It’s always nice to be included in a group of genuinely good people. Or at least a group not involved in false worship of some fake god who does not answer, hear, speak, walk, or do anything that resembles contact with the human species. I think of the Israelites in the Old Testament, and their story of coming out of Egypt. When considering these two nations, one in slavery, the other enslaving an entire people, what we now know is how one people worshipped the one, true God of creation, while the other group worshipped false gods that had no capacity to eat, sleep, drink, walk, talk, do battle for, or be up close and personal. When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt to the showdown that takes place at the Red Sea, we see the immense power of the one God on display. A false god could not do what the true God did at the Red Sea. A false god would be too busy taking a false nap. Sadly, for the Egyptians, not one of their soldiers survived the debacle on the water. But if even one of them did survive, that soldier would have come to understand that the God of Israel was the one true God who knew how to handle armies that came up against his own people whom he would protect at all costs. The Egyptian soldier, if he had any good sense, would have joined Team Moses, asking, “Where’s my piece of unleavened bread? And make sure no pork is included in my meal.” The soldier of Egypt would have, as we like to say, “come home.” Such is the power of God to bring one-time enemies to him.

St. Paul was one of those enemies at one time, and we like what Jesus did with the future Apostle. In the celebration of the Magi this Sunday on the Feast of the Epiphany, may we take joy in recalling the events that had three wise men riding their camels, following a star that led them to a certain manger in a small town a few miles outside Jerusalem, landing them at a spot where they bowed down in worship to a God they did not previously know in their astronomical studies. In their vast knowledge of the heavens, the Three Wise Men must have sensed that what they saw out there, or up there, did not simply appear out of nowhere on its own one day long ago. They were wise enough to figure out there must have been some Force, some Power, some Electricity Who created the immensity and awesomeness of what they looked at and studied over the years. They, as Gentiles, did not hold the capacity to do what they excelled at doing in their studies of the skies; they could not explain in detail where it all came from. Internally, however, they held the strongest sense that Someone had something to do with bringing about the immensity of the majesty they gazed upon each day and night. In their arrival at the crib of Jesus, they come to discover at the manger another way of thinking, another way of living, another way of being in the world. Upon their arrival after a lengthy journey across the desert, they came to the knowledge, at least implicitly, of Who it is that called into existence what they’ve studied closely as astronomers for years as a small group of scientists who excelled at their trade.

As wonderful as this discovery was for them, coming to this knowledge that no astronomer before them came to know, the Three Wise Men now understood something that far surpassed their knowledge of Who created the moon and stars. They came to offer their allegiance and loyalty to the child they sensed was Someone who was more than Jesus, the Son of Mary. After all, how many males named Jesus were there in the ancient world of 2000 years ago? Jesus, which is Joshua, would have been the name of numerous boys and men, named after the great Israelite warrior Joshua who stood with Moses when the Israelites traveled through the desert for forty years. And how many of those Joshuas would have had a mother who went by the name of Mary? Likely, a good number. There was very likely, at the time of Jesus’ birth, a not-so-few number of boys named Jesus whose mothers were named Mary too.  And I bet you four or five readers thought Jesus and Mary of Nazareth were the only mother-son combination with those names at the time. Sorry to burst your bubble.

What’s most fascinating about the Wise Men is their coming to the knowledge of Jesus as the Christ. A small group of scientific information seekers who stood outside the doors of Israel their entire lives, outside the knowledge of Israel being the nation who worshiped the one true God, the God of Creation and now Salvation, the Magi opened this door of knowledge just enough that it would eventually let in other nations who would come to adore Jesus as these three did at the end of their long journey across the sands. They were the first Gentiles to offer the Lord proper worship and praise. They were the first Gentiles to kneel before the first earthly tabernacle Who settled into a manger, adoring Christ in the open air, singing his praises with great joy in their good hearts and scientific minds. And they were the first Gentiles to witness the intimacy and closeness of Mary, the child’s mother, and how her relationship with her Son would become what we know it to be today; one of Mary as an emissary for her Son in approved apparitions, and only God knows whatever other ways He chooses to reveal himself through his loving Mother, his closest disciple. As always seems to be the case, there would be roadblocks for the Magi as they marched to their destination, following the star. We know all about roadblocks in each of our lives. There may be weeks where they happen each day, obstacles large or small. Or, we may go for a while without some worldly challenge to our faith in Jesus, which is nice for those who do so. What were some of the roadblocks and/or challenges for the Magi? First, even though being led by a personal star God sent their way, they still did not know of their final destination. Have you ever gone on a trip to a place where you did not know where it ended? In other words, to the place of nowhere, or anywhere? And no name? Well, it has a name and geographical location, but you just don’t know it as you travel, not knowing what’s on the other end. When I travel to Gettysburg, I know what’s on the other end. The Magi did not know. But they trusted it was worth the long ride. They trusted they would find out more information, as information seekers, when they arrived at the end of their journey. Which they did. They found out more good information than they thought possible. Second, their trip across the desert could not have been smooth sailing. Or smooth camel-riding. Storms always crop up from any direction, testing the fortitude and wisdom of “Why are we doing this?” “Who first made this suggestion?” Almost to the point of a small brawl between astronomers occurring in the desert. Such would make for a good Saturday morning cartoon. But they made it through any and all difficulties with the weather, snakes, or any earthly challenge that came their way. They made it all the way to their third and hardest challenge, that of King Herod. The Spirit was at work for them in their encounter with Herod. They slid through his presence, making it out the back door alive, moving on to the final leg of their destination where they still didn’t know what awaited. And what awaited was this small group of Gentiles joining, to a great extent, another group of people, a chosen people, who worshipped no golden calves, but the one, true God of heaven and earth. As soon as they planted themselves before the manger, they came to knowledge of the greatest truth there is; that there is a God who loves us and has come to us. No fake gods who cannot speak or walk. Rather, God in the flesh. God like us.

Did the Magi possess all this knowledge as they knelt before the Christ child, knowing who he truly was and what he was to accomplish in his life? Most likely not. However, and this is how the Spirit works in us, they must have arrived at a certain level of knowledge concerning the baby boy who slept before them, knowledge that led to worship of him, which astronomers are not generally known for doing. They allowed themselves enough trust and hope to join a group of people in heart and mind they did not previously know. They not only traveled a long distance to arrive at the manger, but once there, the Wise Men traveled the furthest distance spiritually, culminating in belief of the one, true God. They were honest-seeking Gentiles during their trip, yet became a small, integral part of the Chosen People by the time they left. What made them part of the Chosen People in an outside sort of way? Answer: their belief in the Christ child as One to be worshipped and adored.

As Christians, we have entered this group of Chosen People in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Chosen to spread the Good News as commissioned in our Baptism and Confirmation. Chosen to lead others to Christ. Chosen to consume Jesus in the Eucharist. Chosen for the performance of good works that express the deepness of our Catholic faith in Christ. And chosen, at the end of our days here, to be among those counted as Saints in glory. A group that includes Three Wise Men.