Epiphany Sunday - "We Are Stardust"
Reflection Epiphany Jan 5, 2020; Carolyn Smith. “We are Stardust”
My original title was "we are kindling”…. The kind that is gathered together because it is receives the spark so readily and becomes that wonderful cozy campfire that draws people closer. A good metaphor for a church that is set to make a difference, except… Australia facing heartbreaking devastation. An entire continent and its creatures facing the front line of climate change with temperatures of 48.5 degrees and relentless violent bushfires. Different expressions of power and light.
And this is our traditional celebration of Epiphany - all that we discover - aha moments! Making use of as many light metaphors as you can think of. Epiphany as in opening to truth, seeking like Wise Ones, finding a sense of God beneath a star in an unlikely stable. I shared the disco ball with you earlier, and after last night at the Swell with a hundred United Church teenagers, may I say how much I love that metaphor.
The emergencies of this week - violence nearby, and also in Iran, or the attack on a Rabbi’s home at Hanukkah and of course the fires made me think of a flashlight - the one you have around the house in case the power goes down, or on your phone for a dark sidewalk. The one you cling to with urgency, that locates the path to safety, reassurance and peace.
Thank goodness for the book of Luke about our magical story of Christmas, with shepherds and angels and sheep, where all is calm and bright. Only Matthew’s chapter 2 story of the visit of the Magi makes it into the pageant, likely because the costumes are so much fun! But Matthew tells the birth story with a sombre, urgent tone. The first chapter, before the Magi arrive, is about courage - remembering the mixed up unlikely lineage of Jesus from King David, in ages of oppression where courage hung on, where border crossing and rule-breaking and unconventional heroes reframe what faithful Righteousness really is. Then chapter 2 the Magi escape by a different road, setting off a chain of events - emergencies, urgent and terrifying. Whether the historical books can verify events precisely or not, they verify that Herod was known to be brutal. Thwarting him would result in heartless violence.
So Matthew - a book NOT for pageants, tells us from vs 17 and on,
That after the Magi had escaped, Joseph too was visited by an angel with a message: You might recall from December that when Angels show up, don’t expect happy news. He heard an urgent command “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until I tell you, for Herod is searching for this child, to destroy him.” Joseph woke in a panic, scrambling for clothes and a flashlight if only they’d had one, And they left in the darkness of night, fleeing as refugees. A small relief for this one small family, yet in Herod’s rage at being tricked by the Magi, he sent out his army to Bethlehem, hunting down all the young ones, and killing them. Once Herod died, the angel returned to Joseph, reassuring him they could return again, now to Nazareth, in the region of Galilee.
The reassurance of a flashlight, that guides through urgent and dark times, that relies on courage and openness to make use of it, and the narrow beam of knowledge it offers, trusting there is something better on the uncertain path ahead. I have no doubt that is sometimes how God shows up, if we’re willing to notice and trust.
The Magi followed light as well but without the urgency, and wandered from their home in Persia, the area of Iran and Iraq. Yes - it’s ironic today isn’t it. What takes us from home into unknown territory if it isn’t urgency? Refugees we can understand, as we’ve seen them in our regular times fleeing from war, from water shortages and famine, and from ruthless violence. But Seekers, yearners for truth have packed up with wanderlust, searching new places, new people, in a hope for truth. It’s maybe a trust that there is more to discover, or a longing for something better, for a world that works differently than what we know. And knowledge is power.
We can all see why the Magi might end up searching at the Palace - glittering wealthy organized and powerful, with far-reaching resources, libraries of knowledge, and paid advisors. But also so often infected with wealthy lobbies, electioneering and fearful greed. We can all guess why the Magi didn’t find Truth there after all. Herod - as he is then, or whoever he is now, can craft artificial light, and polished headlines, protecting his own interests, with a blinding garishness that shines just right on his crown, and casts long shadows.
With Herod’s command, I can imagine the Magi stumbled back into the night, and they had to let their eyes adjust in the dark, to the light of the star in the sky, as the vastness of the heavens revealed itself, and then rub their eyes to be sure that the star light led them just to some Stable, a little home in a little town. It's this Lantern I’m thinking of now…. A gentle light or a few, flickering brightly through the windows to welcome, to warm, to reassure. The glow of a stove top while the kettle boils for tea. A mother and her baby…. Can you imagine the instant they just knew? Perhaps they heard echos of angels, “peace on earth!”
The wandering Wise Ones find the Light they have left home for, searched high and low for, in the presence of a child. “Overwhelming joy” is their epiphany!
Joy - Joy is deeper than just happy. I don’t know - what is it? It’s hope, that somehow outlasts fear, it’s love that makes pain lessen. It is chocolate chip cookies, and puppy dogs and laughter, but it’s comfort in the midst of bad news too, good support, or fond memories. And while it is available to us in each moment, Joy somehow takes a long view, even in urgency and emergency, disguised as whatever optimism drives us on - our loved ones, dreams, confidence in the future. Joy hangs out in a community pulling together for the future, like fireworks on a New Years eve or in a church that cares and dares and shines as light for a struggling world. And Joy glows in darkness, even if our first reaction is to fight it - recalling loved ones despite death, forgiveness that quells anger, or tasting a dream that we’ve struggled to bring to life. Some of us have been trained to bitterly douse it, but the glowing light of Epiphany is not going to give in just for that.
Joy defies the odds. The Magi after all their travels, and consorting with kings, find overwhelming joy in an unlikely place. I wonder what they talked about with Mary, whether she trusted them with her ponderings or prophecies. What would they write of back home? A child transformative enough that they would sneak away from cruel Herod, across the border, breaking laws and every protocol,
Back into the night, beneath the stars.
I’m not sure that the story of Jesus happened exactly this way or not, but I know this story is true. Science says there was no big magic star or even a strangely obvious planet over Bethlehem 2000 and 20 so years ago, any more than we will see this evening, but we still understand breathtaking night skies and have gazed in wonder at one or another bright spot. Some of us stood out in the cold last week, letting fireworks take our breath away with hope for our new year and a new decade. We still ‘get’ the Wise Ones, awed and overjoyed, longing for joy. And each instance of opening up to divine awe and mystery is scientifically creating in us a permanent place for that wonder to hang out, and rise up when we need it.
Science also says that stars create elements, different ones bursting from big stars or little ones, young stars and the oldest ones, and that we are crafted of those elements, … essentially we are star dust, the same that ever has or ever will exist on this planet. The Desiderata blesses us “You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars”. Wherever we are, Truth will show up if we look for it, the darkest nights show the the most stars. And what more will transform the world than for us to reflect that light for others?
If you can, and especially if you have young ones, go north to see a dark sky. Remember how it feels to be awestruck. The gift of the divine, the gift of light. Amen.