Readings:
Sermon:
Today we are celebrating the feast of the Epiphany, the coming of the men from the East to worship Jesus. Note, I don’t say ‘wise men’ or mention ‘kings’.
There is reason to believe they were wealthy and educated, but we know little more than that. Nor have I said three, three comes from there being three gifts. We should also note that they visited ‘the young child’ Jesus, who was, by the time they arrived, living in a house, which suggest that he was no longer ‘newborn’.
Perhaps you already knew all of this, perhaps it is new to you. The scriptures are known to us as the living word of God as they are always new in some way even when deeply familiar.
I find slowing down enough to read them deeply, is always a challenge, and always a rewarding challenge. One of the ways I find I can discover new meaning, and fresh insight is by responding to the scripture in poetry.
By way of something a little bit different today I am offering you a poem which I hope invites you to enter into the story of the ‘wise men’ and perhaps consider what being in their sandals might have felt like. There are some questions imbedded in the poem which you might like to consider together at the end.
Epiphany – The Timelessness of Time
Imagine the time,
of preparation, speculation,
the time before the advent of the star.
These wise and wealthy men, dedicated to their cause,
meaning making, sense seeking,
were custodians of stories, legends from the past.
Watching and waiting,
patiently regarding,
mapping and noting,
whilst barely expecting
there ever to be anything new.
Until that night,
when one watched away the night
holding in his sight,
a new birthed star.
His first date with that new light,
fading to question come the unrelenting dawn.
Was it there?
Is it true?
What does it mean?
The hauling out of scrolls,
un-scrolling of memories.
A hasty ride on horseback,
to speak out the burning questions.
Have you seen?
Have you thought?
What will we do?
The calling of these men,
ignited by a star
gave flame to their vocation,
nurtured from conception,
brooded deep in their soul.
Make ready the camels,
load up the panniers.
Let this journey of destiny commence.
How much did they know?
How much did they not know?
They knew to go, to set off, begin.
They took along with them
gifts of significance,
gifts of magnificence, fit for a king.
What was the debate?
How to decide?
Worldly worth, the greatness of gold
or spiritual notes to sing to the world?
Obedient to their calling,
illumined by this new star
they came at last to Herod and opened to him their cause.
Here was a man, blown off-course
by fear
Here was a man, consumed by power.
Deceitful and desperate, he played out his hand.
Keep your friends close, your enemies closer.
Steered on their way by
star and creator
cautioned to avoid
the way of one man.
The wisdom of wise men
who listened for guidance,
turned from entrapment
to the womb of the world.
There, at the birthplace
of Jesus the saviour
their homage made sense;
their quest was fulfilled.
Their lifetime of knowledge,
their reason for being
now written anew
on the scroll of their hearts.
Jesus fulfilled them,
made them complete.
Settled their longing and
bathed them in light.
How long did they linger?
How long did they stay?
Their new guest was worship,
their new story, ‘obey’.
They had met with their maker,
held God in their arms.
Yet somehow, were able, to go
on their way.
Each moment a lifetime,
each memory pure gold.
This vision experienced
would never be old.
There in the stable, where all men were equal
time became timeless, new birth
was theirs.
Now in that moment,
that is now millennia
the truth of the world takes root
in our hearts.
The unbroken witness they
carried away
is the same timeless truth
that gives hope
to us
today.