I know I know. We are tired. I am an Epiphany enthusiast in theory, but in practice, I am usually a bit wiped out by the time I get to the 3rd day of Christmas. Still, as much as we rush to bring the Wise Guys into the scene, their place in this story is critical for what the incarnation means (both positively and negatively - the anxious bloodshed it provokes).
Strangely, we start with a word that isn't in the texts. However, the cross-cultural dimensions of what a soul is are important for the broader picture.
Then, of course, we have Matthew, the only place where we find the visit of the Wise Men, Magi, perhaps Kings. A brief introduction to the first part of this gospel.
In the Isaiah lesson Exile is an important idea, and so to it is a deciding voice in the whole text of the Hebrew scriptures, and then not unexpectedly, the Christian scriptures.
And our last video for this series is about the setting, not only how geography matters for some texts, but the ways in which there are layers of meaning in the depiction of settings in the Bible.
I hope this adventure has been a blessing for you and your lifelong learning in faith. It isn't enough that it has entered your intellect, the challenge is always how does it become incarnate in your life? If you are left with more questions (alleluia) how are you going to commit to exploring them? In the lectionary churches, we can sometimes be left to our own devices for figuring out how these different scenes connect to a larger salvation history. May this Adv-Christm-any journey enrich your faith and enlighten your relationship with the Holy Trinity through the practice of continuing study and prayer.
Oh yes - the three questions - good for many settings and lessons.
- What leaped out at you?
- What do you want to know more about?
- How does God speak to your life in these summaries?
May your light so shine - always and forever in union with Christ Jesus and his faithful people.
Amen.
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