Starting with Isaiah 60:1-6 and Matthew 2:1-12, we hear the familiar story of the Magi, but we focus on the light coming into the world rather than the specific actions in the story.
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“Arise! Shine! Your light has come; the Lord’s glory has shone upon you” (Isaiah 60:1, CEB).
One of the key motifs for Epiphany is light. We read Isaiah’s words about the light that has come into the world. We hear of God’s glory shining. We read about radiance in the presence of God. And we have the story of the star which guided the Magi
We’ve seen this metaphor of light throughout the Advent and Christmas narratives.
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined” (Isaiah 9:2, NRSV).
“In him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it” (John 1:4-5, NRSV).
Jesus, the light of the world, the light of God’s glory has come into the world. This is what we celebrate at Christmas -- the feast of the nativity, the birth of Jesus. And then the Christmas season continues to Epiphany. At Epiphany we celebrate Jesus becoming known to the world.
In the birth stories, the knowledge of Jesus coming into the world is often limited--obviously Mary, family members and relations. Even the shepherds are Jews, members of the people of God.
But at Epiphany, we celebrate God becoming known outside the expected boundaries. At Epiphany we celebrate not only the birth of the light, but God’s glory becoming available and known to all. And so we read about the Magi, wise ones from far off lands that come when they recognize the glory of God coming into the world. Other years, we read the story of the wedding at Cana when Jesus performs his first miracle by turning water into wine and making himself known to the servants of the household and others.
And again, this is a continuation of the same story. As Isaiah tells us, “nations will come to your light” (Isaiah 60:3a, CEB). Jesus comes into the world as a light for all nations, not just for some. And so God’s glory become known beyond the land’s of the Hebrew people.
This year, we have the story of the Magi who have come from far off lands to give honor to the newborn king. Frequently we focus on their journey from afar and their interaction with Herod. These Magi followed the star, and, as they drew near, they expected others to be aware of this important birth. They came to the city at the center of Jewish life to ask where they can find the king. Herod is surprised and worried, so he finds out what the scriptures say, and then he makes the devious request for the Magi to return to tell him exactly where they find the king. But they are warned of his treachery and go home another way.
But this year, I was struck by the motif of light. As Isaiah had foretold, the Magi from other lands had recognized the light of Christ coming into the world. I was left wondering how their encounter with that light changed them. Did they recognize that this light was important for more than the Jews? Were they changed for the better by their encounter with the light? Did they carry a reflection of that light with them as they returned to their own lands?
It brought to mind the candlelight services many of us celebrate on Christmas Eve. In the church I currently serve, we have a tradition of lighting a candle from the Christ candle at the center of the Advent wreath. Then that light is taken out into the gathered congregation to light other candles. The light spreads along each row until all the candles are lit. We each wind up with our own candles, but the light of all of our candles started with the single light of Christ. And then all of our candles together light the entire worship space.
The light of Christ that we carry within us is the same. Just as we all received a bit of light from the Christ candle on Christmas Eve and created a light to brighten the darkness, so we all together share the light of Christ in our lives today to bring light into a world still struggling with darkness.
Individually, that light we carry may not seem like much in the face of a world we see as filled with darkness, much as a single candle in a large room cannot light the entire space. But the dark cannot extinguish the flame either. And if we join our flames with others, together we can make light the places of darkness in our world.
There are a few quotes in recent Star Wars films that really highlight this message for me. In “The Last Jedi,” pilot Poe Dameron makes the comment that the small group left after a devastating attack is a spark that will light a fire. Just as a single candle can light many others, a single spark can bring light and warmth by starting a fire.
As we consider our call to be the church in the world, to be light to a world filled with darkness, the idea of us carrying a spark pairs well with a quote from the newest Star Wars movie. In “The Rise of Skywalker,” an old friend of Poe Dameron’s is trying to encourage him when he is feeling defeated and abandoned. She tells him that this is one of the ways that the darkness wins, by convincing us that we are alone.
When we think about the darkness in the world and how inadequate our own individual lights may feel, it can feel overwhelming. But only when we think (or are convinced) that we have to do it all alone. When we recognize we are not alone, when we realize we do not need to be the only mirror in the darkness, we find hope. We join with others and realize that together, our lights are enough to overcome the darkness.
This is illustrated nicely near the end of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” After the Death Eaters have broken into Hogwarts and killed the one they came to kill, they create the Dark Mark over the tower as a sign of what they have done. However, while they mourn, the teachers and students each begin to lift their wands into the air, lighting the tip in a solemn sign of respect. While any one light is not much on its own, all of the wands together are enough to dispel the Dark Mark and push back the gloom.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of all that is happening in our world. We feel powerless in the face of so much. We forget that we are not alone, that we do not have to do it alone, that we carry the light of Christ in us. And when we stand with others, the light of Christ we each carry within us combines with others to push back the darkness.
It is this knowledge I carry with me as I do the work to which I am called. In fact, it is this knowledge that led to my call, as seen in this poem I wrote in college:
Walking through shadowsThe glorious light of God’s love has come into the world, and we have each been affected by our encounter with it. We have seen the light, and we know that it is good. And now we carry a piece of that light within us, a light meant for the world, a light that can dispel the darkness and bring all into glorious light.
No one is there
Into the darkness
Light, Appearing
Lost ones are found
More light
The looking and finding spreads
All are Saved.
Together.