Is 60:1-6; Eph 2:2-3, 5-6; Mt 2:1-12
Some events and happenings are powerful enough to upset
the life of an individual, or even to change the course of history. In
the play “Macbeth” Shakespeare shows how Macbeth’s life was
influenced by the prophecy of the three witches. Macbeth was returning
after a
victorious battle. Then, in the wilderness, he was met by three witches.
They greeted him, “Macbeth, thou shalt be king hereafter!” This unusual
greeting upset the life of Macbeth. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth
together had dreams of Macbeth becoming king. He began to involve in foul means
to become the next king. It forced him to murder the king. It made him
assassinate many innocent men. Thus, he lost his peace and sleep.
There are many examples in history, that show that
certain prophecies and events have a profound influence on individuals,
often they shook their comfort zone and made them restless. One of the
greatest examples is King Herod. When he heard that a king was born for the Jews,
he felt insecure and wanted to destroy the child that was going to be his
rival. He assembled all the wise men in the palace and ascertained from them
that the King of Jews would come from Bethlehem.
It was in Bethlehem that Jesus was born.
Bethlehem was a quiet little town six miles to the south of
Jerusalem. The name Bethlehem means “The House of Bread”, and Bethlehem stood
in a fertile country side, which made its name a fitting one. Bethlehem
had a long history. It was there that Jacob had buried Rachael. It was there
that Ruth had lived. It was the home and city of David. It was in
Bethlehem that he Jews expected great David’s greater son to be born.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem there came to
do him homage wise men from the East. The name given to these men is Magi.
The Magi were men who were skilled in philosophy, medicine and
natural science. They were good and holy men who sought for truth. We do not
know for certain what brilliant star those ancient Magi saw. But it was their
profession to watch the heavens, and some heavenly brilliance spoke to
them of the entry of a king into the world.
It may seem extraordinary that those men should set
out from the East to find a king, but the strange thing is that,
just about the time Jesus was born, there was in the world a strange feeling of
expectation of coming of a king. Even the Roman historians knew about this. So,
when Jesus came the world was in an eagerness of expectation. Men were waiting
for God, and the desire for God was in their hearts. It was to a waiting
world that Jesus came, and the ends of the earth were gathered at his
cradle. It was the first sign and symbol of the world conquest of Jesus.
If the search of the Magi was inspired by
their love for truth and the desire to lay at the feet of Jesus the noblest
gifts they could bring, Herod’s curiosity sprang out of jealousy. Any king
would have been worried at the report that a child had been born who
was to occupy his throne. But Herod was doubly disturbed. Suspicion
was a terrible flaw in his character. He was almost insanely suspicious.
He had murdered his wife Mariamne, her mother, and many of his own sons. He was
well aware that no one would mourn for his death, and that he was
determined that some tears should be shed when he died. So he had arrested and
imprisoned a collection of the most distinguished citizens of Jerusalem. He
gave orders that the moment he died they should all be killed. It is clear
how such a man would feel when news reached him that a
child was born who was destined to be king. Herod was troubled, and
Jerusalem, too, was troubled. For Jerusalem well knew the steps Herod
would take to eliminate the child.
Jesus’ presence has disturbed many. Zachaeus
was disturbed when he met Jesus, and he declared that he was going to be a
changed man. Pilot felt disturbed at the trial of Jesus. Paul was disturbed,
when he met Jesus, and it forced him to amend his life. St Francis was
disturbed when he met Jesus, and he spent days in silent prayers to see
what Jesus wanted him to do. Today, we too should feel this disturbance when we
meet Jesus. Because, he interferes with our life and demands a total change. He
comes into our hearts, and opens our eyes to see things differently and
truly.
In one of William J Locke’s novels there is a
picture of a woman who has a lot of money, and who has spent half of
lifetime on a tour of the sights and picture galleries of the world. She is weary and
bored. Then she meets a Frenchman who has little of this world’s good,
but who has wide knowledge and a great love of beauty. He comes with her,
and in his company things are completely different. She said to him, “I never
knew what things were like until you taught me how to look at them.”
So life becomes quite different when Jesus teaches us how to look at
things.
Once a wealthy gentle man went to meet a doctor. He
said to the doctor, “Doctor, wherever I touch in my body I have terrible
pain.” The doctor examined him. But, he could not find anything wrong with his
body. Being his great friend, the doctor did not want to discourage him
telling that he was perfectly alright. So the doctor invited some
other specialist too, and sent him for scanning and other tests. They found
that all his internal organs were perfectly functioning. But, the man was
annoyed and impatient. He repeated his complaint that he felt intense pain
wherever he touched in his body. One of the junior attendants was angry when
he heard him cursing the doctors. He said to him, “Show me, the place where you
find pain.” He touched his chest, face, arm etc. and said, “You see it pains
everywhere.” The attendant happened caught his finger, and the man wreathed in
agony. The attendant said, “My dear man your finger is fractured. The problem
is not with your body; the problem is with your finger.”
The problem of Herod was that he was filled with
suspicion and jealousy. Therefore he could not accept the king of kings, when
he came. Even today Jesus manifests Himself to us in various ways, but we fail
to recognize him. Where does our problem lie? What hinders us from discovering
Him? We should respond to the manifestations of Jesus like the wise
men who hastened to Bethlehem the moment they were told that the Messiah was born.
Discover his plans for us day after day, and having discovered them submit to
them with joy.
Satish