The Magi are on the move. Today is the 10th day of Christmas, and the Magi continue their journey to Bethlehem. In my creche collection that I told you about and shared with you on Christmas Eve, about 15 of them include Magi. The Magi spend most of the Advent and Christmas seasons journeying around the house, searching for their respective creche scenes in the living room. A few of the toy ones peel off from the caravan from time to time, but most of them stay together as a group. There are a dozen groups right here on my bookshelf. They have made quite the detour to join us for today’s sermon. The Magi will return to their appropriate creches on Wednesday, January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany, the day we commemorate and celebrate their arrival. Our American tradition is that the stockings and the presents come on Christmas Day from Santa. But that is not a worldwide phenomenon, even among Christians. In some parts of Europe, on St. Nicholas Day, December 6th, is the big present day, and the kids put their shoes by the door the night before for St. Nicholas to fill. In some places around the world, in Spain and some Latin American countries, Santa does not come on Christmas Eve, St. Nicholas does not come on December 6th, but rather on the night before Epiphany straw is left out for the camels and the Magi are the ones to leave the presents for the kids.
I have a little aside for the kids, so parents please shut your ears, and kids, listen up. As a parent, I am going to shut my ears.
I’m talking really quiet now so your parents don’t hear. This is for you. I have seen that several of you have convinced your parents to let you put out your stockings on Christmas Eve for Santa to fill, and your shoes on December 5th for St. Nicholas to fill. Both of them are filled, so that has taught me that just because you celebrated one of these Christmas present traditions, it doesn’t mean that you can’t celebrate another one. If you have already convinced your parents about St. Nicholas Day with the shoes and Christmas Eve with the stockings, it might be a hard sell. But you can give it a try. Here is what you need to do: leave your shoes by the front door this Tuesday night. Make sure to put some straw or some grass clippings into the shoes, and then go to bed. This only works if you go to bed and you go to sleep. In the morning, go and check to see if the Magi left you any gifts.
A few things: first of all, my understanding is that if you have already celebrated either or both Christmas and St. Nicholas Day with presents, these gifts will be much simpler gifts. The second thing is that it only works if you have your parents’ permission to put your shoes out. Third, it is my understanding that because of the pandemic we might be a little too late to make this work. I’m not sure. Talk to your parents about it. If your parents say it is too late because of the pandemic, then start working on them for next year. The goal is to get them to start celebrating Epiphany with the same joy that they celebrate Christmas.
You can now tell your parents to uncover their ears and enjoy the rest of the sermon.
Our Gospel reading today tells us the story of the Magi’s arrival. You know the story. But did you notice what is missing in the story? It does not say that there were three of them. It says that there were three gifts. It could be two Magi bringing three gifts, or dozens bringing three gifts, or thirty six bringing three gifts, as I have here on the bookshelf. Although the phrase “wise men” or the word “kings” are possible translations, it is not certain that either of those is correct. The term is “Magi” and scholars are not exactly sure what that means. It could be kings, it could be wise men, it could be religious leaders, it could be astrologers. We are not certain. It is also not certain that it is only men. “Wise sages” might be a better translation than “wise men”, because the Greek allows that it could have been a mixed group, not just men.
The story itself, as the Bible presents it, is so sparse that our imaginations can flourish, and flourish they have. In Italy there is a story of La Befana. The Magi show up at her house, lost on their way to Bethlehem and looking for directions. They invite La Befana to join them on their journey, but she refuses, thinking it would be better to go in the morning. Later, she regrets it and tries to catch up with them, or to at least find the Christ Child on her own. She never finds them, and she is still searching to this day.
Another favorite is Henry Van Dyke’s story of “The Other Wise Man”. You know, the fourth wise man. Never heard of him? His name is Artaban and he had other gifts for the newborn King: three jewels. He was traveling to find his friends so they could all journey together. But in a story that echoes the Good Samaritan, Artaban stopped to help a man lying in need. The delay makes him late, and his friends have already left. He decides to go search for the King on his own but has to spend one of the jewels for the journey. He makes it to Bethlehem, late, and then goes to Egypt, but cannot find Jesus. He keeps journeying, searching for thirty three years. Over the course of the journey, he helps many people, but also has to give away the other jewels in order to help others in need, leaving him with no gifts for Jesus. Tragically, at the end of the story, he is hit by a falling stone. While he is dying, he has a conversation with Jesus. We do not hear what Jesus says, but Artaban’s response is the response of Matthew 25: When did I see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison? And then Artaban adds, I have been searching for you for thirty three years and have never seen your face or ministered to you. Jesus, again quoting Matthew 25, says whenever you do it to the least of these you do it to me. Artaban dies, relieved, knowing that he has finally met the King in those that he had served, and that he had given his gifts to the Christ Child, the Newborn King.
Both of these imaginative stories are trying to connect the story of the Magi to us. They do not try to tell the history of the Magi but use the story of the Magi as a door through which we enter into the story ourselves. Will you, will I, will we seek the Christ Child when the Magi invite us? Or will we wander for all eternity? Will we recognize the Christ in those we meet, in those in need? Will we help and serve and lift up all those who are suffering, to help all of humanity flourish? Will we offer Jesus our gifts by offering them to our neighbor in need?
It is in this imagination that we also get that beautiful poem turned hymn by Christina Rosetti, “In the bleak mid-winter”.
In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan;
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.
What can I give Him,
Poor as I am? —
If I were a Shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man
I would do my part, —
Yet what I can I give Him, —
Give my heart.
My friends in Christ, open your imaginations and enter through the door of this story. Join the Magi and seek the Christ. Join the Magi and give your gifts to God.
AMEN
