Epiphany will be celebrated on January 6th this year. As you know, Epiphany is they day we celebrate the Magi or wise men coming to Jesus in Bethlehem. I try really hard not to begin every sentence with, "When I lived in Bethlehem..." because I know how aggravating it can be for other people...but...
When I lived in Bethlehem...I volunteered through the ELCA--Young Adults in Global Mission program. I worked in a Lutheran school in Bethlehem, Palestine, called Dar al-Kalima. Because of this experience, my understanding of Bethlehem and Jesus Christ, for that matter, has forever been changed.
In talking to one of my LSTC classmates, Alex Raabe, he shared with me a sermon he heard today in church. He said that he wondered what the magi journey of 2011 would look like.
My favorite olive wood carver in Bethlehem likes to include a mini Occupation Wall for his nativity sets. He doesn't force them on people, but you see them in display sets. It may seem ironic or quaint, but the sad reality is that the magi really wouldn't have made it to Bethlehem and Jesus wouldn't have been allowed in Jerusalem, since he and his family were from Bethlehem.
To avoid continuing down a very political road and an incredibly personal topic, I'll leave you with the same question Alex had: What would Epiphany be like for the magi today?
Peace and blessings.
No comments:
Post a Comment