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Magic in the marketplaceSunday, January 2, 2005
Matthew 2:1-2,9-11 (King Herod sent them to Bethlehem.) The star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.
The stars are so easy to be with, really. Beautiful, mostly predictable, non-argumentative, they even sometimes lead us to epiphanies. These famous Magi followed a star and found Jesus. I imagine that they spent much of their time listening for God's direction, watching the sky, seeking spiritual sustenance from nature and from God's voice within themselves. What a change it must have been to come into Jerusalem, to initiate an essentially political exchange with King Herod and his advisors. People are neither beautiful nor predictable when they are protecting themselves and their turf. They are dangerous and ugly. Being with people is much more difficult than solitary contemplation and prayer. The Magi got their information, left quickly and did not return. Jesus grew up to thrive as both a mystic and a politician, a man who loved the sound of his Father's voice when he prayed before dawn but who also went to find the crowds and live with them. He welcomed the people, even though they could be (and sometimes were) dangerous and ugly. Jesus knew there was only one Enemy, and it was none of these people, even at their worst. God must rejoice when we try to follow Jesus' example, when we listen for his voice and then share what we hear with the rest of us. To do this I must swallow my need to control things, and see people just like I do stars. God made us, every one. Jesus teach me how to open my heart. Forgive me for being negative, judgmental, sarcastic, superior and ugly. I am so often wrong about others. I want to see everyone the way you do.
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It happens to me sometimes. My extroverted self gets me into a place where people are loud, obnoxious, and everywhere. What I expect to enjoy becomes a nightmare. I crave my own little quiet private piece of real estate. I can't wait to get away. And I wonder how I can ever share a place like heaven if I do such a bad job of it on earth.