Can We Talk 2

Epiphany

         January 6 is the day we honor the Epiphany, or the arrival of the Wise Men. We actually do not know when they arrived, or how many there were, but this day is set aside to remember them. We do know they were not there on the night baby Jesus came into the world, they were not surrounded by angels or shepherds, and that they probably found him in Egypt before he was two years old. Traditionally, we put them all there at the same time and position the figures together in our nativity scenes for convenience.

         Legends, apart from the Bible story, say there were four men; some say twelve. We usually picture and sing of three because three gifts were mentioned. Some historians think they may have come from Iraq or Iran. Some stories give them names. In one version, one of them may have been of African descent. All the stories agree that they were wealthy and well-educated and spent their lives studying mysteries and science.

         We can conclude that they saw something that astounded them. They believed in the phenomenon so much that they left their families and homeland to travel for a very long time. They were determined; nothing would stop them. They traveled at their own expense with no support or backing from any source. They knew when they had arrived at their desired destination and that their mission was complete. They took pleasure and were satisfied with their mission. They adapted and went home by a different route. They deliberately chose not to cooperate with a foreign government, King Herod, but reasoned out the appropriate action for themselves.

         The church calendar has advent for about five weeks before Christmas. The celebration of Christmas actually begins Christmas Day and goes on for twelve days--without the drummers, pipers, swans, etc. It ends with Epiphany. The Wise Men have a few things to teach us.

         If we have a goal or a calling, we should devote ourselves to it and go full steam ahead. We may not have the luxury of servants to help, or money to spend on travel, but to the best of our abilities and resources, we can pursue our dreams, follow our convictions. When we accomplish our goals, we don't go back to where we started. We will have changed and been enlightened. We don't go back to the same road. We act with discernment and discretion along the way.

         The holiday observances are over for another eleven months. But we can preserve the meaning and the lessons all year long.