The poet Mary Oliver’s ‘Instructions for living a life’ from her poem Sometimes, came into my head as I wrote my sermon for today. In a line from that poem, she says: “Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.”
Consider the magi on their journey…
The Magi pay attention: they are faithful enquirers using all means at their disposal to follow the guiding of a star seeking this new king. But their own endeavours can only get them so far. Once in Jerusalem they pay attention to the revelation of scripture and are diligent in following where the star is leading them, even when that goes against their expectations and they are led beyond Jerusalem to Bethlehem.
We hear the magi are ‘overwhelmed with joy’ when they reach their destination, the place where Jesus is. They are astonished. Their first response on seeing the child is to fall to their knees and to worship him. They allow the truth of what they see to transform and delight them. These seekers and enquirers on pilgrimage have become worshippers.
They tell about what they see by the offering of gifts, gifts that affirm the identity of the one they have found; gold for a king, incense for Jesus’s holy priestly identity, and myrrh for his sacrificial offering of love for the world.
This truly is the king they have been seeking, the holy Son of God, the suffering servant who will give his life for all. And then these wise men defy Herod’s instruction. They do not tell Herod about what they see, but by their actions they tell the world where true power lies, here in this out of the way place, in this tiny child. See, this is where God is to be found, they say. They leave for their own country, not by the expected way but by another road.
In their paying attention, in their astonishment and worship, in their telling about what they see we see the world the right way round. Not a world that rests on structures of power and privilege and might but on this humble gift for all, light for all the world, worshipped in the Christ child.
We are invited to pay attention, to be astonished and tell about this gift too in lives of loving humble service. God invites us to pay attention to be where the light is, to follow faithfully. In his revelation of the incarnation, of Christ come to be with us, he shows us who he is, and who we are, in his light. Our response can only be to be astonished and amazed and to bow our knee and worship too. Transformed by that encounter and revelation, we cannot help ourselves from telling others about it, both by our actions and words. As we respond to his light we become witnesses to his revelation too, signposts of his love for others, the star that points his way.
How might we pay attention? Be faithful in following, in seeking after the light and goodness of Christ. Be open to looking beyond the boundaries of life, our experience and our expectations – our expectations of yourself, of others and of God. Seek encounters with those who seem to be other to us because it is with them you will come to find and know God. Pay attention to the marginal places and the people we find there. Because that is where we will find God.
How are we astonished? Be open to the wonder, beauty and mystery of God in all that we encounter and allow ourselves to be transformed.
How are we going to tell about it? We tell of God’s love and revelation to us by how we give your gifts. What do we have that only we can share with the world? Be generous in the giving of the gift of ourselves. Allow this Epiphany story to change us so that we also go a different way. See life as touched by the light of God and allow yourself to be that light, a gift for our world.
The Epiphany lesson? Pay attention, be astonished, tell about it.
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