Seating arranged for monastic community at Advent Service

With the School preparing to depart for its Christmas break, the themes of Abbot Michael Brunner’s Advent Reflection led us through the season to Christmas, and to the Epiphany of the Lord to the Three Wise Men – and to each of us.

We are all familiar with this story of the visit of the magi to the child Jesus. It is as much the story of preparation for the birth of Jesus as it is a story of their visit to him after he was born. If they were indeed magi, they came from the land of Persia, far to the east of Bethlehem and Palestine. Mountains and deserts separated these two lands, so it would have taken a great deal of preparation and a great deal of time for the magi to travel from their home to Bethlehem. That preparation would have first required them to notice the signs that Jesus, the Messiah the savior of the world was born. But the magi were not of the Jewish faith. But they were of another monotheistic religion that also anticipated a world Savior sent by God into the world. So they were attuned to signs sent by God, looked for such signs that alerted them that this longed for event had happened, not in Persia where they expected it, but in an insignificant and unexpected place to the west. But that didn’t matter. What did matter was that the savior had finally been born, and so they undertook a long and arduous journey which would have taken them up the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers into Syria and then down the kings road into Palestine. And now it was for the people in Jerusalem to be surprised when these unexpected visitors, came from the east after a long journey with the very surprising news that a savior king the one the Jewish people had been waiting for had been born.

This is a great metaphor for all people of faith. Life is a journey, and a search for what is true, good and beautiful. This king was indeed born in an unlikely place. The magi began this journey by going to the wrong place. It was the logical place – Jerusalem. Where else would the king of the Jews be born? But it’s the wrong place. God does not do things or judge things the way we would. Signs are sent by God to be recognized. The magi were people who studied the stars. So God sent them a new star. God sends us signs that we can understand. God can and does use almost any event in life, good or bad, to get us on our way in search of our Savior, in search of truth, to warn us of danger, to point out our vocation or the good He wishes us to accomplish. We just have to be alert to recognize these signs.

Now the magi knew what was appropriate for the king they were searching for. So they brought and presented gifts. Gold, frankincense and myrrh were symbolic, and other than the gold, not very useful and even the gold would not have been appreciated by the child. But with gifts, it’s the thought that counts. We give gifts to each other on Christmas, and ideally we try to give gifts that someone will appreciate or use. But even if we receive something we don’t appreciate, the offering of a gift is a sign of love.

I remember as a small child that my father would present me with gifts at Christmas and birthdays of small, colorful pieces of paper: US Savings Bonds. They were meaningless to me when I was five, but very useful and appreciated when I cashed them in at age 21. The gifts we have received from God, all our talents and advantages in life, are meant to be handed on, used and given for others, for the building up of what we call the kingdom of God. If we keep them to ourselves it would be like me burying those bonds in the ground and never cashing them in. We all have many gifts to share that cost us nothing but our time and interest in others who need us. And Jesus has told us that whatever we do to or give to others, we do or give to him.

Now after presenting their gifts, the magi received a warning to go back home another way. They returned home by a different road from which they came, because they were warned not to return to Herod, who did not appreciate this news of a Savior King, a king who would be destined to replace him. But their returning home by another road also has a symbolic significance. The magi, after all, were forever changed by their encounter with the Christ child. They would never be the same.

They return home as different, changed people, and so it is only fitting that they travel by another road. When we truly experience God, are converted… When we have a real spiritual experience or any deep experience, we are changed…we grow. The warning they received, and the warning Mary and Joseph received, was a warning to flee from danger. God also gives us signs also to avoid and run away from danger, particularly spiritual danger which kills our souls more so than our bodies. Evil will always oppose what is good, and evil is not always obvious. Herod welcomed the magi with open arms, warm words and a smile on his face but he had evil murderous intentions. There are plenty of Herod’s in the world today who would do us spiritual harm and destroy the kingdom that Jesus, the church and all people of goodwill seek to build. At Christmas we celebrate God’s coming into the world and becoming a human being so that you and I human beings could become like God and combat the King Herod’s of the world. At Christmas we celebrate God’s coming into the world by which he finally defeated Herod and all such kings for eternity. May we give back to God the gifts that he has given us to accomplish this important work that will take us to the end of our journey back to endless and boundless happiness with him.

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Creche scene at the Lourdes Grotto at Portsmouth