Epiphany of Our Lord
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Collect for the Epiphany of Our Lord
Collect for the Epiphany of Our Lord
Almighty God, whose blessed Son didst fulfill the covenant of circumcision for our sake, and was given the Name that is above every name: Grant us grace faithfully to bear his Name, and to worship him with pure hearts according to the New Covenant; who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
The Star from the East
The Star from the East
Recollection about being in Iraq, a land east of the Holy Land.
I remember sitting on the dusty ground somewhere in the Iraqi nightime desert, during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Thundering blasts and bright flashes of artillery fire shook the ground, disrupting my attempt to sleep. I was tired, hungry, and, quite honestly, scared that this place might be the death of me. In the midst of this turmoil, however, I began to ponder the historical significance of this seemingly God-forsaken patch of dirt. I wondered to myself, | “How could anything good ever come out of this place?” It was then that I remembered the several Bible stories that take place in modern day Iraq.
The patriarch of the Jews, Abraham, husband to Sarah and father of Isaac and Ishmael, and the uncle of Lot, lived in the city of Ur, which is located to this day in southern Iraq. In fact, I’ve been to Ur, and I have the pictures to prove it. It is now a relatively desolate place nestled near the banks of the Euphrates river.
Scripture tells us that the Magi, sought the Christ-child to bow down and worship him, also, like Abraham, came from a land far east of Jerusalem. The first verse of chapter two of Matthew’s Gospel says, In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star in the east and have come to pay him homage.”
Can you imagine the discomfort that King Herod experienced at the sound of that statement, knowing that there in his midst, was a child who is the king of the world; a king who surpasses all other monarchs both in scope and majesty. Scripture tells us that both Herod and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were frightened by the news of this new-born king.
Our Lord Jesus from birth drew wise men unto himself, so that they might pre-figure the grafting of the Gentiles into the family of God. These magi came to Bethlehem, to the city of David, for one purpose: to pay homage to the King of Kings, to the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes.
The Gifts of the Magi
The Gifts of the Magi
These Magi came to Bethlehem, having seen the star in the east which guided them to the place where Christ was born. These men, who are often characterized as wise, looked for a divine sign which would lead them to a divine ruler, and yet they required the inspiration of God and a supernatural sign for their enlightenment. Traveling from a far away place, they brought gifts with them to present to the newborn king.
And what were these gifts which they brought to the Holy Family, that they might honor Jesus Christ. Scripture tells us that they brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
What good is gold for a newborn child? The child Jesus could not play with it or keep himself entertained with it. It is of little value to the family who is far from their home, except perhaps to trade the gold for a certain amenities, such as a room at the inn or food. Yet, the Gentile Magi know inherently that when one goes to visit a royal one is to bring the finest gifts to lay at his feet. And so, we can think of the gold as a token of kingship, a recognition that the Christ child is quite literally the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, that his kingdom will have no end.
And what of the Frankincense? It is an odorous resin imported from Arabia. It is one of the ingredients used as perfume in the sanctuary of the Temple in Jerusalem. Why would one want perfume in the temple? Consider the pungent and off-putting smells of the animal sacrifices. The incense, when burned, emits a strong and fragrant odor, and was quickly thought to symbolize the Divine name of God and a visual emblem of the prayers of the people rising up to the throne of God. It was precisely at the altar of incense where Zechariah, the father of John the Baptizer, saw a vision from God regarding the birth of his son. While some of you may think of incense as a nuisance, it is to me and to all Anglo-Catholic priests an essential part of the divine service of Eucharist, because in the clouds of smoke I offer unto our collective prayers, beseeching him to accept our bounden duty and sacrifice in his sight. In Exodus 30, God commands the burning of incense in his presence saying, 30 “You shall make an altar on which to offer incense……Aaron shall offer fragrant incense on it; every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall offer it, 8 and when Aaron sets up the lamps in the evening, he shall offer it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations.” The magi offered up incense to the Christ child, hearkening to the meaning of the incense in the temple. Their gift is a recognition of Christ’s divinity. A priest does not offer incense merely for its olfactory benefits but for it emblematic significance. When I stand before the altar of our God I offer incense to the Lord as he commanded the first priest, Aaron. The magi are symbolically offering incense to the babe, Jesus Christ, because they recognize him as God, not just because it would help cover up the smell of the animals in the stable.
They also bring myrrh, to lay at the feet of baby Jesus. Myrrh is an aromatic resin also found in liquid form which is native to Southern Arabia and Northern Africa. It can be hardened and used as incense or it can be kept as a resin in its liquid state as an oil. In the OT it was commanded by God to be used as a holy anointing oil, used to anoint the tent of meeting and its implements. Early Christian tradition says that myrrh came to symbolize Christ’s death. In Mark 15.23, we read that while he hung on the Cross “they offered Jesus wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.” Listen to the words of St. John which he says about the burial preparations for Jesus: (John 19:38–40 “After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews.”)
Whether they intended to signify it or not, the magi bring myrrh, which came to symbolize the impending death of Christ, for the sins of the whole world.
What kind of King?
What kind of king comes to live for a brief 33 years and then die at the hands of his own people? Most people would call this type of king a failure. Most would categorize his kingdom as failed. Most people would admit that Jesus came for no purpose. But to those whom have seen the light of the Son of God, to those whose hearts have been warmed to the Gospel of Grace have seen a great light. To those, the King lives on and continues to rule triumphantly at the right hand of the Father. And this is the truth. That a king such as Christ cannot be killed, overruled, or overcome.
He can, however, be ignored, for a time at least. For a time, we can push him aside to focus on the things of this world: our jobs, our families, our loved ones, our hobbies. But I urge you, I plead with you, to no longer prioritize yourself as the king of your life. No longer ignore the King and Priest, Jesus Christ, who gave his life on your behalf. No longer live day to day as if his death and resurrection never happened. Come and worship this king, whose kingdom is love, and whose Gospel is peace. He has made us righteous in the eyes of God. It is then up to us, to pay him homage and to bring him gifts.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.