Interpreting the Epiphany

The story of the kings, like many such, is a story for each who reads it. For me it is about looking, and wandering. They were, I'd like to think, people who knew something but wanted to know more, who had seen a part but knew there was more to see. Sometimes they looked in the wrong places, knocked at the wrong doors, doors like Herod's, but from the mistakes they learned, even if only that this was not what they sought.

I'd like to think too that maybe they'd followed other stars before seeing this one, that they'd seen Messiahs and would-be saviors to whom they could say, "goodbye" or "thank you," or whatever would signal a new search.

And when they got to Bethlehem, when they stood in this star's light, what could they say? Not very much that would make sense to a child. They could give only gifts, gifts which, like most children's toys, were inappropriate to his age and understanding. It seems all they could do was look, and hopefully see; be present and maybe understand what had happened. They'd come as kings seeking an equal, a fitting thing to do. He was one of them despite his stable. It was a kingship, not of royalty, but of humanity. They shared a common blood, as do we all.

The story ends with them being sent back another way, on a path through a different land and maybe one with a different star. I think maybe in our seeing of the Lord each is given a road and a star to follow. We can only go where it leads, stopping on the way to look and wonder, being glad to be where we've been and glad too about what is next, knowing the future like the past will be filled with God.