The Wise Men.

In the greatest role reversal of all time, the world witnessed the humility of majesty at a manger – and the mystery of majesty in the manger.

Today, on the feast of the Epiphany, we talk hear a lot about how the Wise Men arrived and worshiped God, offering gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But what we don’t hear often enough about, I think, is how they arrived. The Three Kings were not using a map.  And an angel did not appear to them in a dream to explain the wonders to come. Finding Christ by way of a star was not an accident; it was a mission.

The Three Kings were candidates for finding Christ just like we are in every moment of every day. Because, sisters – we each have our own star to follow! And while it may not be the actual star that appeared over Bethlehem, the light of Christ in our life is certainly a reflection of that star. So let’s take a moment to consider the Wise Men and how they arrived:

They had to look before they could find.

I remember laying in a field of tall grass one summer evening as a child, stargazing with friends on a weekend campout. The nerds in the group spent their time consulting constellation charts and connecting Leo and the Big Dipper in the galaxy above, like a giant connect the dot game. The impatient among us (ahem) became easily distracted by conversation, bugs, and bustle of the campfire nearby.

And then there was John Paul – the boy who saw every shooting star.

“How is it that you always see the shooting star?,” I remember asking, rather incredulously when he announced, “there’s another one” as calmly as if he saw another lightening bug. I suspected that he was perhaps exaggerating the tale of one or two.

“You just have to keep looking at the sky,” he said from his post, not even glancing up to see who asked the question. He lay there, still and serene, patiently waiting for the universe to start dancing before him. The sky always delivered.

Thank goodness the Wise Men kept a watchful gaze for their chance to see the Savior! How often are we too busy to look for the star in our lives? We allow the busyness or discouragement of waiting lessen our fervor to keep looking.  The Three Kings found the Christ because they were in the disposition to see the star. Let’s imitate their readiness in our lives! Let’s spend time with Our Lord in the Tabernacle, frequent the Sacraments, and encounter Christ in our daily tasks.

They dropped everything.

There was no possible way for the Wise Men to know that the great light would remain in the sky until they found the cause of it’s presence. Time spent researching, planning, and processing would be in vain. The Three Kings consulted prudently and sprung into action, wasting no time to pursue the wonder before them. 

Trumping the proverbial mic drop, this “life drop” is repeated in Scripture, over and over again. The Apostles dropped their nets in the water, money on the table, and fish in the sea at the simple invitation of a stranger to, “come and follow me.” The man healed from leprosy rushed into the streets to proclaim the goodness of the Lord. Magdalene left her sinful life to seek a life of redemption in a newfound mercy.

And then – Christ Himself invited mankind to do the radical: to “pick up your cross and follow me.” In order to pick up that cross, we have to drop whatever we are holding on to.

What are you holding on to right now? To some, it may be fear in discernment of a religious vocation, a relationship, or move to a different career path. Another might be holding on to memories and hurts of the past. Or maybe there’s a stubborn streak of pride that keeps your heart locked on what is known and “safe”.

Dear Sisters, we can practice this active will to pursue Christ in our lives, too, just like the Wise Men. Our “star” is God’s invitation to drop what we are doing to seek Him. And that light from that star will not stop shining, even while we dawdle. Do not be afraid to drop what you are holding on to – take a leap out into darkness – to follow your star.

And finally – they sought to bring others with them (they talked about it)!

The discovery of the star was not one these Three Kings could put behind them or pretend didn’t exist. Far from the light hidden under a bushel, this one was tough to conceal. Any one of these Three Kings could have kept the journey to Jesus to himself. But not one of them did. In fact, they sought counsel with each other, forming alliances of companionship, safety, and excitement. 

Even Herod was in on the invite! Perhaps one of the greatest gifts of the Three Kings was their gift of speech. Not only did they speak our to challenge their others to find Christ, they were responsible for evangelization on their way home and to their people upon return. They spread the news that the wait for the Messiah was over. Thanks to the Kings, the gift of hope remained alive.

Oh that we could be half as enthusiastic as the Three Kings were in seeking Christ when going about our day to day lives! Do you invite others to join you on your journey to Christ? In challenging ourselves, we should also challenge our neighbor to join us on the journey. And as St. Francis of Assisi once said, “preach the Gospel always – if necessary, use words.” Let your joy and excitement show itself in how you live, the smile on your face, and the peace with which you accept tribulations.

We were not meant to walk through this life alone; we were meant for community. (When we discover something good, we want to share it, right?) We need to surround ourselves with good people for the journey, not caring about rejection (Herod) or persecution. And when we come to the end of our star and find Christ, we should waste no time in sharing the Good News with the world.

Our star is in the sky, sisters. Let us look, drop everything, and bring others along with us on the journey to the light – Christ, the Infant King.

Yours, Mary

In the quiet, cold night, a single star shone brilliantly over the town of Bethlehem announcing the Light of the World. “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:4-5

Note: There’s more to the story of my shooting-star seeking friend. He has since been called home and no doubt, enjoys the view of ALL the stars. Please pray for the repose of his soul.