So many elements of this treasured story make it a favorite of mine. From whence came these three wise ones, astronomers who studied the heavens and knew so much of the universe and yet little of what we now know about the cosmos? What is the significance of their journey? Their gifts?

If you are like me, you may have favorite hymns and poetry related to the scripture passage. We Three Kings and T. S. Eliot’s Journey of the Magi come to mind immediately. How I love to read and re-read the words and listen to the music! What Child Is This is one of my favorite ones, too. “So bring Him incense, gold and myrrh, Come peasant, king to own Him; The King of kings salvation brings, Let loving hearts enthrone Him”. But the scripture story and all the poetry and hymns about the Epiphany emphasize not just the magically wonderful idea of visitors from the East reverencing the tiny child, but also the harsh rejection of Herod, standing for all the rejections of the Christ across the ages.

For many years when I taught junior high school students, I selected the Epiphany as the time to do a special prayer service in the chapel with them. The story’s ending was the usual focus of my teaching. “And being warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.” I would invite them to consider what choices God might be inviting them to make – what “other way” might God be asking of them? Who or what is the Herod they should not return to?

For us, today, what is the “other way” that we need to go in order to listen to God’s voice as it is revealed in dream or circumstance or loved one? What is the change of plan that our life or the life of those who need us requires of us? “Guide us to thy perfect light” is the prayer of the three wise ones (never named kings in the scriptures, of course). It must be our prayer, too. Whether “another way” is the way we must take to follow the star that leads us to goodness, Godliness, God’s love and grace, or the way we always used to go but have lately forsaken, let’s go with the wise star-gazers leading the way.

Surely our longing will lead us, too, to study and ponder on God’s revelation in nature, in the cosmos. Surely the scriptures will open our hearts to recognize the Holy One in the ordinary as well as the extraordinary visions that life urges us to see. Surely we, too, will find the most significant gifts to offer – the gold of generosity, the incense of compassionate service, the myrrh of sacrifice for the sake of another.

May stars and dreams and faith “lead us to thy perfect light”!