Wise men ask for Direction... Reyes Magos / Epiphany 2013

M. Campbell-Langdell

All Santos, Oxnard

Epiphany / Reyes Magos (1.6.13)

(Is. 60: 1-6; Ps. 72:1-7, 10-14; Ef. 3:1-12; Mat. 2:1-12)

Había una vez tres hombres bien sabios que estudiaban las estrellas.  Once upon a time there were three very wise men who had learned a lot in their respective spots studying the stars and other natural phenomena.  Y después de mucho estudio, cada uno de ellos se dio cuenta que buscaba algo.  After much studying, each man became convinced that there was something else out there to discover, something shining and bright, something bigger even than the heavens.

Cada uno había escuchado un cuento de un a tierra extranjera, en que iba a nacer un rey Judío.  These wise men weren’t Jewish themselves, but they had heard the story all the same, the story of the Jewish King who might bring salvation. Así que fueron a la autoridad judío más obvio.  They saddled up their camels and traveled to Jerusalem to greet the most obvious Jewish king, Herod.

Pero al llegar allí, ellos se dieron cuenta de que él no era el rey que buscaron.  Herod was not the one they were seeking they realized.  Herodes tenía un lugar muy fino, con ropa exótica y mucho oro, pero le faltaba algo.  He may appear powerful, but they could clearly see that he was just a puppet king for the Romans.  Ellos podían ver que su poder era basado todo en temor, y no en amor para su gente.  When they asked him about the King that would be born, something flashed in his eyes, something that they knew wasn’t the brilliant light they had seen in their dreams, and they know he was baseless and slithery inside.  Ellos sabían que un rey verdadero pudiera sacar todo el aire del reino de Herodes, como cuando una aguja se encuentra con un globo, y ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss sale todo el aire.  Así era su poder.

Pero los sabios eran bien sabios.  These wise men were wise enough to even ask directions of people they knew couldn’t help them in other ways. 

Eran bien sabios porque entendieron que aunque Herodes no era el rey que buscaban, todavía les pudiera dar direcciones.  It’s always good to ask for directions!   Y ellos escucharon de los más sabios que le tenía alrededor Herodes que tenían que ir a Belén.  So thus they headed back on the camels, back on the dusty road to Bethlehem, the star no longer an idea now but a guiding light in front of them, shepherding them towards their destination.

Y era un acto de fe, porque la estrella paró justo en frente de un pobre pesebre.  They walked on a bit just to make sure they weren’t looking for a classier joint.  They backtracked, and yet somehow, don’t ask me how they pinpointed the place with a star, but after many years of studying the skies, they were better with stars than I.  La luz simplemente brillaba mucho más cerca del pequeño pesebre.  It was like the manger was in Technicolor and the rest was in black and white. 
So they ventured in.  Just like us, many years later, which yearn to approach Jesus, they were timid.  Aunque ellos eran muy sabios, también eran lo suficiente sabios como para saber lo que no sabían.  They knew what they didn’t know. 

And they recognized in this humble gathering—the infant, mother and adoptive father, the glory of God blazing in front of them.
Como Moisés ante la zarza ardiente, sacaron sus sandalias y se postraron ante del pequeño bebe Jesús.  He seemed so small, so tender, and yet a light of revelation shined out of his eyes that was plain for those studied in the heavenly spheres to see.

Después de un momento de adoración y gozo completo, ellos se dieron cuenta de sí mismos.  After losing themselves in the moment briefly, they offered their gifts.  How silly they seemed now, how inadequate for a baby.  Eran los regalos que todos habían escuchado desde antiguo.  “Vendrán todos los de Sabá, cargados de oro e incienso, y proclamaran las acciones gloriosas del Señor (Isaías 60:6).”  “All those from Sheba shall come.  They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord (Isaiah 60:6).”  Everyone knew what gentile luminaries were to bring to kings, especially Jewish kings.  But no, they realized now, it wasn’t those gifts that mattered.  El regalo que más importaba era su adoración.  To have a heart to give him was all they needed.  Todo cambió desde aquel momento de conocer a Jesús, una interacción a la vez humilde y gloriosa.  Somehow, meeting Jesus, everything had changed.  They heard in their dreams not to return to Herod, and they were wise enough to listen, wise enough to follow the new path laid for them. 

Tan sabios que regresaron por otro camino.  They were so wise that when, changed forever by meeting Christ, realizing at last what it was they had been missing in the stars all their lives was in this simple and glorious God incarnate, they returned by another road, changed forever.[1]

¿Que traemos a Jesús este año?  ¿Estamos listos para estar cambiados por Él?  Are you ready to have your life changed, transformed this year?  Ready to listen to dreams and cease studying the stars only, but study your own heart?  ¿Qué les quiere decir Dios sobre su camino? 

Y para Todos los Santos, ¿qué estrella nos ha puesto Dios para mostrar el camino que Dios nos ha preparado?  What star has God given All Saints to help guide the church on the way to the path God has prepared for its future?  Can we listen with our heart, hear God’s guidance in our dreams, and be wise enough to act?    

¿Podremos ser tan sabios como para seguir la estrella hasta un encuentro nuevo con Jesucristo?  What new revelation awaits us as we meet Christ again this year?

May we meet him, and be changed in that brilliant light.  Que todo lo que importa para Todos los Santos y para nosotros estará revelado en la luz del encuentro con Cristo.  And God, give us faith if we too, must return home by another way.

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[1] My paraphrase inspired by Barbara Brown Taylor’s sermon, “Home by Another Way,” as published in the book by the same title. (Cowley, 1999); 27-31.