I was reminded by Reed Boyer this morning; we are coming up
on Twelfth Night. The customs around the birth of Christ are many and rich.
Twelfth Night is the celebration that ends the 12 days of Christmas. It usually
occurs on January 5th or the day of Epiphany (celebrating the gifts
of the magi in the gospel). In short, giving & gifts are the essence of
twelfth night. You have heard or even sung about the twelve days of Christmas;
drummers drumming, ladies dancing, lords a leaping, FIVE GOLDEN RINGS, &
even a pear tree aviary. Each day of the season of Christmas is an event of
giving. In church we will tell the story of the Magi giving frankincense, gold,
and myrrh (not exactly an iPad, but
giving just the same). So what? Much of this giving seems random and
disconnected. Does giving really matter?
What connection could possibly exist between Jesus and these giving
traditions? Have we drifted into a spiritual abyss?
The giving at the manger is a beautiful story that many of
us have heard, told, sung, and repeated for countless years. Have you noticed
how the giving transforms in the presence of Christ?
Magi from the East are inspired to pay tribute to the king
of the Jews being born; seems odd, right? Most scholars believe that these magi
came from the area of Babylon – almost 600 miles as the crow flies from
Bethlehem. Using trade known routes, some estimate that this caravan could have
travelled 1600 miles to perform their giving. No matter what, these men
travelled a long way to honor a king that wasn’t their king. It makes sense if
you consider that the rumor of power was in the air.
Babylon was the home of many Jews that were dispersed
throughout the eastern Mediterranean region. It so happens, nations that would
conquer the biblical holy land would take the Jewish people into exile;
scattering the culture and community of people in the Jewish faith in many
directions. Just like today, over generations cultures are mixed and people of
diverse origins influence one another. The anointed one, the Messiah has been
long awaited by the Jewish people – prophets from 400 years ago, 700 years ago,
& 800 years ago all proclaim the hope of a messiah. So people waited
eagerly, expecting a power surge to take the region into a new becoming – a
kingdom for the ages.
In light of the expected power surge, the giving that the
magi had planned makes sense. Weaker kings would pay tribute to the stronger
kings in hopes of an alliance that afforded protection. If these magi expected
a power surge; then making allies and paying tribute would be a way to get
ahead of the curve. In the shadow of power, giving casts a different light.
Herod was certainly influenced by power. Herod ruled the
Jewish countryside. He ruled by force and enjoyed the backing of the world’s
greatest super power – Rome. He was responsible for both atrocities to humanity
and revitalizing ancient Israel’s architecture. Herod would even restore the
sacred temple in Jerusalem to its glory. But power is only as good as a
person’s grip on it. The inquiry of the magi would suggest that there was a
source of power that Herod did not control; a usurper lurks, action must be
taken, so the giving begins. Herod gives access to the scholars of Jerusalem.
Herod gives safe passage to the magi. One might start to think that Herod is
quite a giver.
The temple authorities were catching the giving fever. These
were the people that studied the scriptures and held onto the customs and
traditions of Jewish faith. They saw
Herod as their most immediate and effective source of power. When Herod started
the giving, the authorities of Jerusalem would follow suit. They gave their
testimonies. They gave their understanding of scripture. In the end, the giving
included the ultimate location of the promised messiah.
Christmas is the season of giving; but up to this point, the
giving lacks something important. So far, these acts of giving find their
source in power and not in God. The giving of God is proclaimed for all the
world. It is full of wonder, gratitude, and joy. By contrast, the giving as a
response to power happens in the shadows and is full of distrust and fear. The
giving of God seems to reject power or at least release power. God was God with
the power of life and creation and eternity, but now a helpless babe. God would
choose the vulnerability of being a baby because relationship to God’s beloved
people was more important than dominance.
God would trust God’s self to the care of poor parents, an unwed mother,
a family in refuge to a foreign nation – the left out and the left down. The
power of God revised. The self-sufficient power of God makes way for the new
reality – relational vulnerability.
The giving is extravagant and the giving changes us. After
offering themselves to the service of the king, the magi respond as people
transformed. First they give of their treasures and then they give of
themselves. A familiar road always seems safer than an unknown path. Even if we
know there is danger on the familiar road, at least we feel the comfort of
being ready for it. The Magi chose to go home by another road. They would
choose the daily mystery of an unknown journey. They would become vulnerable
and choose to trust God and trust one another on a road that they could take
only one day at a time. Mary and Joseph would follow suit. They chose to live
in Egypt; a foreign land, a strange tongue, no promise of security. These
parents would choose the vulnerable unknown and rely upon God and each other
for even the most basic of needs.
The giving builds community, justifies hope, and depends
upon trust. When we understand the giving of the season, we experience the
richness of life.
Enjoy God,
Pg
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