Going Home Another Way
Week 1 – The Call
Three Magi on the Way to Bethlehem by Hans Thoma
Why A Star?
Why is there a star in the Magi story? In Matthew’s time, the star would have had several layers of significance. Stars and other celestial phenomena were often associated with powerful, influential people. The symbolism of stars was used by Roman emperors to legitimize their claims to power, as well as to establish a connection or oneness with the gods. So, the star of the Magi indicated the legitimacy of Jesus’ kingship and his claim to divine status (thus challenging the emperors of Rome).1
It seems that humanity has always been fascinated by the stars. We may no longer believe they have the same symbolism as the ancients did, but they are still compelling and mysterious.
For Reflection
We’re likely to take the stars for granted, so deliberately go outside tonight (or the next clear night) and look up. What do you feel? I always feel both humbled at my insignificance in the universe and overwhelmed by all the mysteries of the universe that we don’t understand. At the same time, I’m comforted by the fact that the stars are always there, no matter what heartbreaking and horrible things are happening here on Earth.
Note what you feel, not what you think. It’s too easy to get caught in a trail of thoughts and spin in a little loop inside your head. (When I tried to do this, I started wondering where the James Webb telescope is now… then I decided I should check online to see if there were any new photos that I’d missed… which made me wonder if my sister had seen the images… then I started thinking about sending them to her…right about then I realized I was no longer even seeing what I was looking at!)
Footnotes
- Eric Vanden Eykel, The Magi – Who They Were, How They’ve Been Remembered, and Why They Still Fascinate, 89. ↩︎
Falling Up After 50 