SEEING THE STAR

When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. – Matthew 2:10-11

On January 6, many Christians around the world observed the Feast of the Epiphany, commemorating the divine encounter experienced by the three wise ones from the East. These hopeful pilgrims have journeyed throughout the Christmas season, following a star from above, to finally arrive at the manger, where Jesus lay with the Holy Family. As depicted by countless Nativity scenes, these kings ride in on camels, come bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and are joined by shepherds and angels. With these travelers in place, the crèche is now complete (just in time, ironically, to be packed away for next year!).

In many cultures, Epiphany is about as epic as Christmas Day – for this feast marks the moment humanity comes to see God face-to-face. Jesus may have already been born, but the true point of impact – of transformation – is found in this holy encounter. The journey of these wise ones represents the hopes of any person of the faith – that one day, they too, will see God in the flesh.

But, to do so, we must take a step back. To the road. To what got us here.

I have been reading a book on cosmology lately, so it is no surprise that this Epiphany I have been drawn to the star, that mysterious guide from above. In order for these pilgrims to find their way, they must look up, look out, look beyond. They would not have been able to navigate the journey without doing so. Not only that, they must have seen the star more clearly in the darkness. This is so beyond my zone of comfort; outside of my norm.

Left to their own devices, the travelers remain lost. If they relied solely on themselves - even if they looked ahead – they would be little more than wanderers. And if they turned to one another for guidance, the road would still be unclear. They had to look up, out, and beyond for guidance. They had to leave themselves in order to get direction; find a pathway to God.

This spiritual discipline is often lost on me. For I get caught up in my own world, my own rituals and routines, my own navigational abilities. I get stymied by my own passions, interests, friend groups, wants and desires; my own truth, knowledge, and insight. I get waylaid by my own pride, need to be in control, lack of trust. In doing so, the star becomes elusive.

Along with the wise ones, we must have the courage to look up, out, and beyond. For guidance, a way forward, an alley to the divine. We must even have the fortitude to do so in times of darkness, gloom, and despair. For it is perhaps the opportune time to see the light of God in more clear ways.

The Season of Epiphany is one of discovery, hope in the midst of despair, and light breaking through darkness. But without the wherewithal to look up, we may miss the star that longs to show us the manger.
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Founded in 1960, Berkeley is an independent, Episcopal, college-preparatory day school located in Tampa, FL, for boys and girls in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12. Approximately 1,400 students gather here from the greater Tampa Bay area to form ONE Berkeley.