I wonder if you know the Persian story of the three Magi. It is not so different from ours and begins with Marco Polo. Marco Polo began traveling the seas between Europe and Asia in the 13th century. He spent time at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. There, Polo was shown a lamp that had burned continuously for 1200 years. Later, he passed through Persia and was shown the ornate burial sites of the Three Magi. And, as Marco Polo traveled through Persia, he was told the story of their visit to the Christ-child. His story contains as much detail as we can imagine about the Magi. I learned the story through a children’s book called “The Stone.”
The names of the Magi, in Polo’s story, are Jasper, Melchoir, and Balthasar. They live in a tower full of strange instruments, charts, and flasks of potions. From their tower, they study the star studded sky.
You know how some of this story goes: they see a star; their studies tell them the star announces a baby; a baby that will become a peacemaker king who rules with justice and healing. The Magi travel through the desert to find this king bringing gifts of gold, incense, and myrrh.
Then, the legend says, something happened. They arrive at the place of the star. Each Magi enters the home alone and each witnesses a different king resembling his age: a young man, then middle-aged, and, finally, old like Balthasar. Yet, when they enter the home together, they find a young Christ child. They lay their gifts before him; and, the boy holds out a small sealed box, a gift for the Magi.
For some reason, and I’ve always wondered about this, they do not open the box. Instead, Jasper places it in his saddlebag. He, the youngest of the three, is anxious to open it while Balthasar encourages patience. Per usual, restlessness and nerves get the best of Jasper and he opens the box. Inside is a stone.
Jasper is irate: what can they do with a stone?!? and he throws the stone into a well. As the stone reaches the bottom of the well, it explodes into flames of fire. This, this fire, is their gift: what can they possibly do with fire?!? Then the merchants begin to light their lamps from this fire, this gift from the boy.
I wish you could see this fire, the one in the book. The fire is a deep, orange-red. It is scary and inviting. The large, full flames reach in every direction. I’m not sure I would curl up in front of this fire; yet, it is inviting and warm. It is beautiful.
There’s a lot to wonder about in this story. We could wonder about the star. We could wonder about the wise men themselves or the gifts they bring. We might wonder what this story, the Persian legend and our Gospel, tell us about who and whose we are?
This week I learned that the Persians believe these Magi to be Zoroastrians. I don’t know much, if anything, about Zoroastrianism. What little I know fits in well with these Magi: religious practice that studies the universe to prepare for the world’s final judgment. In my research, I also learned that these particular Magi are believed to worship fire.
Doesn’t that sound strange: to worship fire. Yet, we must remember that this is a strange story. There’s astrology and mysterious strangers traversing the desert to worship a baby. What?!? Imagine listeners from the first century; Israelites rooted in the Torah. Their initial bias toward astrology would not welcome the wise men. Indeed, they might imagine them as evil as Herod. How do these wise men become the first to worship Christ in the Gospel of our Lord?: very strange indeed!
And I must confess to you that tonight feels strange. Today, we live in a moment in our country’s history unlike any I have ever witnessed. I am frustrated and frightened by the divisiveness of our politics. Meanwhile, we are living amidst a pandemic. Hospitals are rationing care and people are dying at dramatic rates. Oh how I wish we were gathered to burn greens or have an Epiphany pageant! My heart yearns to witness three children wearing robes and crowns too big, carrying boxes down the aisle, as we sing “We Three Kings of Orient are…” Instead, I preach to a screen hoping to connect with you as we share this feast. These are strange times indeed.
And so, the strangeness of the Gospel feels good, comforting, tonight. There is a gentle reminder here, in the story of these Magi, that we are not alone. Wise men traveled from foreign countries into scary deserts and visited evil kings. They also witnessed the revelation of God’s self to creation. The wise men invite us to share their story. We, too, can travel through dark places, crying for justice, healing and peace.
Listen to Balthazar when he sees the fire leap from the well:
“It is our gift,” he announces, “from the child…A gift that will bring justice and healing and peace into the world. Our belief in this must be as strong as the stone and burn in us like fire. Come! Come and share this. The gift is for everyone!”
For years I have read Balthazar’s words from a Western Christian bias: the fire a metaphor for the Gospel. Now, I read these words differently. The stone and fire are not a metaphor; the Magi recognize them as the gift of God’s self. Like bread and wine given to us as Christ’s own self, here is fire and stone: signs of God’s strong reconciling work in creation that burns in the hearts of these men.
What is the strong reconciling work God calls us to do? What has Christ burned into our hearts for the sake of the Gospel? Is it to heal the divisions among us and bring peace to our community? Is it to demand justice for the vulnerable and oppressed among us? Is it to be vehicles of healing, wearing our masks and staying socially distanced to protect one another?
The call to follow Christ is a strange adventure. At times, there are gifts of frankincense, gold, and myrrh. Other times, we must take up our cross. The good news of the Gospel is that, if we follow, Jesus will lead us. He will give us another path home. It is not easy, often winding through dark places. And yet, the journey always leads to Christ. We do not have to follow our ways of division and fear; we do not have to depend on our systems of power and oppression. We can follow Christ down a different path: his way of peace, justice, and healing. It begins with a baby born in poverty, visited by wise men, and heralded by prophets. It includes a cross and death. And it leads to a garden with an empty tomb, the promise of new life for ALL of creation.
May our belief in Christ be as strong as the star that led the wise men. May it be a light for all people. May we follow Christ all the way home until we are face to face with his glory. Amen.
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