We still seek Jesus & Christ is Seeking You!
Pastor Pam Stalheim Lane
As many of you know, I was on a pilgrimage this Fall, the Camino de Santiago, I discovered that people go on pilgrimages for many different reasons. All of our final destination was the Cathedral de Santiago. In addition, our group was seeking time to walk and simply be together after the pandemic. But there were other things that we were seeking – and carried with us -- that varied from person to person. One sought comfort after the death of a loved one; another sought direction after an unexpected early retirement. Yet another sought strength – she had not had any opportunity to train due to some medical issues – and she worried she couldn’t make it. We were all on the same pilgrim trail and yet we each carried different hurts, questions, challenges and needs for how we wanted or hoped for God to enter into our lives.
I think the wisemen were also on a pilgrimage of sorts. They had seen a star at its rising – and according to their reading and understanding of the stars, that meant that a new King had been born. They plotted its course – without the aid of GPS-- and determined that this new King was born in the land of Judea, a new King of the Jews. And so they set off on a journey to find him and pay homage to him.
We don’t really know who these “wisemen” are. We know they were Gentiles – outsiders. The Greek word that is often translated as “wisemen” or sometimes “kings” is Magi – which means astronomer or astrology – which makes sense, since they were studying the stars. But, despite the prominence of crowns on the three kings in Christmas programs, they probably were not kings. They may have also been Zoroastrian priests,1 who would have been very knowledge-able of the stars. But this would also underline that they were not Jewish – and that even in the very beginning – chapter 2 of Matthew – the Good News of Jesus is beginning to spread to the whole world. Whoever these Magi were –they were on a journey, a pilgrimage, to find this new King of Judea and to pay him homage.
“Homage” is not a word we use often. It can mean reverence or honor or even worship. It shows up three times. First, the Magi tell Herod that they want to know where the new king was born because they saw his star at its rising and they want to “pay him homage.” In line with the culture of the time, they want to honor him as a king ought to be honored.
After telling to King Herod, he says he too wants to “pay homage” so he tells the Magi to be sure to come back and let him know where this new king is so that he also can go worship him.
The third time that the word appears is when the Magi actually see Jesus. They had learned from Herod that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem – so they head that direction. I wonder if they had started to figure out that Herod was not a trustworthy person. They may have wondered if he actually sent them on the right track.
But just when they may have wondered if they were ever going to find this new King of Israel – and who could they trust – the one whom they sought started seeking them. The star reappears to guide them and they were “overwhelmed with joy.” The Greek puts it even more strongly, saying they rejoiced exceedingly with a great joy.” When the star stops over the house where Jesus is, the Magi go in, and seeing Jesus, the Greek says that they fall down and worship him. No stiff taking the knee or elegant bows. They fall down prostrate on their face in worship. 2
The contrast between the Magi and Herod is striking. We read later in Matthew that what Herod really wanted was information on this new baby who people in other nations were calling a “King” so that he could kill him. This cruel brutality wasn’t anything new for him -- he killed several of his own sons and his wife when he suspected them of wanting his crown.
Unlike Herod, who was only interested in his own wellbeing, the Magi humble themselves and worship Jesus – and they do this not out of compulsion or fear. Instead, they did this after having been filled with Great Joy!
I think the Magi have something to teach us. The Magi came to see Jesus seeking to give him gifts and they received much more. The one who they sought to honor was seeking them too.
One Spring morning a few years ago as I was cleaning my front door, I noticed something strange on the lintel, above the door. There was chalk on the doorframe that said: 20 C+M+B 19
I wondered, “What in the world could this be?” Is this some new kind of graffiti? Or a very tall person using our door as a chalkboard for a math problem? Maybe it was a code. Maybe it’s some new thing that someone in the neighborhood is doing to mark the houses.
It turned out that it was a code of sorts. But it wasn’t someone trying to graffiti our house. Rather, it was part of a blessing that is traditionally – at least in England and other places – done on the 12th day of Christmas – also known as the day of Epiphany. The first two numbers 20 stand for the century and the last two numbers are for the year. The “+” signs represent the cross. The letters CMB stand for Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, the traditional names given to the Magi.
The letters CMB also stand for the Latin phrase Christus mansionem benedicat, “May Christ Bless this House” and for all who enter it this year. This is a reminder every time we enter the house – even when the chalk gets a little pale - that Christ has blessed our home – and us. It is a blessing and an invitation for us to bless others just as the Magi blessed and was blessed by Jesus.
Brothers and sisters, friends in Christ, may you be blessed and be a blessing in this New Year. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
1Niveen Sarras https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/epiphany-of-our lord/commentary-on-matthew-21-12-8
2 Greek English Lexicon