Alternative route home
The wise persons from the East were cosmic scholars who knew their sacred texts, were keen observers of the world around them, were willing to move – take action on the basis of their insight, responsive to the encounter of Mary, Joseph and the child, gave thanksgiving gifts, and were sensitive to their dream-directive to return home by another way. As we travel by car, plane, foot or in our minds it is important to seek guidance regularly along the way. There are others seeking too – some like Herod with not such honorable intentions, blinded by arrogance and privilege.
How do we know where we are going? How do we seek guidance and from whom?
An epiphany should be shared, but it is not to be treated as an end unto itself from which nothing further is needed. It is an occasion of joy and gratitude, but there is also more to discover. What if the wise persons had stopped at the inn where the child was and had given their gifts, and then returned to Herod? What if they had ignored the dream?
The magi were learned people who were keen to study texts and signs. They had done their homework and put the pieces of the puzzle together to understand that this momentous sign was significant for them and worth the effort to seek out the child. They went not to study the babe and his parents but to worship him. They gave up time, comfort, and took some risk in inquiring of King Herod where to find the child. They did not know how their journey would end, but something in their encounter with the infant, something in their learned minds, sensitive spirits, told them not to return to Herod but to go home by another way.
Why? What did they see? Was it the light in the child’s eyes? Was it the way the mother held him and how he gazed at her? Was it the star light? Whatever it was, they gave their all: gifts and homage. The parents accepted the gifts, maybe a little surprised at the contents. The magi then set out without a guiding star, turning east a few miles north of Bethlehem. What did they do then?
Once we find the Christ child, once we celebrate the birth, take down the tree and put away the decorations, what are we to do with the spiritual encounter? The three gifts have traditionally been taken as allegorical gifts: gold to reflect royalty, frankincense for divinity and myrrh for death. Did God inspire these gifts? Were these wise persons searching prayerfully back in Persia so they would know what symbolic gifts to get and give? They brought what was precious and they gave it over to Jesus.
They did not build a monument to the event, they merely worshipped what they saw, experienced, knew to be something/ someone precious and holy. How do we respond to God’s initiative of grace? What gift do I bring? How does the church respond to foreigners who see what we may not? The experience of their encounter with the Christ child changed them. Their journey home would not be the same!
When I go to Haiti as I will this week, we travel slowly up, around, through the mountains, creeping around switch back turns, hoping something bigger is not on the road coming toward us, or another vehicle is broken down and blocking the narrow road. It takes several hours to get up to Saint Entienne’s but when we pull into the parking area, people come to greet us. They are happy to welcome us, strange pale skinned people from another country, in this case north of them, and we often bring gifts. One year you sent vestments and pottery chalice and paten for the Eucharist; another you sent 200 settings of flatware; another children’s clothing; and this year we take book-bags for all the children in school. They receive the gifts with joy and excitement. They ask about our parishes, the people in them, and want to see pictures of you. This year because our assistant for youth has created such a wonderful gallery of pictures on facebook, we can show them pictures of the pageant, the mission trip, the acolyte festival, and some pictures of Haitian art being sold here to benefit them there. We are part of the same Episcopal Church, but the Diocese of Haiti is the largest of all the dioceses in the Episcopal Church, much bigger than Maryland.
The first year, the rubble from the earthquake was everywhere making travel difficult. Poverty was so evident that it was difficult to comprehend how rebuilding would happen. Last Year we went to the celebration of the progress being made, 4 years after the quake.
Last year in Haiti we met with the vestry on Saturday, saw the beginnings of the large water cistern they were installing and talked about the plans to get solar powered purification for the water. We saw the school, children in uniforms, with bright eyes, curious expressions about the guests. We attended worship on Sunday and afterward they fed us. We knew that this poor community did not have much, but by pooling what they had, they made delicious soup and fed their guests. As we began our drive down the mountain, for miles, we passed members of the congregation in their Sunday best, walking home.
Still there are regions that lack full recovery and today political conflict is ripe in Haiti. On Jan 12, the 5th year after the earthquake, the nation hopes to have an election, but the legacy of Herod is alive and well in our world. There are demonstrations in the streets of Port au prince. People who live in darkness have seen a great light: will it be the light of liberty, of freedom, of dignity for every person, or the light of oppressive regime?
Each year the experience is different. Something warms my spirit in the gracious hospitality of people who have so little in material terms and so much in spiritual terms. I never leave the way I came. This year, I go, not knowing what I will find. I take your gifts because somewhere along your journey you have encountered the light of the world and it has become a beacon in you for the world.