go beyond these doors into the world. I know that as I say good bye to this community and walk through these doors I will treasure the light which has poured into my heart from each encounter I have had with every one of you for the past six months. The light here is so special to me, and this light is touching the world in innumerable ways. I ask for your prayers as my search continues.
I will always cherish the time we have had together.
I love you.
AMEN

©2009 Nita Byrd