By another road
Yesterday our country woke up to the news that US troops had been deployed during the early morning hours to attack Venezuela and capture it’s president and first lady. This unprovoked military action against another sovereign nation was taken by the current US administration without authorization from Congress, the only branch of the federal government given authority by the US Constitution to approve war.
This military action is, according to political historian Heather Cox Richardson, a direct attack on the Constitution. It is also a direct violation of the rules-based international order that was put in place following World War II as a means of promoting peace, stability, open trade, and cooperation between sovereign nations (with the goal of preventing World War III). Under that order and through the United Nations, sovereign nations agreed not to attack each other.
Yesterday’s military action is an extreme example of the horrific impact one person in power can have on the world, as they attempt to dominate and rule the world through fear, oppression, lies, trickery, and violence.
Coincidently, this morning’s gospel reading tells the story of another powerful person who had a horrific impact on their world, as they attempted to dominate and rule their world through fear, oppression, lies, trickery, and violence.
That person is Herod, appointed by the Roman Empire to be King of Judea at the time that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. Herod was ruthless in his attempt to maintain power in Judea. He feels threatened and fearful when told by the visiting magi that a new king of the Jews has been born (for they have seen his star in the sky). He consults with the religious authorities as to where the birth was to occur. When he finds out, he sends the magi to Bethlehem to find the child, telling them to come back and let him know when they do, so he himself can go and worship the child (the meaning of “pay homage to him”).
The magi take King Herod’s advice and go to Bethlehem, where they find the child and his mother. They worship the child and offer the gifts they have brought. Then, having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road. They do not obey Herod’s orders to tell him where they found the child.
When Herod found out they were gone, he took out his anger and fear through military action – ordering the Massacre of the Holy Innocents – killing all the children of the region who were under 2 years old (the age he presumed the new king to be, based on what the magi had told him).
People with power in this world do not hesitate to rule by fear, oppression, lies, trickery and violence. It was true in the days when Jesus was born and it is true today.
Yet there is another road through this world for those of us who believe that Jesus is the Messiah; the anointed one sent by God into this world to redeem and save the world. There is another path to follow for those of us who trust that What has come into being in (Jesus) was life and the life was the light of people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. (John 1:4-5).
This is the road the magi from the east walked, as they followed the star, the light in the sky, the sign that revealed to them the way to the child born king of the Jews.
Who were these magi and what can we learn from them?
Past translations of scripture have called the magi “wise men” or “kings”. Now we know they were neither. They were common folk; star gazers; fortune tellers; magicians; “magi”. They were pagan (Judaism does not permit fortune telling) and foreigners. Yet, they were following the sign they had seen – the star in the sky; seeking something new beyond themselves; for themselves and all the world.
Tradition has it that there were 3 magi searching for the child; perhaps because that’s how many gifts they offered the child. I wonder if there were other people with them; maybe an entourage. We don’t know. We can imagine that a group of people, traveling together for many miles over a couple of years, would over time grow into a community of similar minded people who offered support, organization and leadership to each other and to the community as they traveled on their way to a distant and unknown land.
What we do know about the magi is this – They had seen a sign – a star in the sky – that was new, different, unexpected. A change was happening and they wanted to be part of it. They did not hesitate. They said yes to the opportunity to follow the star and see where it would lead them. They did not say – maybe I’ll go next year. They did not say – I’m too busy; find someone else to go. They didn’t offer any excuses. When they had the chance to move on to something new, something outside themselves, they grabbed it. They left their familiar land and traveled the long distance to Bethlehem, eager to see what new thing God was revealing to the world. They followed the star – with curiosity and conviction and courage and commitment and in community.
And, at the end of their journey, the magi saw for themselves what the angel had proclaimed to the shepherds keeping watch in the fields on the night Jesus was born; they saw the child – the good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11). They returned to their own country by another road, changed in ways that we can only imagine.
Holy Trinity has been on a journey for almost two years now – the journey of pastoral transition. You have been following a path through this journey – the process of transition – following the star in the sky – seeking the new thing – perhaps the unexpected thing – that God is revealing to you in scripture, prayer, and conversation; the new thing God is doing in you and through you and beyond you for the sake of the world that God so dearly loves.
For many of you, this has felt like a long journey into a distant and unknown land. And the journey continues a bit longer.
People of Holy Trinity – This morning I ask you to consider – Are you up for this journey? Are you ready to travel by another road to the new place where God is leading you? Are you willing to follow the star – the signs God is giving you – with curiosity and conviction and courage and commitment and community?
If your answer to these questions is Yes, then I have a challenge for you.
This is a critical moment for Holy Trinity. At the Annual Meeting in February, you – the voting members of this congregation – will need to elect 3 new people to Council (filling 3 out of 7 seats, not including the minister).
Many people have been asked to serve and many people have said no – all responding with some variation of “I’m too busy”; “Ask someone else”; “maybe next year”.
Only 1 person has said yes.
Remember what we learned from the magi – A community of people of faith cannot move forward and travel a great distance together without support and organization and leadership.
My challenge to you is this – Who is willing to step up and provide the leadership on Council that Holy Trinity needs at this critical moment? Who is willing to say Yes?
The magi followed the star – the light in the sky – willingly and eagerly – without hesitating or offering excuses – seeking the new thing God had done for the world – willing to travel by another road.
Are you, people of Holy Trinity, willing to do the same? Are any of you willing to step up and say Yes to serving on Council?
Or is this a sign that Holy Trinity has come to another fork in the road?
The good news for today is that Jesus is – and was and always will be – the life that is the light of the world and that light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it. Nothing can overcome the light.
The good news for today is that God gives us signs – like the star in sky – to show us the way forward. Through prayer, scripture and conversation, you – God’s people gathered together as a community of faith at Holy Trinity – can continue to discern the path God is calling you to follow, individually and collectively.
It takes curiosity and conviction and courage and commitment and community to travel by another road to the place where God is leading you.
May the Holy Spirit fill you with these gifts for the road ahead.