Wednesday Wisdom: Christmas Leftovers - Wise Men Are Guided by Heavenly Light

CHRISTMAS LEFTOVERS:  Wise Men Are Guided 
by Heavenly Light

"The heavens call to you and circle about you, displaying to you their eternal splendors." Dante

We enjoyed a house full of children, grandchildren, and tons of fun this Christmas. That resulted in lots of cooking, lots of food, and in turn lots of leftovers. We finally finished eating all those leftovers on January 6, Three Kings Day.

But besides food, I have some leftover Christmas thoughts to share, one of which relates to the Three Kings and to a wonderful Christmas song I discovered this year called "Believe" by Josh Groban.   I love the melody and the lyrics, including these:

Ships go sailing

Far across the sea

Trusting starlight

To get where they need to be

When it seems that we have lost our way

We find ourselves again on Christmas Day

Speaking of ships sailing far across the sea, I find it amazing and miraculous that sailors can navigate across the vast unknown of the oceans by studying and following the guidance of little specks of light in the nighttime sky. That ancient discovery surely is one that changed the world.

 

This phenomenon takes me back to the story of the Three Wise Men, who also trusted starlight to get where they needed to be. Here's the original story from St. Matthew:

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

Saying, where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

It's interesting how many of our modern-day Christmas traditions are based on the story of these nomadic "wise men" who used celestial guidance to find and worship the newly-born Lord, the true King of Kings. But there is a lesson larger than the giving of gifts that we can learn from these pilgrims. We learn that we can be led by divine means to our most cherished destinations.

Besides the stars, I believe that today we have available to us additional forms of heavenly light that can steer us away from dangers like the wicked King Herod and can guide us to truth and joy. I believe that we can navigate across the vast unknowns of our own lives by prayer and personal inspiration.

I believe that humble and sincere seekers of goodness - like the Three Wise Men - can receive celestial guidance to get where they need to be. I believe that, even when it seems that we have lost our way, we can find ourselves again, whether on Christmas Day or any other day of the year.

I believe, even two thousand and nineteen years later, wise men and women are still guided by heavenly light by trusting in a loving Heavenly Father, looking upward with their spiritual eyes, and listening with their spiritual ears.