The Huron Expositor, 1981-12-23, Page 26The minister's message
born. The shepherds 'cline Teddy Sills
and the three kings and the Gr. 3
drummer boy. St. James School
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MACLEAN
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THE HURON EXPOSITOR
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arteiblriainaroierivaniegagyairr. zistar
May the peace and promise
of the Blessed Birth fill
your heart with Joy!
To our thanks
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THE HURON XPOSITOR, DECEMBER 23, 1011
Jesus in his manger, the
look on Mary's face
A star in the East
ET DAVID MeHNIOHT, MINISTER
EGMONDVILLE UNITED MECO
Ringsthey were, who followedthet "star
of wonder, star of light". Or so goes John
flepkittS' 19th-century Christmas carol,
"WeThree Kings". Kasper. Balthazar and
Melchior, their names. • according to an
8th-century legend. But recent centuries of
scholarship„ . along with modern
astronomical data, suggest a fuller--and
fascinating--picture. 'So come with me in
imagination, across 20 centuries of time. for
a closer look at these strange sky-watchers
from afar, and at their star!
The year is 7 B.C. the time of the census
which brought Jesus' parents to Joseph's
ancestral home-. Bethlehem. In the early
--Morning of May 29th of that year, priests of
theZoroastrian-Zoroastrian on the roof of the
School of Astrology at Sipper in Babylonia,
the mint famous school in the ancient
world. "'Magi", we would call these
scholars who watched the marking sky that
day. Experts in stars and planets (all
"stars" to them), in their movements, and
in their religious meaning. Wearing tall.
cone-shaped hats, these wise men of the
East were looking for a special star
signalling the birth of a new world leader.
The new ruler had been foretold by their
renowned prophet, Zoroaster, centuries
before.
And with sunlight's first rays, they saw
it! A bright star "in the east" -- which
means, simply, a star "at dawn". We now
know that they were seeing (indeed, the,
School at Sipper recorded it!) the first of
three appearances of this bright light in the
year 7 B.C. In fact. it was two planets they
were watching-- Jupiter, and Saturn--.
crossing one in front of the other. It gave the
appearance of a strangely bright star in the
merning air. And behind these two planets.
like a "backdrop" for a celestial meant.
was a group of stars that seemed to term the
outline of two fish chasing each other's
tails: the constellation called Pisces--"the
Fish".
The Magi knew what this crossing of
Jupiter and Saturn over Pisces meant.
Jupiter was the planet of Kingship. Saturn
was the "star of Israel". and Israel's
protector. And Pisces, the background of
fish-shaped stars, was the sign of the
Jewish Messiah. Of course! The bright
morning star, on May 29, "B.C., was the
long-awaited sign of the arrival of the
new-born King of Israel! In fact, the Magi
already knew of His coming from their study
of the Jewish scriptures, going back to the
time the Jews had come to their land as
captives 500 years earlier. And their
knowledge of astronomy had prepared them
for the bright light's appearance in
advance.
But the Magi! also knew that May's
summer sun was no time to begin a camel
caravan trip across 600 miles of burning,
shifting desert sand. No, they had their
sights set on the second appearance of the
Jewish King's star. For Jupiter and Saturn
crossed each others' paths again on October
3rd in 7 B.C. And then they set out! Priests
from great Persia, in search of a tiny child,
i a tiny town, in, a tiny nation.
Six weeks later--near the end of
November--brought them finally to Israel's
capital-city, Jerusalem, seeking directions
to the royal baby's home. King Herod,
laying plans to kill this rival to his throne,
pointed them to Bethlehem. the Messiah's
hirthplacl according to the prophet Micah.
And as they set out, on the evening of
December 4th, the Megi saw the third
appearance of the bright light of Jupiter and
Saturn. This time it was hanging low M the
dusk, directly to the south of them, over
sleepy Bethelehm. Little Bethlehem! A
small jewel of evening lamps twinkling in
the distance, sheltered in a valley, just 5
miles from where the Magi had just been
standing on mountain-top Jerusalem.
Can you imagine the Magi's excitement
that evening on the road to Bethlehem?
The birth of a new world Messiah--known to
them even before His own people were
aware of His coming! And imagine Mary's
amazement as these oddly-dressed men of
strange tongue and faith stepped through
the door to her young baby's home. Mary
and Joseph were settled in a house now--as
Matthew's gospel explains. Jesus was
several months old, at least, likely born the
previous spring near the time of the first
appearance of the star--during the lambing
season when shepherds would be "out iwith
their flocks by night."
And what -gifts the wise men had
selected! Though we don't know how many
of these learned visitors entered Mary's
home--the Bible doesn't tell us•-, we know
appearances of the
King. Second:
incense signifying a G
strangest gift of all.
sweet-smelling wood resin, ymbolizing,,._
man's mortality: death! The holy child
would not understand. But did the mother
comprehend the Magi's meaning? Or her
eyes fill with tears at the sight of this sad
substance?
"Myrrh. is mine: its bitter perfume
Breathes a life of gathering gloom:
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying.
Sealed in a cold stone tomb."
How strange. indeed, it all was! A gift of
gum from wood. For a child who had first b
been laid in a wooden crib. The son of a
wood worker. A savior who would be raised
in death on a wooden cross.
Wise they , were, these priests from
Slipper. They knew stars. And somehoW
they knew, from the start. what Jesus' own
diiciples could not grasp to the end. The
baby of Bethlehem came to live the life of
love; and because He loved truly. to die: and
because death could not hold him, to rise, in
eternal life, for all mankind to see.
Thus--like the Magi's star of wonder--He is
called this Christmas, as every Christmas,
"the Light". The Light of the nations. The
Light that shines in the darkness. The Light
of the world!
Christmas reminds me of
Jesus in his menses, and the
three wise men from far in the
east, and the presents around
him. and the look on Mary
and Joseplfi faces when he
was born, and all the angels
singing in the-air, and the big
WO kin, and that's what
Christmas means to me.
TiMmY Nolan
Christmas is a
warm feeling
CHRISTMAS
Christmas is a Warm
feeling to me. It reminds me
when Jesus was born.
Christmas is a very, very,
very, nice feeling to me. And I
hope it is to you. Merry
Christmis to all little boys
and girls.
Tracy Bisback
Gr. 3
St. James School
Christmas
reminds me
about Jesus
CHRISTMAS
Christmas reminds me
about Jesus the Saviour.
Joseph and Mary went to
Bethelehm and Jesus was
that their gifti were three. like the three
t r. First: gold-for a
incense--aromatic
And finally, the
Myrrh, the
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