What do we really know of the Magi? Scripture tells us about the travelers? They come from East and follow a star. They will pay tribute to the child that they see the king of the Jews, bring him gifts. Then go. It was only much later that the tradition has seen them three and gave them names: Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar. She saw in them the ambassadors of the pagan nations in recognizing the newborn Jesus a king.
The word Magi is questionable as to its meaning: priests, magicians, astrologers. Presumably these men were used to observe the sky. And it is in the sky they noticed a star unusual, so unusual that they set off to follow him. Did they know where the light was going to drive?
These mages, scholars may have relied. They abandoned their convictions, some of them know, to go to meet the unknown.
arrived in Jerusalem, they do encounter a king, but not the star designation. And again they have confidence. They listened to the scribes, those themselves who, through their knowledge of scripture, should have to march to go, them, honor their king.
travelers are finally in Bethlehem of Judea, the promised child. King. But not a king dressed in purple, covered with gold. No, they came to see a newborn child, dressed in swaddling clothes and lying in the straw. It is they, the magicians who will give him gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Finally, making once again rely on these signs to guide them, they listen to the dream of a night and go back to their country by another road, and disobedient to King Herod, but obedient the voice of God.
Trust. Watch and listen signs, then return to her daily, but marked by the meeting of the incarnation of the promise of God. That's what makes this story. If these scholars had special knowledge, they agreed to listen to their heart, and from there into the unknown to make a meeting that changed their lives. They agreed to dispose of their wealth, to be led by some sign that was beyond them.
Today, for each of us, this story has something to say. What do we know about our future, days, weeks or months come. Are we not like the Magi, walking into the unknown? But as the wise men, we do not walk blindly. We follow a sign given by God: love of God has taken shape in Jesus Christ. And we live by faith, this promise that the same Jesus Christ is with us always until the end of the world.
Even today, these wise men invite us to go after them, trusting. Ready to get rid of too reassuring certainties to go humbly to meet the Lord. Day after day, in the most ordinary of our everyday lives, God gives us signs of his presence and his promise Love: a meeting, a word, a glance, a gesture exchanged are many concrete signs that remind us of his love. Renewed love and visible as far as we open our heart to welcome ... Just as the Magi from the East.
0 comments:
Post a Comment