Following the Star to ... Nazareth?! (a Steve Orr Epiphany reflection)

The Wise Men never made it to Bethlehem.

Wait. What?!

In the Sony animated Christmas film, The Star (which was delightful), some talking animals, following several adventures, eventually join the three Wise Men to greet the newborn Jesus lying in a feed trough (manger) in a Bethlehem stable.

But, talking animals aside, is that what really happened?

Most retellings of the Nativity story follow the same basic plot line as the Sony version: three Wise Men (sometimes called Magi or Kings) travel “from the East” (that is, east of Israel), following a star that, they say, heralds the birth of “the King of the Jews (Messiah).” They head first to Jerusalem, but find only the current king, Herod.

Everyone's interested to know who and where this new King is, especially Herod. So he gathers Israel’s scholars, and they all agree Bethlehem is where the Messiah will be born. The Wise Men then leave Jerusalem and follow “the star” to that stable in Bethlehem where they find Jesus still in the feed trough and bestow their respective gifts.

But, some scholars disagree.

They point out that scripture clearly states (see this week’s Matthew selection) the Wise Men only enter the story “after Jesus was born.” Further, when they finally meet Jesus, it is in a house ... no mangers or animals (talking or otherwise) are present.

There are those who argue that, according to Jewish Law, Jesus was presented at the Temple about 40 days after His birth. This was required for all firstborn sons. They point to the second half of Luke chapter 2 which supports their view and also contains this: “When they had finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.” (Luke 2:39)

So. Could the Wise Men have followed the star to Nazareth instead of Bethlehem? Maybe. There is no real way for us to know. Scripture only tells us they followed the star to a house where “On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage.” (Matthew 2:11)

Wait. What happened to the stable?

I don't suppose we'll ever know. All we really know is that at some point after Jesus was born —days? weeks?— wise men came on pilgrimage from the east based on what they saw in the heavens and they worshiped Jesus.

In other words: some people learned about Jesus and felt they should seek Him out. Leaving behind all that was familiar to them, they began a spiritual journey, following God’s lead. When they found Jesus, they worshiped Him.

Sounds like something anyone could do ... anywhere.

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A very different version of this reflection appeared in January 2013 as “A Little Epiphany of my Own.”
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Image credit: http://www.freebibleimages.org/photos/wise-men/
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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Epiphany of the Lord (January 6, 2018)

Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12


Link to table of readings for the season of Epiphany: https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//lections.php?year=B&season=Epiphany

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The 12 days of Christmas end on January 5th. Lectionary Breakfast meets that morning at the Waco “Egg and I” Restaurant for about an hour. We start at 8:00 and enjoy an hour of prayer, food, discussion, fellowship, and laughter.

No drumming drummers expected ... well, not 12 of them, anyway.

Blessings,
Steve

Revisiting "Amahl and the Night Visitors" (a Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)

I loved Amahl and the Night Visitors.

Do you know it? The story is of a boy and his mother living in Biblical times, not too far from Bethlehem. It's just the two of them. Their circumstances are not very good. The boy has to use a crutch to get around. The mother seems on the verge of exhaustion.

Late one night, there's a knock at the door.

What happens next is the substance of the first opera ever written for television in America. It was written in English for broadcast on the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). When it debuted, it was viewed by the largest audience to ever see a televised opera. Amahl and the Night Visitors was the first network television Christmas special to become an annual tradition.

In time, Amahl and his mother discover that their visitors are kings. They had traveled far and were tired. They asked for permission to rest in the home of Amahl and his mother. As the story unfolds, we learn, along with Amahl and his mother, that these kings are on their way to Bethlehem where they believe they will find a very special child, one that "the heavens" had identified as the "King off the Jews."

I can't recommend this strongly enough. It is a performance that is both endearing and mesmerizing. It captured my attention, fully.

Maybe that's because it is part of my childhood. Or maybe it's because it was the first time I was made to think of the "wise men" as actual people, people who interacted with other people. In any case, it was certainly the first time I recall thinking of a Biblical "character" as a real person, someone who did all the things I do; eat, sleep, have feelings, hurt, have infirmities, be protective of others, be tired, desire things, care about other real people, want to connect with God.

There have been many books, plays, and electronic productions about the Magi who visited the young Jesus. Sometimes they are referred to as kings, sometimes as wise men, sometimes as stargazers; but regardless of their title, people tend to think of them as being three in number. Scripture doesn't speak to this, so we don't know how many there were, only that "they" were plural and that they came later, not the night of Jesus' birth.

That "later" bit is part of the reason we have Epiphany on the church calendar at a later date than Christmas. Epiphany is the day set aside to recognize and celebrate the visitation of the Magi. Epiphany Eve is celebrated on January 5th, the "Twelfth Day of Christmas" of song fame (Drummers drumming, for those of you keeping score), with the observance of Epiphany falling on the 6th (or often on the nearest Sunday).

And, though you might not know it, Epiphany is one of the most important dates to us modern christians. While Christmas, with its announcement to those rowdy shepherds, represents when Christ was introduced to the Jewish people, Epiphany, with its Magi visitation, represents when Christ was first revealed to non-Jews.

Watching Amahl and the Night Visitors made the story of Jesus' birth come to life for me ... though Jesus is not in it. Neither are Mary and Joseph. Because it is the story of rather ordinary people encountering the extraordinary (in the form of Magi), it is the story of all of us. It portrays what it might have been like for us if we had been there.

Just some folks showing hospitality (with the little they possessed) to people on their way to an encounter with the Lord ... and then joining them on the journey.

Sound familiar?

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Epiphany of the Lord (January 6, 2017)
First reading
Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Second reading
Ephesians 3:1-12
Gospel
Matthew 2:1-12

Here is the link to the table of readings for this Epiphany Season, including Sunday, January 8th (January 6 - February 26, 2017): http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/lections.php?year=A&season=Epiphany
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Join us Friday morning at Lectionary Breakfast as we begin a new year. We still meet at the Waco "Egg and I" restaurant, start at 8:00 and wrap up around 9:00.

Visitors always welcome.

Blessings,
Steve

A Little Epiphany Of My Own

(a reflection for Epiphany by Steve Orr)

What I'm trying to figure out is what brought about the change. I know there was a change, but when and why are not clear. Somehow, though, it seems to be tied in with the Magi.

You all know the story, I think, from Matthew 2: the Magi (wise men) show up and throw fear into the whole of Jerusalem with all their talk about the birth of the King of the Jews (Messiah). Everyone's interested to know who and where this new King is, especially the CURRENT King, Herod.

There's another, more subtle concern here, as well. Rome rules much of the known world, including Israel. The idea that the long desired Messiah may actually have arrived is both exciting and frightening. And one big question on the minds of those in leadership? What actions would Rome take if their puppet king were replaced with an ACTUAL king, one chosen by God?

The word is that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. King Herod decides he may need to take some action, but he can't afford to look weak, so he secretly asks the Magi to report back after they check out Bethlehem.

I love this next part.

But not for the reasons you may think.

"They (the Magi), having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:9-11 WEB)

Did you see it?

When the Magi arrived in Bethlehem, they followed the star to where it stopped, and they went "into the house" to encounter Mary and Jesus.

Wait. What happened to the stable?

At some point, someone made a decision to move Jesus, Joseph, and Mary out of the barn and into the house! I can't help but wonder why. The birth-night invasion of rowdy shepherds? All the subsequent talk in the village? Or did decency assert itself and someone finally realize what a petty (ugly?) thing it was to force a new mother and baby to stay in a cave with the animals?

I don't suppose we'll ever know. All we really know is that at some point after Jesus was born--days? weeks?--wise men came on pilgrimage from the east based on what they saw in the heavens and they worshiped Jesus in Bethlehem.

In a house.

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http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu
READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Epiphany of the Lord (January 6, 2013)

Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12

Relative Hospitality

Relative Hospitality
(a brief Lectionary reflection at Advent by Steve Orr)

When I was young, vacations usually went something like this. We kids would be awakened sometime in the night or very early morning (all I can recall is that it was dark and I was sleepy). Our parents would herd us into (or perhaps carry us to) the back of the station wagon where we would find a pallet of blankets nestled in among the luggage. Once we hit those blankets, that's the last we knew until well past sunup.

Depending on how our family was doing with money at the time, and just as often on my dad's mood, we might or might not stop to eat at a roadside diner. It was quite common for them to have packed several bologna sandwiches, potato salad, and Jello into Tupperware containers (lids carefully placed and burped to ensure freshness) so we would not have to stop for meals.

We might be headed to Florida, Tennessee, Louisiana, or Michigan; we might stop to see things along the way or Dad might be so focused we would have to beg him to make bathroom stops; but one thing was certain: there was always a relative at the other end of our journey.

We stayed with family. That was our way. There might be a guest room for the adults; but even if not, there were always places for us to stay (maybe a foldout couch or a trundle bed, maybe in a den or basement-cum-family room), even if only on the ever-handy pallet of blankets on the floor. There was always room for visitors. I was a married man before I took a family vacation that did not involve staying with relatives at some point in the vacation.

For most of us, it is still the same, today. We call it hospitality, but with family it is almost a given. Family tends to take care of family. When they're in town, they stay with us.

So, with the foregoing in mind, I have to wonder: why were Joseph and Mary looking for an inn? Why weren't they staying with family? We have this mental picture of the two of them: Mary astride a donkey, Joseph holding the rope, both looking forlorn as the Innkeeper informs them there is no room (perhaps due to the influx of people in town to register for the Emperor's census).

That picture is unlikely.

First, Bethlehem is only five miles outside Jerusalem. It's a long walk, but it is unlikely there was a need in Bethlehem for what we think of as an "inn." While there were open-air enclosures along the major trade routes where travelers could stop for the night, don't think "Inn of the Prancing Pony"; more like "biker bar." Not the kind of place a respectable Jewish man would take his pregnant fiancé for the night.

No, the word we usually translate as "inn" is better translated as "guest room," something every Jewish home had (even the poorest of one-room homes had a partitioned area where guests could bed down for the night).

The other matter is the fact that scripture says, "While they were there, the time came for her baby to be born." It's not that they showed up in Bethlehem only to be shuttled to a nearby barn just in time for Jesus to be born. They were already in town, probably staying with some of Joseph's relatives, but they were not welcome into one of the family guest rooms (unmarried? pregnant? perceived to be adulterous? ... you fill in the reason).

But someone finally decides that even though the couple has, apparently, broken some pretty serious Jewish laws, such a pregnant girl can't be forced to stay out in the open. So, taking pity, they put the couple in the cave with the animals. It's protected from the weather, and, perhaps just as importantly, from the prying eyes of the neighbors.

It's not a pretty story, but it is much more consistent with having the unsavory shepherds (those low men) show up to be the human heralds of the Messiah. Low key, low station, low people. A fitting birth scenario for the kind of king who would someday ride into the capital city on the back of a donkey rather than a warhorse and then usher in a new kingdom by ignobly dying on a cross.

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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
Fourth Sunday of Advent (December 18, 2011)
2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Luke 1:46b-55 or Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:26-38