The Visit of the Magi

1st Sunday in Epiphany Jan 8th 2017

The Magi travel from the East and follow the star to Bethlehem. One of the most magical images of the time of the Nativity. We have ttried more and more, to put all the Christmas story into one neat package around Christmas Day.

But in Matthew Ch 2 we know that this event happened after Jesus was born and it is linked to the twlefth day of Christmas or the start of Epiphany, January 6th.

Time to take the decorations down, that is if they have survived this long! Most people have already taken down the decorations, tidied up the house, started thinking about the New Year, have a resolution or two set for at least the next month, if not the year ahead.

I find myself taking out the tree, on Jan6th, with needles shedding all over the floor and on any unsuspecting person or animal, many of the decorations have already reached the floor by this stage and sometimes I look admiringly on people who take out Christmas as soon as possible.

But we can’t really do that, can we? Christmas is here to stay, Jesus is born to us all. We can’t just say,’ Oh, that was nice’,  and move on to the sales and shops and carry on as if nothing has happened.

We carry with us that spirit and love, whether it remains within us or stays for a brief time, like a Christmas tree needle, left on the jumper for a short while only.

The Collect for today;

Creator of the heavens, who led the Magi by a star,

So worship the Christ child, guide and sustain us

That we may find our journey’s end

In Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

Rev’d Sue Martin