Leaving the Light On
We are focusing on Epiphany so the entire week will use Matthew 2: 1-12 for the scripture lesson
Matthew 2: 1-12
As an adult, my Christmas tree topper is an angel. When I was growing up, my family Christmas tree had a star atop it. The star is a widely recognized symbol of Christmas but it tied to the Feast of Epiphany. It is called the Star of Bethlehem, and it is only mentioned in the Epiphany story in the Gospel of Matthew. Yet it is an integral part of the Christmas/Epiphany story.
When I think about the light in the Christmas story, I think about Jesus as the Light of the World. In the prologue of the Gospel of John, after speaking of Jesus as the Word, it also says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it”. (John 1: 5, NRVSUE) Even later in the Gospel of John, Jesus identifies himself as the Light of the World. He says, “…I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8: 12b, NRSVUE)
But when I think about stars, I realize that you can only see stars in the darkness. They are always there but only visible when we are surrounded by darkness. That’s when the light shines the brightest. It may not get rid of all the darkness. The star may not turn the night into day, but it is not extinguished by the darkness. It still provides guidance and shows us the way. Just as the Star of Bethlehem did for the Magi. We don’t know for sure that the Magi traveled by night, but it was common in the Ancient Near East to travel by night to avoid the searing daytime heat. Additionally as I said, we only see stars at night. Given these two facts, it is not an unreasonable assumption to conclude they traveled in the darkness to find the Christ Child. (Poet T.S. Eliot made the same assumption, imagining them traveling by night exclusively in his poem, “Journey of the Magi.”)
I find that particularly meaningful and poignant that they traveled surrounded by darkness as they sought Christ. Many of us feel as though we are traveling surrounded by darkness. The darkness of illness, isolation, fear, grief surround so many of us. The darkness of hatred, evil, and violence surround the whole world. And yet in that darkness, there is a light that never goes out.
In the 1980s Motel 6 ran an ad campaign that ended with what has become their slogan. Their ads always say, “We’ll leave the light on for you.” When you are weary from traveling, when it’s getting dark, when you are far from home, there will be a light. And maybe that’s a good way to think about God and Jesus as Light of the World. When we’re weary and darkness surrounds us, Jesus leaves the light on for us.
Prayer
God of light, you placed a star in the sky to lead the way to Christ. Shine your light into our lives, guide us when the path is unclear, and draw us ever closer to Jesus. Let us live in the confidence that you always leave the Light on for us. Amen.
Rev. Dana Ezell
