Friday, December 26, 2014

Friday, December 26, 2014

Matthew 2:1-3, 9-11

After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, suddenly some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east asking, 'Where is the infant king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.' When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. … Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And suddenly the star they had seen rising went forward and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

Love’s gift

Isn’t it odd that the one

who fears is the king who

has all the power, not those

who followed the star

to that which bids them

kneel and say, “We are

here for you, even though

we know you are here for us,

come to save us …

from ourselves?”

To the king the child is

threat, to the magi a gift.

Bearing gifts to the one

who is gift, they know

 the child appears that they

may discover what it means

to be human, to give themselves

away, to fall on their knees

in love with the Love

whom Love sends. Kneeling

in dirt and straw where sheep

walk and relieve themselves

doesn’t matter. Who worries

about the mess when love

fills them to the brim?

All that matters is following

whatever star Love sends to

guide you to the place of freedom

where fears disappear and all that

matters is giving yourself to what

love bids you do and be.

Love casts out fear, the Love

by which we are loved and

the love with which we love

what Love gives. This

I know … and always will.

The wise men loved in their

learned way, not emotional

types, but making their way

across deserts and cold what

moved them if not the love to

know, to discover and give

the gifts they carried? It

was love, hunger for union with

the Mystery they sought. 

They knew love must give 

or it is not love and without love 

there is no humanity.

They followed the star seeking

the child that came for them 

that they in love might kneel 

and learn how to be human, 

given to the One Love gives; 

kneeling in the dust they,greater 

than the king, knew no fear

only the love, joy and hope 

Love gives every time we bow 

before Love’s gift.

Pr. David L. Miller