01/06/2013 (Sunday) ~ The Feast of the Epiphany of the Christ ~ Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12 ~ Communion Sunday.

Came the Magi

“After the birth of Jesus— whose birth happened in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of Herod the Great— magi, astrologers, from the East arrived in Jerusalem, and asked, ‘Where is the newborn ruler of the Jewish people?  We observed a star at its rising which says this one has been born and we have come to offer homage.’” — Matthew 2:1-2.

There is no question about this: the assumptions of the culture in which we live can alter reality, reality which is residing right in front of us.  In short, assumptions made by the culture can alter reality to the point where we cannot see the truth of what is actually there.

I was reminded of this because of a Facebook post a pastor friend of mine made.  I have seen the story she posted before, but it bears repeating.

This is the story: a while back, at the entrance of a gym, there was a picture of a beautiful but very thin woman.  The caption on the poster said: “This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?”

The story then tells about a woman, apparently someone who frequented the gym and whose clothing size was unknown.  This woman answered the sign by posting a letter next to it.  “Dear people who own this facility, Did you know whales are always surrounded by friends— dolphins, seals, curious humans?  They are active and raise their children with great tenderness.”

“They entertain like crazy— play with dolphins eat lots of prawns.  They swim all day and travel to fantastic, wonderful places like Patagonia, the Barents Sea, the coral reefs of Polynesia.”

“They sing incredibly well, sometimes even get recorded on CDs.  They are both impressive and dearly loved.  Everyone defends and admires them.”

“Mermaids, on the other hand, do not exist.  They are not real.  They are a fantasy.  But, if they did exist, they would need to line up to see a psychologist because of a split personality problem: woman or fish?”

“Yes, probably they would be lovely.  But it’s also probable they would be lonely, maybe even sad.  After all, who wants to hang out with someone who smells like fish?  So, without a doubt, I would rather be a whale.”

“Any time,” the letter continued, “the media or anyone else tells us that only thin is beautiful, they are wrong.  Personally, I prefer to eat ice cream with kids, have dinner with my spouse, eat and drink and have fun with friends.”

“I believe we women gain weight because we accumulate so much wisdom and knowledge there isn’t enough space in our heads.  Therefore, it spreads all over our bodies.”

“Women of a certain size are not fat.  We are greatly cultivated.  In fact, every time I see my curves in the mirror, I say to myself: ‘How amazing am I?!’”  (Slight pause.)

While weighing too much is not healthy, that is, I hope, an obvious illustration of how the cultural alters reality.  The culture holds up not just impossible ideals.  The culture often prevents reality from sinking in, prevents us from seeing what is right in front of us.  (Slight pause.)

At our Bible Study last Wednesday— by the way anyone is welcome— Bible Study, most Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m.  Choir rehearsal starts at 7:00, so you can join the Choir— they’re great— go from Bible Study to Choir.  It’s a neat transition.  At our Bible Study last Wednesday we took a close look at the Nativity Story from the Matthew reading and compared it with the Nativity Story from Luke heard on Christmas Eve.

(The pastor pulls out a sheet of newsprint and holds it up in front of the pulpit.)  Comparisons— (the pastor points to the two columns on the paper) Luke-Matthew— and we wrote down bunches of things that A) aren’t really there and B) in one but not the other or the other but not the one.  O.K.?  There’s way more than this, this is what we came up with briefly.

Now, we have a cultural image about the Nativity.  And that cultural image is displayed right here in the crèche.  (The pastor walks to the table where the crèche rests and points to the items being addressed.)  Typically, a Nativity Scene has figures representing the infant, Mary and Joseph.

Other characters— shepherds, Magi, angels, animals— they’re all displayed near a manger in a barn.  Sometimes a star and/or an angel hovers near in these scenes.  This cultural image, this crèche, is nearly 100% wrong.

In Luke, there is no star.  There is no stable.  A manger is mentioned but mangers— feeding troughs for animals— are everywhere in this society, not just in stables.  Was the child actually placed in a manger located in a stable?  Perhaps.  But the text of Luke does not say that.

The stable is a figment of our imagination.  Or rather, it was a figment of the imagination of St. Francis of Assisi, who dreamed up the iconic imagery of the crèche in the 13th Century1,300 years after the birth of Christ.

Now, not at the place of the birth but somewhere out in the fields around Bethlehem, one angel addressed some shepherds and then other angels also speak.  But no angels ever sings.  You can hunt all over Luke all over the Nativity passage, no angel ever squeaks out one note.  Last, there are no Magi in Luke no matter what a crèche might suggest.

And that brings us to Matthew.  Matthew is where we find Magi.  The family clearly lives in a house in Bethlehem, so they have not traveled to Bethlehem and may have some means— they’re in a house.  They might even be prosperous.

The three visitors probably come sometime after the birth.  Many scholars think Jesus is a toddler by the time the Magi arrive.

Luke clearly stresses the fact that the birth of the Messiah should be seen as good news for the poor and the outcast.  With Matthew there is palace intrigue and the family has some means and maybe even royal connections.

The Magi are searching for the one born to be ruler of the Jewish people.  The gifts left by them are expensive, suitable for royalty.  (Slight pause.) You see, when we read Scripture carefully, the cultural images we so fondly treasure become hard to sustain.  When we take Scripture seriously— take Scripture seriously, the cultural images we so fondly treasure are hard to sustain.

(The pastor raises a hand.)  Who here wants to take Scripture seriously?  (Slight pause.)  I’ve got two hands in the back— two more up here— O.K.  (Slight pause.)

And these words are from Matthew: “After the birth of Jesus— whose birth happened in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of Herod the Great— Magi, astrologers, from the East arrived in Jerusalem, and asked, ‘Where is the newborn ruler of the Jewish people?  We observed a star at its rising which says this one has been born and have come to offer homage.’” (Slight pause.)

So, if our cultural images about the Nativity are fantasy, made up, what are we supposed to learn from these narratives, from what they really say?  What are we to learn from the two stories?  What are we to learn from the birth being announced to the poor and the outcast and from birth of the one born to be ruler of the Jewish people?  (Slight pause.)

I believe, despite the differences in the stories, despite the reality of the stories, I believe the message is both unified and simple.  Jesus needs to be seen as the climax of the Covenant God made with humanity— a Covenant of love, a Covenant of trust, a Covenant of forgiveness.  Jesus is born as a reassurance that God is with us now and that God is with us always, for all eternity.  Jesus is born to help us grapple with the reality of God.  (Slight pause.)

In a recent discussion with a colleague I said a sound theology deals with reality.  A less than sound theology insists on buying into cultural fantasy or insists on buying into an ideological fantasy or insists on buying into personal fantasy.  The reason the Nativity Stories are there is not to create fantasies of any kind.  The Nativity Stories are there to help us see the reality of God among us.  (Slight pause.)

The culture constantly creates fantasies— fantasies which do not exist, which are not real— fantasies about everything from body image to the Nativity Stories.  (Slight pause.)  Now, I need to be clear about one thing: I like fantasy.

Sometimes people accuse me of being a story teller.  Guilty.  But the point of telling stories— the point of telling stories— is to uncover deeper truth.  The point of telling stories is to uncover and illuminate reality.

Think about this, talking about illuminating reality: in the case of the Nativity Story in Matthew, the Magi are representatives of all gentiles, all non-Jews.  The claim of Matthew is all people are invited to worship the Messiah.

In that sense the Magi pave the way for the invitation made by the Risen Christ— the Risen Christ at the end of Matthew’s Gospel: go— make disciples of all nations.  Better said, or said in a way we can understand— “include the gentiles.  They’re my people too!”  So, the writer of Matthew does nothing more than come full circle by starting with the Magi— come, all people are my people.  Now that’s a story that uncovers a deeper truth.

All of which is to say, the truth revealed by this story is not about three visitors or gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  There is a real theological point with which we need to grapple.  What is that theological reality?

To reiterate: Jesus needs to be seen as the climax of the Covenant God made with humanity— a Covenant of love, a Covenant of trust, a Covenant of forgiveness.  Jesus is born as a reassurance that God is with us now and always, for all eternity.  Jesus is born to help us grapple with the reality of God.  Amen.

01/06/2012 - The Feast of the Epiphany
United Church of Christ, First Congregational, Norwich, New York

ENDPIECE: It is the practice of the Pastor to speak after the Closing Hymn, but before the Congregational Response and Benediction.  This is an précis of what was said: “This is a poem by Howard Thurman.  Its title is The Work of Christmas. ‘When the song of the angels is stilled, / When the star in the sky is gone, / When the kings and princes are home, / When the shepherds are back with their flock, / The work of Christmas begins: / To find the lost, / To heal the broken, / To feed the hungry, / To release the prisoner, / To rebuild the nations, / To bring peace among people, / To make music in the heart.’”

BENEDICTION: Because, O God, You have made Yourself manifest in Jesus, the Christ, begotten from the heart of Your love, Word of Truth, Light of Light, we give You thanks and praise.  You are the light of the world.  Let Your light so shine that all may see the good things You do.  So, remember that God is with us now and always.  Go in peace; go in love; go in Joy; go in hope.  And may we love God so much that we love nothing else too much.  May we be so in awe of God that we are in awe of nothing else and no one else.  Amen.