[W]ise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 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.”
I know it’s too early to celebrate Epiphany. I know we are supposed to wait for Christmas and then for twelve long days after Christmas, but I need a sign from above now before the Christ Child is even born. I need wise men to tell me that they have seen something remarkable in the sky, something worth journeying and traveling in order to pay homage to a baby.
I need to hear the angels proclaim again and again, “Fear not!” this Advent season. I need dreams, signs, and angelic proclamations to know that the divine is with us. I need the story of the birth of the Christ Child born to outsiders. I need the story of the birth of the Christ Child to a poor couple, unsure and uncertain what their future holds knowing only they have to journey together.
I need to know Emmanuel, God is with us.
I need Christmas to be on a Sunday this year, so I can gather together with our community of faith and we can remember this story together. We need to gather to worship and remember that what we experience the other days of the week doesn’t change the truth and light that we hear on Sunday. We need to gather so that we can strengthen each other to have the courage to that the light of this Christ Child within us.
Come, Lord Jesus, come. Your people are waiting, dreaming, and looking for signs.