ST. MATTHEW 2:9-12
THE TWELFTH DAY OF CHRISTMAS - SUNDAY & MONDAY, JANUARY 6 & 7, 2008
JESUS CHRIST, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
9 When they heard the king, they departed;
and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them,
till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw
the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had
come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and
fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures,
they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to
Herod, they departed for their own country another way. St. Matthew 2:9-12
(NKJV)
The rest of the story of the Wise Men is well known and is often portrayed
in Sunday School Christmas Programs. It is often extra special if the
Three Wise Men sing, “WE THREE KINGS” no matter the quality of their
voices, good or bad.
On this Twelfth Day of Christmas we celebrate the Festival of the
Epiphany. I don’t know how it is today but in years past the Episcopal
Church led the way in the celebration of this Festival. It is possible
that they have followed other groups in phasing out these Services when
they fall on weekdays. If so, that is too bad.
The Bright Star of Bethlehem led the Wise Men to the Christ Child. When
they left, the were told in a dream not to go back and report to Herod, so
they returned to their home country another way.
We don’t know much more about the Wise Men. We can probably be fairly sure
that they told the story of their journey and of the Christ Child over and
over again. Every time they told the story, the Light of Jesus had the
opportunity to shine in more and more hearts.
Years later, people would speak of Jesus Christ, the Light of the World.
What would have happened if the Shepherds, the Wise Men or any of the
others who came to the manger never told a single person about what they
had experienced? More importantly, what would happen today if everyone who
went to worship never said another word about God until they returned to
worship the next time? This is not a far out question; it really happens
today, possibly more times than not.
In some church buildings there is a sign by the door, please remember to
turn off the lights. Far, far too many turn off the Light of Jesus in
their life, but often forget to turn off the lights in the church
Through Baptism, the Light of Jesus shines within us. We have been given a
choice. We can hide the Light that is within us and join the followers of
darkness to our eternal death. We can let the Light of Jesus shine
brightly through our words, our actions, our decisions, so they will draw
others to follow us to the joys of Eternal Life in the Light and the Glory
of God.
WE PRAY:
Brightest and best of the sons of the morning,
Dawn on our darkness and lend us Thine aid;
Star of the East, the horizon adorning,
Guide where our infant Redeemer is laid. AMEN.
“BRIGHTEST AND BEST OF THE SONS OF THE MORNING” from cyberhymnal.org
A SUGGESTION FOR LIVING THE DEVOTION
There is darkness in the loneliness of a
nursing home,
There is darkness in a tent on the battlefield,
There is darkness in the lives of those who mourn,
There is darkness in the lives of those who are ill,
There is darkness in a quiet campus dormitory room.
There is darkness in the life of a person who has lost his or her job.
There is darkness in the lives of so many.
Where will you take the Light of Christ? AND WHEN?