‘When King Herod heard this, he was frightened.’ Matthew 2:2-12
Brothers & sisters: everyone, whomever, and wherever they may be, experience fear in their lives. People are afraid for lots of reasons. This morning were going to look at three very different people.
First are new mothers. All mothers are afraid. Fear goes with the territory. As soon as the baby is put in your arms, tiny, helpless, dependent, you know that fear is going to be your constant companion from now on. I’m reminded of this when I saw my son and daughter-in-law with their first child, our granddaughter. But they are quite sensible and of course they had all the mod-cons we never had; the temperature monitors and the baby monitors that have sound and video when the baby’s asleep! Plus the baby app on their smart phones! Babies are so vulnerable though aren’t they? There is so much that can harm them. Some dangers you can protect them from. But there are illnesses, and accidents, and after a while they grow up and leave home and then they are out there, somewhere, doing who knows what, putting their precious bodies in the way of danger. Always, fear lurks at the back of the maternal mind. This mother in our Gospel Reading (Matthew 2:1-12) is no different. First-century Israel was not the best time and place for a child to be born. Many did not survive. Illness took some, poverty others. Living under occupation posed its own dangers; as indeed it does even today in modern occupied Palestine. This mother has good reason to be afraid for her baby, and there is extra reason for her fear. There is something special about this child, something provoking. The fact that both parents have had visits from angels tells them that this child is not going to live a quiet life out of harm’s way, as every parent wishes. No wonder Mary is apprehensive. Already there are signs. The strange visitors, for example.
The wise men or three kings, depending on your preference. It is normal, of course, for there to be visitors when there is a new baby in the house. Mothers do not always welcome them. They need time alone to get to know their new child. But still, it is natural for grandparents, aunties and uncles, friends and neighbours, to call in, wet the baby’s head, bring gifts and good wishes. It is expected. But this baby receives unexpected visitors, strange and alarming. They are magi from eastern lands, some say, astrologers, scholars of the sky and the stars, of signs and portents. And they have seen something in the heavens. They know that a king has been born, and they have come to bow before him. They are our second group of people to be afraid. They have seen this manifestation in the sky, a new star, which signifies a new king to them, and they have decided to travel from afar to find out who and where this king is. The signs have led them to this place, to this peasant baby and his frightened mother at the sight of three strange men. Their fears are allayed as they see in this child a future king who will change the world and their fear turns to joy and they worship him and lavish expensive gifts on him. It is their ‘epiphany’, the revelation of a new king before them, they are no longer afraid, but overwhelmed with joy.
However, on their journey here, they met another person who is afraid and that is our third character; not a mother, or wise man but a king, Herod, and the one who has judged this baby to be a threat to his very kingship. The wise men have gone first, not so wisely it turns out, to the royal palace to look for their new born king. There they have met a tyrant, yet also a weak and foolish king, who knows how tenuous is his hold on power, and who lives in constant fear of the next rebellion, the next death threat, the unexpected stab in the dark. The magi don’t help – they bring him news of a replacement, perhaps a member of another branch of the family that claims to be royal, or perhaps, (perish the thought) a descendant of King David, ready to grow up and claim the old kingship, claim to be God’s anointed, the Messiah. Yes, Herod is afraid, and this fear breeds cunning, and violence. The solution is simple, he’s probably done something similar before. Get rid of the opposition, fast! He will find the child, and simply kill him, and the magi will unwittingly help, by returning later to innocently give away the address. He orders all male toddlers under two years of age to be killed, oh yes, Herod is scared alright! The magi go on their way, and find the baby. They bring their strange gifts, not things you’d expect for a baby; sleep suits, teddy bears, baby toys – but gold, frankincense and myrrh- symbols of royalty, of priesthood and of death. The child’s mother gazes at them, and wishes perhaps instead for a baby rattle, or some flowers, or money, the ordinary safe and normal gifts. But in her heart of hearts she knows that nothing will ever be normal again. She is momentarily afraid, but in her fear there is also a thrill. There is new life in the world, and anything could happen. She names him Jesus as told by the angel, and so her epiphany begins as she realises the enormity of what is happening.
Today the Church remembers the visit of the magi and proclaims Jesus as the “light to lighten the Gentiles”. We are in a dark time of the year, and look forward to the return of light mornings and evenings. But light is not always benign. Bright light can blind. Intense light such as a laser, can slice through steel. Christ the light illuminates and warms, but He also judges. His coming brings fear to those who perpetrate evil.Herod was right to be afraid. Yes, he would have his day of slaughter, but he will not snuff out the Light, for this is no gentle glow of a candle, but a passionate fire that burns the cruelty of man’s inhumanity to man. The baby receiving the strange visitors with the prophetic gifts will one day be killed by the fear He generates, but even then the Light will not be snuffed out. As John says, “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”
The world has gone through a pandemic the like of which has not been seen for centuries. Many millions have died, many jobs and livelihoods were lost, some forever. Now war rages its ugly head once again over Europe; and the financial crisis has reduced our incomes and left many people with a stark choice, eat or heat. Not to mention the environmental catastrophe waiting around the corner. Many people who had good and settled lives are now afraid for the future, not much has changed over two thousand years, has it, it seems? Yet so much has changed, if we will visit this story once more and believe and hope in its message. Jesus came as a baby, yes, but He also came with the power of heaven to change things and to bring a better way, and a route to salvation with His, and our Father, in heaven. Because Jesus is not his only name, as we read in the Bible, (Isaiah 9:6) “He shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, The everlasting power, the prince of peace.” For those who recognise and follow Jesus; despite the fears in this world, with all its war and tragedy; that fear is mixed with a thrill of excitement at Epiphany.
Epiphany means manifestation or “revelation” and today we commemorate the revealing of Jesus as the light of the world, the saviour come to bring us salvation, and all the other names he goes by, and yes, the light will burn eyes and hearts, but it will also drive out darkness and evil, and reveal God’s truth.So, in this Christmas and epiphany season, let us try to look beyond the cute baby in the manger, let us look beyond being afraid of what the world will do next, and see the inextinguishable light that shines through this darkness, bringing hope where there is fear, and open our hearts and listen again to the words of that enduring carol, “O little town of Bethlehem:”
‘Yet in thy dark streets shineth, the everlasting light,
the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight!’
Amen (from Fr Peter).
All Saints Church Chorley 