Visitors from the East: Matthew 2:1-12
Imaginative Contemplation
Enter into the scene
Our journey to Jerusalem holds many mysterious memories for me. I had been studying the stars with my two friends for some years, convinced that they had a message for us in our time. This seemed a strange sign for me, as I am blind and had to rely on my friends to tell me what they see. They can see physically, but I seem to be able to understand the meaning behind what they see.
There was one star that seemed to be different. Its twinkling seemed to beckon us forward to a new age, a new King who would bring salvation to our troubled world. On many a night we spent hours together, watching and musing. Then one night the star seemed to move, beckoning us to follow. So we saddled our camels and set out for an unknown destination. Once we arrived in Judea, it seemed logical to go to Jerusalem. Then the star disappeared behind the clouds.
Up till then we were able to see where to go, but now with the star no longer visible, we had to work out what the next step would be. From our calculations, the star had indicated the birth of a new King. Jerusalem has a royal family, so it seemed right to go and meet with them.
The King was alarmed, and questioned us deeply, and then consulted with the chief priests and wisdom men to find out anything about a new Messiah king. They confirmed that there was a prophecy that spoke of the birth of a Messiah King who would save his people. Bethlehem was named as the place of birth. Herod hurried back to us and told us that we would need to go to Bethlehem. “When you have found the new King, please come back and tell me all about him, so that I too can go and worship him,” he said.
Reassured by this knowledge, we set out for Bethlehem, and then we saw the star again! We hurried on, and as we entered the town, the star seemed to sparkle more vividly and hovered over a small house. We made our way to this place, and found a little baby with his mother. Hardly a King! And yet there was something about him, beyond our human senses that convinced us that we had found the Messiah. After our long journey, we knelt before this Baby who was destined to change the world. After we had offered our gifts to the family, we found a place to stay for the night. I had a vivid dream, warning me not to go back to Jerusalem, so in the morning after I had shared my dream with my companions, we decided to go home directly, avoiding Jerusalem.
For further reflection
Discuss with Jesus the following points:
· Do I have friends with whom I can share ideas and projects?
· Do I have the courage to act on intuitions directing me to do something new in my life?
· What happens when my ‘star’ disappears?
· Herod felt threatened by the idea of a new king. Do I feel threatened when someone seems to be smarter or more popular than I am?
· ‘Go home by a different way.’ Can I live in the present moment, leaving the past behind and trusting the future to God?
Prayer
Lord, help me to follow the star in my life, your star of truth and love. Amen.