Three Magi
The wise astrologer kings came from a foreign land. They followed a long predicted star in the sky. The baby was found in the town of bread under the star.
In ancient Babylon, Syria and other parts of Asia there was a worship of a king god of vegetation who died off and came back. His lover, queen, goddess would disapper to an "infernal" world in search of him. The arrival of a morning star was the sign that she had returned and the worshippers would celebrate the coming back of their goddess of love and new life.
The Christ child is for me a sign of new life. A time to come to the crib of love and renew my promise to God to be a person who is living in the love of God and all. A sign of salvation from evil and death and renewal in eternal life and love. The gospel reading today tells of Herod and his evil plan to find the child who he plans to kill because of his evil jealousy and greed for power.
For me, a possible connection to ancient ways just makes the whole story more meaningful. I believe that the spirit of religion is to embrace all in love but at the same time like the Magi not live in a way that helps evil. The Magi did not return to their foreign land by a route that would go past Herod because in my opinion they knew that he meant to do the Christ child harm.
I pray that in this new year, I may be awake and alert to what exists around me, my heart open and my feet ever ready to take the path that avoids evil.
