[Is 60:1-6; Eph 3:2-3, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12]
The
Battle of Milvian Bridge was fought between Roman Emperors Constantine I and
Maxentius in 312. On the evening of October 27, with the armies preparing for
battle, Constantine had a vision. A most marvellous
sign appeared to him from heaven. The famous sign in the sky was a cross of light, with the inscription, Conquer by this. At this sight he himself was struck with amazement, and his whole army also, which followed him on this expedition, and witnessed the miracle.
sign appeared to him from heaven. The famous sign in the sky was a cross of light, with the inscription, Conquer by this. At this sight he himself was struck with amazement, and his whole army also, which followed him on this expedition, and witnessed the miracle.
Constantine
delineated the sign on the shields of his soldiers, and proceeded to battle, and
his troops stood to arms. Maxentius was defeated in the battle, and Constantine
was acknowledged as emperor by the senate and people of Rome. Constantine’s
victory brought relief to the Christians by ending persecution.
300
Years before Constantine, God’s sign
appeared on the sky as a luminous star. It announced the good news that A
Saviour was born to emancipate humanity from the clutches of evil. This sign
was read by the simple shepherds and wise men. It led the wise men to
Bethlehem.
Bethlehem
was a little town six miles to the south of Jerusalem. Bethlehem had a long
history. It had a prominent place in the mind of every Jew. It was there that
Jacob had buried Rachel. It was there that Ruth had lived. It was the home and
city of the great king, David. It was from the line of David that God was to
send the deliverer, and He would be born in the city of David.
Isaiah
visualized this glory:
Above you the Lord now rises
and above you his glory appears,
The nations come to your light
and kings to your dawning brightness.
The
close of the First Century BC was the most expectant period in History. The
Roman and Jewish historians recorded the great expectation of people for the
birth of a Saviour. The wise men of that time had been calculating and reading
the signs of time to see the realization of this hope. Then, some heavenly
brilliance indicated to the Magi of the entry of an extraordinary king into the
world. They were determined to search for Him. The star guided them to
Bethlehem. There work of guidance completed, the star disappeared.
It
reached the ears of Herod that the wise men had come from the East, and that
they were searching for the little child who had been born to be King of the
Jews. Any king would have been worried at the report that a child had been born
who was to occupy his throne. Herod was troubled. He reacted instantly. The
reaction of Herod was the reaction of hatred and hostility. He was afraid that
this little child was going to interfere with his life, his power, his authority,
his wealth and his influence. Therefore his first instinct was to destroy him.
History
shows that evil forces joined hands many a time to annihilate Jesus and his
redemptive work. The first of its series started with Herod. In his frantic
attempt to destroy Jesus he slaughtered numerous innocent children. When Jesus
started his mission, the religious authorities tried to silence him. Finally
Pontius Pilot gave the verdict to crucify Him. But, the enemies of Jesus could
not wipe Him out. He rose from the dead, and His disciples continued His work.
Then the evil forces turned against them. St. Stephen was stoned to death.
Matthew was slain with a halberd. James was beaten and stoned by the Jews. Mark
was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria. Peter was crucified with his
head down and his feet up. Paul was beheaded. For the next three centuries Mass
persecutions occurred under many emperors, and thousands of Christians were put
to death. Even today there are many who would do anything to destroy Jesus
because they see in him the one who interferes with their interest, their
beliefs, and their way of life.
There
was the reaction of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. It was one of fear. They knew
the cruelty of Herod. The people of Jerusalem knew well that Herod would not
spare any one whom he suspected as a threat to his power. So he murdered his
wife, Mariamne, and her mother. He assassinated three of his sons on the
grounds of suspicion. So they were
troubled and worried. This is the reaction of the people who would never want
to give up their comforts in life. When their faith begins to place demands on
them, they tremble, but never show courage to resist the evil.
There
was the reaction of the chief priests and scribes. It was one of complete indifference.
Herod summoned the chief priests and scribes. The scribes were the experts in
scripture and in the law. The high priests were the priestly aristocracy. So,
Herod summoned the religious aristocracy and the theological scholars of his
day to know where the anointed one of God should be born. Herod’s revelation of
the birth of the Anointed Messiah, whom they had been expecting for long, and
whose birth they had been calculating, did not make any difference in them.
They were totally engrossed in their Temple rituals and legal discussions that
they completely disregarded Jesus. He meant nothing to them. Even today there
are many among us who disregard Jesus. He is considered as a noble person to be
worshiped and adored. But he is not given any role in their personal life.
There
was the reaction of the wise men, the reaction of adoring worship, the desire
to lay at the feet of Jesus the noblest gifts which they could bring. Wise men
from the ends of the earth were gathered at his cradle. It was the first sign
and symbol of the world conquest of Jesus. Their journey in search of the King
of peace was heroic. Neither distance nor uncertainty of the destination could
hold them back from their decision to find the new King. God lit their way; His light shone above
them, and they followed it.
Mother
Teresa once visited a poor man in Melbourne, Australia. He was living in a
basement room which was in a terrible state of neglect. There was no light in
the room. He did not seem to have a friend in the world. She started to clean
and tidy the room. At first he protested, “Leave it alone. It is alright as it
is.” But she went ahead anyway. As she cleaned, she chatted with him. Under a
pile of rubbish she found an oil lamp covered with dust. She cleaned it and discovered
that it was beautiful. And she said to him, “You have got a beautiful lamp
here. How she said to him, “You have got a beautiful lamp here. How come you
never lighted it?” “Why should I light it?” “No one ever comes to see me.”
Will
you promise to light it if one of my sisters comes to see you?” “Yes,” he
replied. “If I hear a human voice, I will light the lamp.” Two of Mother
Teresa’s sisters began to visit him regularly. Things gradually improved for
him. Every time the sisters came to visit him, he had the lamp lighted. Then
one day he said to them: “Sisters, I will be able to manage myself from now on.
Do me a favour. Tell the first sister who came to see me that the light she lit
in my life is still burning.” (M K Paul p.18)
The
light that God lit to announce the coming of His son is still burning. The Magi
followed the path of the great light and reached the cradle of Jesus. When they
found Jesus they laid down their gifts before Him. For the last twenty
centuries many have followed the footprints of the Magi. When they found Jesus
they, too, laid down everything they had at the foot of Jesus just like the
Magi made their offerings. Today, Jesus stands before us declaring, “I am the
light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will
have the light of life.”(Jn 8:12)
The
spirit of God has always been there to guide those who have desired to walk in
the light. So the Angel of the Lord guided the Magi to return to their own
country, ‘by a different way”, and to a different life. The Magi’s meeting with
Jesus brought about a total change in them. It lit their minds and removed the
darkness from them. Jesus revealed Himself as their Saviour, and they accepted
Him. Emperor Constantine was given a sign. He accepted it, and his acceptance
gained him victory. When Jesus revealed Himself to Paul, he accepted Jesus, and
his acceptance led him to change his way of life.
When
we accept the light, the Spirit of God will be with us to guide us in all our
endeavours. Thomas Guthrie wrote: “And let no man lose heart, and abandon a
good scheme because he meets chopping seas and cross winds at the outset, since
God may be thereby driving him on a better course, and toward greater ends than
he ever dreamt of.”
Satish