The Scripture ~ “Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!” Matthew 2: 9-10 The Message
The Spiritual Focus ~ “The stars, that nature hung in heaven, and filled their lamps with everlasting oil, give due light to the misled and lonely traveler.” John Milton
The Breath Prayer ~ Inhale – Awe and wonder, Elongate the Exhale – Epiphany
The Devotion ~ From the time we begin to read around the age of five, our natural posture becomes one of leaning forward and looking down. Looking down can keep us from slipping on ice or tripping, but if we are always looking down, we have trouble navigating and getting where we want to go. From ancient times, scholars, religious leaders and mystics have navigated by looking up to the night sky, to the universe, and to the stars to guide their journey.
The church season of Epiphany began this last Sunday and continues till the Sunday before Ash Wednesday. It is a season when we celebrate with joy the manifestation of the Christ child. Liturgical litanies include words of awe and wonder; liturgical practices celebrate the gifts of the magi and the guiding light. The magi gazed on a star in the night sky, a star that led them to the newborn child. Stargazing not only guided their journey to Jesus, but guided their hearts and minds to trust God to lead them on a new path.
Drishti is a Sanskrit word that means sight and is a gazing technique that improves focus, guides clarity of thought, and helps us to see beyond preconceived prejudices to new ways of being. The stargazing magi experienced a God-breathed epiphany that changed the course of history: a history that opened up the Good News of God in Christ to all people.
