Extracts from the joint worship

and a reflection by the Rev'd Russell Duncan

Brothers and sisters, we are united today with fellow believers throughout the world as we gather to pray for the visible unity of the Church. This morning our prayer inspiration comes from the churches in the Middle East – that part of the Body of Christ geographically linked to the story of the coming of the Magi. The Magi reveal to us a unity of nations as desired by God. They travel from far-off countries and from different cultures, driven by the same hunger to see and know the new born king. This leads them to gather in the little house in Bethlehem for the simple act of giving homage and offering gifts. In our own multi-cultural society we can see some expressions of that rich variety. At this time of year, some of us may feel we have moved on in our worship from the crib and the story of the coming of the Magi from the East. Yet Christmas-tide does not end until the 2nd February with the celebration of Candlemas (Jesus’ presentation in the temple). Our sisters and brothers in the Middle East invite us to focus on the story of the Magi anew. Uniting with them and journeying again with the Magi, may our time together allow us to come face-to-face with our God in Christ. May our worship bring a sense of joy and wonder

and allow us to respond as we go on further in our own journey of faith. Let us come into God’s presence in solidarity with all who are sick, suffering, marginalized, displaced and oppressed, knowing that our darkness can be dispelled by God’s light. As we pray today for the unity of the Church, may we all journey together to meet Jesus the Saviour, the light of the world.

Glory be to you Father Almighty, for you have revealed yourself

through your creation and invite all people to gather in your

presence. We have seen the star of Jesus in our lives and have

come to worship him just as the Magi did. We offer him ourselves

today and we ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit among us.

Unite us as we come to worship the king, all glorious above. Amen.

 

Gospel Reading Matthew 2:1-12

Matthew 2, verses 1 and 2

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”

The Magi saw the star and were so moved by its appearing that they left everything and crossed the world to follow it, to find the child to whom the star pointed.

Glory be to you Father Almighty, for you have revealed yourself through your creation and invited all people to gather in your presence. We have seen the star of Jesus in our lives and have come to worship him just as the Magi did. We offer him ourselves today and we ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit among us.

As we pray today for the unity of the Church, may we and our communities also be lights that guide others to Jesus the Saviour.

“Unite us as we come from every corner of our community to worship you, our heavenly king. Amen.”

Matthew 2, verses 3 to 6:

When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

The seekers have come so far guided by the splendour of the universe. But to find their final destination, they need the help of others and the guidance and insight of the Scriptures. They discover that God’s word “is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”. [Psalm 119:105]

“Lord, we thank you
For those who have helped us on our journey that led to you.

Lord, we worship you
For lighting our path through chaos and doubt by your Holy Spirit.”

Matthew 2, verses 7 and 8:

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”

On our journey, at times we have to encounter people who do not have good intentions. The Magi were asked to meet with Herod in the secretive corridors of power. Herod wants only to protect his own interests and ultimately to destroy whatever he sees as threatening them. We too have to contend with voices and messages that pretend to respect the good, but end up being destructive.

“Lord, we have damaged our common home through endless consuming.
Like Herod, we seek to protect our palaces
rather than sharing the riches of human dignity. Light our way
as together we seek the path to a better future for

Matthew 2: verses 9 to 10

When the wise men had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.

God our heavenly Father, we give you thanks for the gift of joy in our own lives and in the lives of all who know and love you. We pray that as we journey towards the goal of Christian unity, our lives together may give a luminous and joyful witness that leads others to know Christ.

We praise God, united in joy.

Matthew 2, verses 11 and 12

On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

They enter the little house and see face to face the one their hearts were seeking. They worship and, opening their treasures, offer their gifts. Having encountered the Saviour, the Magi return to their countries by a different way. Similarly, may the communion we share in our prayer together inspire us to return to our lives, our churches and our world by new ways, changed by meeting the Lord.

Reflection

Where is the child who has been born King of the Jews? For we have observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage (Matthew 2:2)

One of my favourite actors, Martin Clunes, who plays the rather grumpy doctor

in the TV series “Doc Martin” has a new series entitled “Islands of the Pacific”.

Some of you may have seen it this week. He embarks on an epic ocean wide

adventure in search of the real Pacific. At one point, he goes

sailing with a young but experienced fisherman who tells him that he

follows the stars in order to navigate around the numerous, scattered islands.

Unlike many of us, he doesn’t have or use google maps on his mobile phone.   

Matthew’s gospel introduces us to “wise men” who travelled from the East following a star.  However, in the Bible there weren’t three, and they weren’t kings. Matthew doesn’t give us a number. Legend subsequently deduced that there were three because they gave three presents – the famous gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Only later were they called Kings. The reason they are referred to as magi is because the word used is taken from Old Persian, and is the job title of the astrologers of the Persian royal court.

One of the early depictions in Christian art is a mosaic in the Basilica of St Apollinaris in Ravenna, Italy which was decorated in the second half of the sixth century.  Already the magi are three. In order to show them as wise men from the East the Byzantine artists who made the mosaic based their figures on the most exotic Easterners they knew.

Matthew wants to demonstrate that the birth of Jesus fulfils Scripture while  Isaiah the Prophet, predicted the birth of the Messiah who would be witnessed by the people of all the nations of the world, who would come to pay tribute.

Scripture tell us nothing about the personal details of the wise men, although their gifts are well known.  However familiar their journey  is to us it does seem strange that they left everything to follow a star. We are not told how long their journey took;  how they felt about going out into the unknown or why they felt compelled to make this particular  journey.

In his book “An Advent Book of Days” Bishop Gregory Cameron comments that “When the medieval Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral was opened in 1864, the remains of three men were found – one old, one middle aged and one a youth. We may be allowed to be sceptical as to whether these might actually be the relics of the magi who visited Jesus, but it does reflect another ancient tradition in the Church – that the three Kings each reflected an “age of man”; youth, maturity and old age”.

In this season of Epiphany and in this week of Christian Unity which unites us  visibly together, may we like the wise men -  who rejoiced at seeing the holy child -  continue to follow that same star. May we allow the Light of World to shine in our hearts and minds whether at present it is shining bright, flickering on the horizon or appearing to have disappeared altogether.

O God who by the guidance of a star,

Revealed your only-begotten Son to the nations;

Grant that we, who know you now by faith,

May at the last be led to see your glory face to face

Through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord.