Epiphany sermon for Pinelands Conference

 

Matthew 2:1018

In the early days of 2010, Mike and I entered Egypt and discovered a wondrous world, where Epiphany is a major celebration for the country, not just the Christians. We were there before the Arab Spring in 2011 that changed politics so much in the Arab world.

January 7 in Egypt is Coptic Christmas. In part, it’s because Coptic (so Egyptian) and Orthodox churches follow the Julian calendar, and everything churchy is on a different day. And in part it’s because most Egyptians are proud of the welcome offered to the holy family so long ago. And … the tradition of the holy family’s stay in Egypt brings in tourists, and tourists’ dollars.

The story told in Matthew is loaded with information, even if it is legend and not 100% true. We learn that Matthew intends for us to recognize Jesus as the fulfillment of ancient promises, the continuation of God’s loving covenantal relationship with God’s people.

We learn that if Jesus is to be like Moses, and come out of Africa, there has to be a way to get him to Egypt.

We learn that Jesus welcomes all from his very birth, including foreigners. We also learn that foreigners honor Jesus in return.

We learn that God often speaks to us in dreams, and we are wise to pay attention to these messages. Joseph and the Magi all dreamed of danger and sought safety.

We learn that God provides, since the gifts of the Magi would allow the family to travel in some comfort and safety from Bethlehem to Cairo.

We learn that Herod, like many ancient and contemporary rulers, will stop at nothing to make sure they can get in power and stay in power.

… These gifts of gold and expensive fragrances were political gifts. They were intended to glorify a new-born ruler, to recognize his power in the world, his place in the world order.

While the Magi saw wonderful possibilities for the future, Herod saw this baby as a present threat. There is no documentation in public records of Herod’s order that hundreds of young children be slaughtered. But it is within his character to have done so, to protect himself and the status quo.

This striving for power at all costs is something we are seeing done today, as Putin orders his army to invade Ukraine and slaughter civilians, including women and children. As Chi Jinping and Kim Jong Un threaten invasions of their own. As gangs have taken over Haiti. As millions of refugees flee violence in many parts of Africa and South and Central America. As Israelis and Palestinians have yet to figure out how to share space and power.

… While the world wrestles with the reality of violence and the attempts to gain control and power and wealth, there are at the same time efforts to find peace, or at least cooperation. The leaders of nations still offer each other gifts. Sometimes it’s a gold figurine, or a piece of jewelry.

A couple weeks ago, it was a flag with the signatures of Ukrainian soldiers brought straight from the battlefield by Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky to the US Congress. In exchange, he received a boxed, brand new American flag, and the potential for more American support for the defense of his country.

… Luke and Matthew both tell the story of Jesus born into a time when violence and uncertainty were facts of life. Indeed, the whole Bible tells stories of God’s presence and activity with God’s people during times of violence and uncertainty. It sure seems like things haven’t changed much!

Let’s recall what we can know for sure from the story in Matthew:

·       Even when life is uncertain or dangerous, God is present with us

·       God wants to communicate with us as clearly as possible

·       God welcomes all

·       Sometimes God speaks in dreams or through others

·       God provides

·       It is good to give gifts, and those gifts can come in handy

Some of us at University Lutheran meet weekly on Zoom for conversation and prayer. A recent prayer was that we are able to find the joy of the season in the midst of so much distress and chaos.

I remind you that Mary and Joseph, and the homeowners and the shepherds and the angels and the midwives (who must have been there!) and the magi all rejoiced at this birth. They held him and cuddled him and felt God’s love shining like stars through him.

Let’s breathe in God’s presence and shine like stars, too, so everyone can tell there is more to life than chaos. There is love and joy and so much light we can see it shining everywhere, if we look for it. Amen

 

Being a Magi

Matthew 2:1-12

Each week, after the Sunday sermon is finished, I look at the texts for the following Sunday, reading them through several times. When I go to bed, I let my mind play with them, repeating some of the verses or at least parts of the story to see what pops up as a highlight this year.

I was doing that with the Gospel text, using a meditation tool I learned many years ago. I asked myself, “Who am I in the story?” And the same answer kept coming for the next few days: I am a Magi.

Let me ask – how many of you have been a magi or king in holiday plays? How many magi are there?  Do you remember their names? Are these trick questions? Yes! … Eastern tradition states that there were 12 magi. Western Tradition has stated that there were 2 or 3. Usually we think of 3 magi, and each magi came representing a different region: Caspar or Gaspar of India, Melchior of Persia/ Babylon, Balthasar of Arabia / Syria.

Matthew reports 3 gifts but does not specify how many magi there were, and he only says they came from the east, but not from any particular place. Many scholars today believe they came from Persia, which was a region of Parthia, which was a rival kingdom to Rome.

If a contingent of leaders from Parthia entered Jerusalem, they would have been a large group, surrounded by a military detachment. Imagine when our Senators Congresspersons travel! They do not go alone!

These magi and their company would have been feared by the citizens, and yet welcomed immediately into Herod’s court, where Herod himself would have talked with them. He would have known who these folks were – powerful leaders, and the Parthian King’s representatives.

… Because of the Babylonian conquest and the removal of the people of Israel to the east, Persians were very aware of the Jewish religion. Only some of the Jews returned home; many of them stayed in Babylon. The stories of the Prophet Daniel, Esther, and Nehemiah were known and studied because they were written in Persia. A large portion of the book of Daniel was written in Persian.

I was surprised to read that “Magi” is a Persian word, from magoi. The magi were advisors and dignitaries in the court of the Persian king. They were priests in the Zoroastrian religion, and actively looking for an event such as the birth of Jesus.

According to Wikipedia, Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest religions. It is monotheistic, has a good-and-evil dualistic cosmology, a belief in free will and judgment after death, a concept of heaven, hell, angels, and demons.

It is easy to see influences of Zoroastrianism on Judaism, Buddhism, and Greek philosophy. Zoroastrianism is a forerunner religion to Islam, which reveres Jesus as a prophet and honors Mary as one of the most righteous women to have ever lived. Perhaps this visit by the magi is part of the reason.

So, why did the Magi travel to visit Jesus and leave him gifts? For the purpose expressed in Matthew: to worship him.  From their studies, they knew he was more than a king. They knew he was God.

… Since I am always trying to find places where women are missing from the story, I wondered if it was possible that there were women among the Magi who traveled to Bethlehem. I found that it was indeed possible. Those who know ancient languages explain that the term Magi could refer to both male and female sages.

There is also the possibility that Matthew thought about the visit from the Queen of Sheba, a woman seeking wisdom, who brought gifts fit for a king. Having leaders from Parthia visit Jesus would remind readers of that time of the similar story.

As I looked up this particular question, I found this predictable quip – “Of course there was a woman with them. They stopped to ask for directions!”

… So, OK. The Magi probably were a large group of religious leaders, both women and men, surrounded by soldiers to guard the people and the treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They came to worship baby Jesus, which they would do only if he were indeed God. I can now find my place among them. I can see myself visiting the holy family and worshiping baby Jesus.

And, so what difference does this story make in our everyday lives? Here, we can refer to the traditional interpretation – they were non-Jewish people who came to worship Jesus. They saw him as more than a human baby; they saw him as divine. The family welcomed these foreign visitors and gladly accepted their gifts.

From the beginning, Jesus welcomes foreigners and values them. During his lifetime, he frequently interacts with non-Jewish people, with women, with children, even though the culture discouraged such activity. He treats jew and non-Jew, poor and wealthy, powerless and powerful with the same respect – even though he challenges the attitudes of the wealthy toward the poor. With the rare exception of the Canaanite woman, Jesus connects with all people as equals.

Aren’t we called to do the same? As we begin a new year, let’s be sure we are following Jesus’ example of welcoming all, whether we are at home or far away. And let’s be modern Magi, worshiping Jesus whether we travel 5 miles, or 5,000 miles from home.

Amen