Seeing the Face of Love
Isaiah 60:1-6    Matthew 2:1-12
Epiphany    January 6, 2008

We know so much of this story, that it can be difficult to allow
ourselves to hear it as if for the first time.  This version of the
story of the wise men, by Ralph Milton, may help to bring it in
through a new entryway in our minds

The Magi – we have seen the face of love."

"I don't feel well."
           "Breathe deeply, Caspar, and keep your eye on the horizon.
You'll feel better." There was a hint of impatience in the old man's
voice. This conversation had been repeated every day for a month.
           "It's all right for you, Melchior," the younger Caspar
moaned. "You're used to these ghastly beasts. Why aren't we riding
horses? They don't sway like camels and they don't stink like camels."
           "Stop complaining," Balthasar joined the conversation. "Get
down and walk for awhile, if you must. We're on a journey to find
God's chosen one, and you can't talk about anything except your queasy
insides."
           Caspar was silenced but he wasn't convinced. He was the
junior member of the trio of Magi, on a long journey of faith from
their comfortable home in Persia to . . .  Caspar had no idea where
to.
           Months before, he had stood with the older astrologers in
the clear night of the desert, gazing at the stars, studying their
movements, until one day they all agreed, there was a sign.
           "Do you see it," Melchior said breathlessly. "Mesori, or
Sirius, the dog star is rising with the sun. Do you see its
brilliance?"
           "Mesori!" Caspar said the words with excitement. "The name
means 'birth of a prince.'"
           "It is said by the wise ones of many nations that a king
will be born in Judea."
           "Then we must go and search for this king," said Balthasar.
"We must go now and pay homage to this king of all kings."
           So here they were, trekking across the desert on camels
that gave Caspar motion sickness. They had been underway for a month
now, and it seemed to Caspar that the only thing that kept them going
was grim determination. Caspar would have turned and headed home long
ago, but he didn't know the way back. Besides, alone in the
wilderness, he would soon have been robbed and killed by a passing
brigand. So Caspar commanded his camel to kneel, got off, and walked
for awhile. It helped a little, but Caspar could think of a thousand
things he would rather be doing.
           Melchior's annoyance had melted into indulgent concern.
"Patience, young Caspar," he said. "Tomorrow we will be in Jerusalem.
There we will ask their sages for advice on where to search."
           "I'm not looking forward to Jerusalem," said Balthasar. "We
must be wary of King Herod. He is a sick and jealous tyrant. I have
heard that in his jealousy, Herod killed two of his wives and three of
his sons."
           "Caesar Augusutus of Rome has said that it is safer to be
Herod's pig than to be Herod's son." A disgusted smile crossed
Melchior's face. Caspar shuddered a little, partly from the cold
evening air, partly in anticipation of the visit to Jerusalem.
           Oozing charm, Herod entertained the astrologers lavishly.
He brought in his best astrologers as consultants, and determined that
this new and great king was to be born in the city of David.
           "Great David's greater son is to be born in Bethlehem, the
least of the cities of Judah," one of the Jewish astrologers
pronounced, after much consultation and searching of ancient texts.
           "But there are no noble families in Bethlehem from which a
king might be born," Herod protested.
           "Some of the ancients have written that God's chosen one
will be of humble birth," one of the sages replied.
           Herod harrumphed a few times. "Well, sages have been
mistaken before and may well be mistaken again." Herod was being
elaborately indulgent. "So for tonight, rest awhile, and tomorrow go
and find this young child that is born. And if...when you find the
child, come and tell me so that I may go and worship him also."
           A servant led the three astrologers to their quarters. As
soon as the door was closed, Melchior whispered with fear and urgency.
"We must go now. Tonight!. We will wait until deep in the night. Then
we will go so that we reach Bethlehem at dawn."
           "Why?" Caspar asked.
           "Bethlehem is only one or two hours from here. We must go
and find the child before Herod does." Caspar saw the fear and concern
in the two older men. They had not been fooled by Herod's pretense.
           It was several hours past midnight when they left Jerusalem
– pushing, whipping their reluctant camels. "There must be many
newborn children in Bethlehem," said Caspar. "How will we know which
is God's chosen one?"
           "Look!" Balthasar's whisper was almost a shout. A star had
arisen in the east just as the first red glow of the sun brightened
the sky. "And it's right over that house. There. That one on the
hillside. Do you see it? It is Mesori leading us to the prince. To
God's chosen one."
           A few more whips against the camels flank and they were
there. "Is anyone home?" Caspar called as he knocked on the door.
           A frightened and somewhat pale man appeared at the door.
"We have come in search of God's chosen one," said Melchior. "The
sages, and God's star have led us here."
           "A child has been born here," Joseph said cautiously. "He
is a child like any child. But you may come and see him."
           There was a long, full, silence as the wise and wealthy
astrologers looked at the child that was any child and all children,
at the mother who was any mother and all mothers, at Joseph who was
any man and all men.
           Caspar was the first to kneel. Before the child he placed a
small bag of gold. "The gift of gold is for thee, O infant king."
           Balthasar knelt beside him. "I bring thee frankincense, a
sweet perfume, for thou art God's high priest."
           Old Melchior was the last to kneel. His eyes filled with
tears as he said, "And I must bring thee myrrh, to prepare thy body
for burial. Because thou art chosen of God, many who fear and hate
thee will seek to kill thee."
           The look of fear crossed Joseph's face again. Melchior
motioned him to follow. "Farewell, and God be with you," he said to
Mary.
           Outside the old man whispered urgently to Joseph, who then
moved quickly back into the house. Balthasar was already on his mount.
"On your camel, Caspar," Melchior commanded. "We must leave quickly."
           "Couldn't we stay, just for an hour or so. I hardly got a
look at the baby, and besides, I'm tired."
           "Evil is strong, Caspar!" Melchior spoke with sadness.
"Evil is strong and when God sends such a gift of love into the world,
evil will try hard to destroy it. Evil lives in the hearts of the
Herods and all like him who put their trust in wealth and power. Evil
cannot live in the presence of love, and so always seeks to destroy
it."
           "But we have seen the face of God's love," said young
Caspar. "I saw it in the face of that child. That child is God's
chosen one, don't you think."
           The old man smiled broadly through his fear. He reached out
and gave the younger man a gentle hug.
As you may know, last weeks reading in the lectionary told of Herod's
order that all children under the age of two be killed, so the wise
men knew the evil of which they spoke, and did the best they could in
protecting the Christ Child.  But nothing could be done to protect all
of the other innocent victims of Herod's fear. This is often the case
when fear over-rules love.  Love may be stronger, but if we allow fear
to hold even the smallest amount of sway, it can counteract much that
we might hope to accomplish through love.
In the New Year, we become particularly aware that we have the
opportunity of making choices from a clean slate.  Odds that may seem
insurmountable in the middle of the year and in the thick of things,
somehow seem possible when viewed from the perspective of a fresh
start.  Given the opportunity offered to us by this New Year, I wonder
if it might be possible for us to choose love?  Is it possible for us
to recognize some of life's larger choices for what they really are –
opportunities to choose between love or fear.  I think if we phrased
things in this way and asked ourselves, "do I want to live in the
shadow of fear, or in the light of love?" then we might come up with
some creative approaches to the problems that present themselves to
us.  In the birth of the Christ Child, we have seen the face of God's
love.  Now the question that presents itself to us is, are we willing
to live differently because of what we have seen?

God, we have followed your light.  May this journey we have undertaken
make us different in ways that matter.  We have seen your love in the
Christ Child's gaze.  May this glimpse into the depths of love change
everything else we see as well.  Guide us as we move through the
world.  Guide us in our choices each and every day.  May we be a
source of your love and light in the world.  Amen.