What if the wise men had decided to stay home? We listen to this story of cross-country travel every year, and when we look at the manger scene, we expect to find our turbaned travelers kneeling by the baby Jesus. The crèche would seem empty without them, as if a family picture were being taken and some of our closest relatives were missing. But what if they had never arrived? Or what if they had considered taking the trip into the unknown but then decided that it was just too risky or too far or too complicated? What if the trip seemed too overwhelming or just too much trouble?

            If the wise men had stayed home all those years ago, they would have missed the Christ child. If they had not dared to venture out into the unknown, they would not have encountered God in this new way. There was a miracle waiting to be discovered, but they would not have experienced it because they would still be safely rooted in their everyday routines.

            Or — what if the wise men had never looked up? What would have happened if they had never taken the time to scan the night skies or gaze up into the heavens? What if they were so busy with their lives, so consumed with their day-to-day activities or so worried about their pressing obligations or scholarly responsibilities that they never even noticed that shining invitation beckoning them to break out of their routine?

Epiphany

            On this Epiphany Sunday, we celebrate the light that shines in the darkness. The star in the night sky is a beloved symbol of Christmas and Epiphany. But it has to be noticed in order to be followed. If the wise men had not bothered to look up, they might have never known that there wer

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