6th January 2026 –
Some of you may have seen the film ‘The Time Bandits’. In it the Supreme Being allows a map of time holes in creation to fall into the hands of his dwarf helpers. Their adventures become the various episodes depicted in the film. For most of the film the Supreme Being is depicted as a large bright head with a booming voice, but near the end he is seen as a kindly, elderly headmaster figure. Evil is also shown in human form as a capricious, self-centred individual who wants the map for his own corrupt and ungodly ends. Powerful beings belonging outside our usual existence, inhabiting the realm of our imagination, have been, throughout human history, portrayed as being present in our time and space; and there are, of course, many examples from classical literature.
The New Testament also tells of God, the Supreme Being, made visible in the person of Jesus Christ. The Birth of Jesus is declared to be the Word made flesh. In Him the Wisdom of God made man is seen and heard in history. Christianity, however, may be regarded by some as just another version of the ancient myths, a set of awesome stories that tell us a lot about the human condition, but still untrue for all that.
The author and spiritual writer C.S. Lewis, in an essay called ‘Myth Became Fact’ opens up an entirely different possibility based on two insights: First, all the myths of primitive religions were expressions of a deep yearning … that the mysterious God would come into intimate contact with mankind, and do so in such a way that He would repair the damages made by our sinfulness, and would grant to mankind a safe homeland that would last forever. And secondly, that Christianity, rather than being one myth alongside many others, is the fulfillment of all previous mythological religions. It is a myth, like the others, but this time a myth that is also a fact.
The Magi were seekers after wisdom and truth – of a myth that was also a fact. We are all a bit like them, we all want answers to fundamental questions. The Magi however, followed a star because it signified to them the birth of a significant person, and with such thinking they expected the birth of a king. Their search for wisdom is dignified and noble. King Herod, the other major character in the story, was only interested in the possibility of the birth of a likely rival. He plots and deceives and murders innocent children. His vision of life and truth is focused on himself, and he is fearful.
It is inspiring to consider the humility of the Magi, these wise and learned men, before the child Jesus; they offer gifts and pay homage but it does not diminish their eminence. Those who choose to follow Christ seek true wisdom, they search for the truth that is at the heart of faith and reason. When the Christ-child is found, even in the most unlikely of places, He is worshiped – for he embodies what is true. We seek to become what we worship.
Like the Magi we bring gifts – we offer ourselves to Christ and in doing so are not diminished but in fact we are made whole. Through our worship we are united to Christ who gives Himself to us and fills us with the Holy Spirit – the Lord and Giver of Life. Through Christ we see, hear and speak differently. Our life and our death gives praise to God even as the gold, frankincense and myrrh symbolised two thousand years ago.
