With the kings, on this feast of the Epiphany let us come to worship the one who was born king of the Jews.
Invitation to Confession:
Jesus, unlike the Magi, we haven't always followed your star.
Lord, have mercy.Jesus, unlike the Magi, we haven't always given you the gifts you desire.
Christ, have mercy.Jesus, unlike the Magi, we haven't always acted wisely.
Lord, have mercy.
Reading:
Matthew 2:1-12
After Jesus was born in
Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to
Jerusalem [2] and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?
We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." [3] When King Herod
heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. [4] When he had called
together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them
where the Christ was to be born. [5] "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied,
"for this is what the prophet has written: [6] " 'But you, Bethlehem, in the
land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you
will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'" [7] Then
Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star
had appeared. [8] He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful
search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may
go and worship him." [9] After they had heard the king, they went on their way,
and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over
the place where the child was. [10] When they saw the star, they were
overjoyed. [11] On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother
Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures
and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. [12] And
having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their
country by another route.
Story:
The story of the Wise Men is familiar to children, but it isn't always clear why the Magi visited Herod in the first place, and why they were warned not to return to him.
This is the story of a small page boy who worked in Herod's palace.
A Page Boy's Story
I'm going to see a wandering healer tomorrow, and I feel strangely excited about it. I don't know why, but it's reminded me of a very special time time, years and years ago. I was only, let me see, around eight years old, a page boy at the palace. I remember the summons from Herod, and the fear which turned my legs to jelly. It happened every time Herod summoned me, for I knew his cruelty of old. Many a time he had me beaten with rods because I made some tiny mistake in his service, and many a time I watched as his soldiers sliced off the heads of men who spoke out against him and his wicked ways.
Herod was only half Jewish, so he didn't respect our ways and customs. He'd been appointed as our king by the Romans, so he danced to their tune all the time. Most good Jews loathed him, but none dared to say so. I know my father hated and feared Herod, but when Herod saw me and demanded to have me as his page boy, my father had no choice. To refuse would have meant certain death, and my father had my mother and six more children to support.
But it wasn't all bad at the palace. I got to eat good food, and I learned to read and write. And if I did my work well and made no mistakes, Herod ignored me, which was just as I wanted it.
On that day when three important strangers from the East arrived and I was summoned by Herod to serve them, I tried to make myself as small as possible so that I could see and hear all that was going on. What a tale I'd have to tell my family - if I ever saw them again.
The strangers told Herod that they had been travelling for years, following a star. They all came from different countries, but they'd each predicted the appearance of a special star from their star charts, and they'd each seen the star when it first appeared. They'd joined up together somewhere along the journey.
Everyone knows that a big, bright star like the one they'd seen heralded the birth of a new king, so they'd come straight to Herod's palace in Jerusalem. But Herod knew nothing of a new king. None of his wives had had babies recently, and none was expecting a baby, so he was mystified. Worse than that, he was worried and that made him furious. I knew the signs, for I'd seen them often enough. The way his mouth smiled but his eyes didn't. The way his nose became kind of pinched and white. The small furrow of his brow which so often erupted into black fury.
Herod was furious when he heard about a new king - one not of his bloodline - but he was charming to those wise men. He called them by their formal name of "Magi", and fussed over them as though they were the most important guests he'd ever had. I had to run and find the best food for them and make sure their beds were warm and comfortable. And Herod laid on a great feast that evening, saying he wanted to hear more about this new king. That was true enough! Herod wanted to find out all about the new king so that he could get rid of him. Herod couldn't abide the thought that he might have a rival who would take his place on the throne of Israel.
I knew the visitors had special presents for the new king and I asked them about the presents when I showed them to their rooms. One had brought pure gold, fit for a king. Another had frankincense, because he said that the new king would also be a wonderful priest, very close to God himself. The third stranger had brought myrrh, that most bitter of herbs. I was surprised by that, since everyone knows that myrrh is a burial spice. The third king nodded sadly. "The new king is only just born," he said, "but he will suffer and die before he's old." I shivered when he said that, and thought of Herod.
At the feast that evening, Herod asked the Magi to come back when they'd found the new king. He told them that he, Herod, wanted to worship the new king as well, and the Magi nodded and smiled. I felt sick. I knew exactly what Herod would do to that baby if he ever found him.
That night I couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned, worrying about the new king. I didn't want the new king to suffer and die. More than anything I wanted our people to be free from Herod, so I longed to see the new king for myself. And I was so afraid that the Magi would come back and tell Herod exactly where to find him.
Next morning I slipped out when the camels were being prepared and hid until the Magi emerged. I didn't dare to think what would happen to me if Herod noticed my absence, but I knew what I had to do. I managed to tug the sleeve of one of the wise men and whispered my fears to him. I told him of Herod's cruelty, and how jealous he was. I told him what Herod would do the new king. I told the Magi never to come back.
The Magus looked at me with such a strange expression on his face that I felt afraid. I wondered if he'd report me to Herod. If he did, I was dead. But instead he bent down and put his mouth close to my ear. "It's all right," he whispered. "We each had the same dream last night. We've been warned by an angel. never to return here. We'll go home a different way."
I can remember my feeling of relief to this day. Suddenly I didn't care what Herod did to me, as long as the new baby was safe. I knew I'd never see the baby myself, but since I lived and worked in a palace, perhaps one day I would see the new king when he had grown up and had come to claim his throne.
That was so long ago. I'm an old man now and I no longer work in a palace. I woke up one morning five years ago unable to feel my right foot, and it turned out that I'd caught leprosy. Now I shall never see the new king, for I'm an outcast, living in the caves amongst the foothills of the desert. I've tried hundreds of doctors and healers, but nothing works. The leprosy just goes on eating up my body.
Sometimes I mind about it, because I have to live on other people's scraps, but mostly I'm content. My fellow lepers are good people, and we're all outcast together. We help each other. I don't know what happened to the new king, because I never heard any more about him. Perhaps Herod's soldiers killed him along with all the other baby boys in our country. Or maybe the baby king escaped to some other country. I don't know.
Tomorrow I'm going to see a new healer, and I feel in my bones that this one might be able to help me. I know it's nonsense, because there's no cure for leprosy, but I still have this huge feeling of hope. They say he's wonderful, this Jesus of Nazareth. I can't wait to see him, and who knows? He's a traveller, so even if he can't heal me, perhaps he'll be able to tell me something about the new king.
That's all I need. I'm an old man now. I'd just like to hear about the King of the Jews, and then I shall die happy. I wonder if tomorrow really will be a special day for me?
Activity:
You need:
| Three packets of pipe cleaners Pictures of the Magi to cut out and colour Thin card Glue Sticky tape A seed tray Sand A star of David Silver foil Scissors A small empty tissue box Crayons |
Make a model of the journey to the stable at Bethlehem.
Sprinkle some sand about half an inch deep in the bottom of an old seed tray, to represent the desert. Help some of the children to make pipe cleaner camels, and others to colour in pictures of the Magi. Paste the pictures onto thin card and cut them out. Stand them in the sand, alongside the camels. Make a stable out of a square tissue box. Draw a star of David, get the children to cut it out and cover with silver foil. Then fix it to a spare pipe cleaner with sticky tape. Fix the star to the stable. If you like, make the small page boy and include him in the scene.
Diary Time:
If the children are keeping diaries, they might like to write about times which have been special for them. You might be able to ask them how or where God has been part of their special times.
Intercession:
God who guides us, you led the Magi by a star, but of all the people who saw that star only the wise men followed it. Make our Church wise enough to spot the signs you use to guide us and to follow where you lead.
God who guides us, the Magi came from different countries and travelled together. May people of different countries travel together today, so that they are not strangers but friends.
God who guides us, like the Magi, make us sensitive to your whispers, so that we learn to hear your voice and obey your suggestions.
God who guides us, we ask you to heal those who are sick. May they feel you near them and get better soon. We pray especially for ...
God who guides us, we pray for all who are feeling sad because someone they love very much has died. May they feel your strong arms around them and hear your gentle voice as you comfort them. We pray especially for ....
Blessing:
May you be wise like the Magi,
Learn to hear God's voice,
follow God's star,
And meet with Jesus.
And the blessing of God almighty,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
be with you now,
be in your homes and in your families
and with all those whom you love
and all those for whom you pray,
this Christmas season and always.
Amen.
