Matthew 2:12

Matthew 2:12

And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Through a warning in a dream, and even more, I think, through their encounter with a peasant king in a tiny village, the magi’s worldview was changed. It wasn’t through the rich and powerful in Jerusalem that God was at work but through vulnerability, through peace and generosity. The way that the adult Jesus would live his life would stand in stark contrast to the Herods of the world, and the magi were already beginning to understand that. They didn’t need to report back to Herod because his power was fleeting. It would not stand forever. But the power of God which is eternal was revealed for them in a child, born in humble circumstances in the village of Bethlehem. The power of God was present among what’s considered ordinary, unremarkable. So they returned home by another road. They followed another path.

The life of faith may call us to alternative paths during the course of our lives. Sometimes our path may be surprising to others, but it’s because we walk by the light of Christ, our Morning Star. Living with peace, forgiveness, and generosity may look odd or foolish in comparison to the ways of the world. Still, the light of Christ leads us on another road.

O God, you are both guidance and mystery. Visit our rest with disturbing dreams and our journeys with new companions. Grace us with the hospitality to open our hearts to visitors filled with unfamiliar wisdom bearing profound and unusual gifts. Amen.