On The Road Again

A Reflection on the Gospel for January 2nd, 2022:
The Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

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Matthew
2.1-12

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”

When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the Prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”

When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.

On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
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I love to travel, especially solo. There’s nothing I love more than finding myself totally alone in a new city — not speaking the language, knowing no one, with a week or more ahead of me to see the sights and explore every corner I can. 


The gospel reading for this week tells the story of fellow travellers: the Magi, believed to be kings of far-off countries and wise men. They didn’t have the ability to hop on a plane or take public transit like I do — they travelled slowly, likely on camels and on foot, for many months. They had to pack food and water in addition to the generous gifts they brought for the new King. 


I travel for fun, for the joy of finding that perfect restaurant or finally seeing that famous work of art for myself. But the Magi were not just travellers: they were pilgrims. Bethlehem was not the Paris of Judea, but a small backwater town. At a time when most people never left the village of their birth, these wise men travelled across most of the known world to see the new King of the Jews. 


I wonder if they were surprised. I can imagine them entering Jerusalem — a magnificent city, densely populated, with a beautiful temple to God at the centre, and thinking they must be in the right place. Instead, a whole crowd of priests and scribes had to gather and analyze scripture to figure out where this newborn must be. They follow directions faithfully to find a small, poor family — a teenage girl, her carpenter husband, and their baby wrapped in simple swaddling cloths, living in the simplest accommodations during a census. I would understand if their eyes had simply glazed over this ordinary sight and they’d kept looking! Where was the gold, the silk, the castle, the cooks and maids and butlers? 


But our pilgrims saw what almost no one else did. They stopped, celebrated, prostrated before Jesus and Mary; laid gifts at His feet. These men were not Jewish, but they had great faith — faith that this poor baby was not just a fellow king but the King, the King of kings, a King worthy of their homage. They left treasures for Him with His mother. They believed when their dreams told them that Herod, the official ruler of this land, was terrified of the threat posed by this simple carpenter’s son. And they departed, having seen nothing but a baby, because they knew they had met Someone very, very special. 


Many of us are returning from Christmas pilgrimages, great and small. As we enjoy our last moments with loved ones and begin the journeys long and short toward home, take a moment to remember the Magi — the men wise enough to know that meeting the baby Jesus was the reason for their journey — and give thanks for the ways you encountered Him this Christmas. His presence in the smallest, simplest moments may surprise you!




Jenna Young

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