A star, itself a somewhat marvellous presence in the universe, points to the mysterious presence of the Creator who is spirit – made visible. The star, giving light in the darkness, indicates a deep mystery. The Wisdom of God, the Sacred Thought, the Divine Idea is made man. In the Word made flesh God speaks – He communicates His wisdom to humanity as one of us. What was obscure is now revealed. The Divine purpose has not changed, but our ability to be one with that purpose has been altered. Our freedom to choose has not been impaired, but the spiritual power needed to achieve our true purpose is now restored to us.
The Wise Men were serious seekers for they were not put off by the difficulties they encountered. Their minds were open to what ever might be revealed for they appear not to be dismayed when they reached what seemed to be the improbable end of their search. These Wise Men – the Magi – are said to represent the gentiles – all the non-Jews.
They have been portrayed as kings. In either case, as Wise Men or Kings, it would be understandable if we felt that they were somewhat different to us. But let us remember that the Magi lost their guiding light and unwittingly betrayed not just Jesus but also the infants who would be killed in his place. Perhaps then they may be more like us than we suspected – for how many times do we lose sight of our guiding light and unwittingly or otherwise allow evil a period of apparent control? But Jesus is not afraid to trust those who make mistakes or who are thought to be unreliable in other ways. Before the Magi there came the shepherds. Shepherds at that time were certainly not considered reliable. Later Jesus founded His Church on a disciple who denied Him three times. We may take comfort that Jesus does not expect perfection when He comes to us!
The different journeys human beings make to God can be complicated. Some may begin in families or communities of faith and then drift away through distractions and the complexities of life. The light may grow so dim as to cause dreadful and sad confusion in thought, word and deed. Others may be latecomers, only cautiously making their way in from the darkness. Of course there are others may be so confident that they own God’s light that they fail to see that all they have is the false light of pride and conceit – expressed in a desire to dominate or even terrorise others.
In the Magi we have examples of those who persever and reach the presence of the Lord of Life. The key to that perseverance is faith. They were not Jews – they did not have that special relationship with God as did the Jews as the Chosen People, but because they were sincere their culture and religion provided a way for them to discover the Truth. They were not turned away – their worship was accepted. May our faith enable us to be examples of perseverance as we seek Jesus – the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And may our sincerity assist others on their journeys to the Lord and Giver of Life.
