January 6th Reflection by Bill Lynch

Epiphany of Our Lord 
Matthew 2:1-12 (NRSV)
Christ revealed to the nations 

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.' "

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Reflection
We were such a small colony of people, but we had discovered how to live on this distant planet. We were originally from the planet P-3, but had to move to P-4. We weren't sure if we could survive those years so long ago, when the environment changed drastically cold. It was millions of years back we are told, but some of the historians here with us on P-4 say it may have been billions of years ago. In any case we know for certain that we came from P-3, so we have always kept a watchful eye on P-3 just to see what may be happening to our home planet.

Something significant did take place on P-3 one morning. We aren't sure if there is any life that survived on P-3, but we have been able to send a few probes that have come within 53 yags of P-3. It was impossible to see anything at this distance, so it's still a mystery to us if any life survived the cold.

The morning of the bright light led us to believe something was taking place. You didn't even need a vision enhancement device to see the bright light in the sky. It was as if this light were shining back and forth from a solar source far away and connecting to P-3. This source so far away seemed to be the source of all light. I couldn't tell if the source of light was from P-3 or the other point in the sky. It raised such excitement among all of the people on P-4. Maybe there was life just like us still on P-3! Our hearts were warmed with this exchange of light going to and from P-3. Warmed in an unusual way. Warmed to the core of our beings. Our hearts were warmed to the point of knowing that something heavenly was occurring on P-3. Something that was calling us home to P-3 from P-4. Our hearts were warmed to the point of the feeling that God must be coming to P-3.

It took about C3 for us to gather the materials and come up with the plan to send a few people back to P-3. It was a dangerous expedition, but it had to take place. If God had come to P-3 in that light we saw, we had to let the people of P-3 know that there was people on P-4 that needed that warmth and light also. The launch was successful and the communications with our three travelers was working just fine. It took C2 for our travelers to reach P-3.

Upon the travelers arrival, they discovered abundant life on P-3. Life had flourished and was awesome on P-3. The travelers found the one point of the light and it was God! It was God in a strange form. It was God in the form of a baby with a man and his wife. Our travelers were told through some mysterious ways to return to P-4 and let the people know that God had come for them to save them. God was present on P-3 and had come into the universe to save all people from evil and death. God in the form of a baby! God's Light shining brightly throughout all space and time. God was with us!

It's no wonder that all of us felt this warmth in our hearts and throughout and within ourselves. The travelers stayed long enough on P-3 to give the gifts we had sent and returned. They were joyful and our entire colony on P-4 took comfort that God was here. God was here with us in the love and Spirit of knowing that God had come in our form to our people and had come to us also.

Now as we look into the sky, we not only see that great Light shining and reflecting back and forth to P-3, but we also see that great Light shining to P-4 and back to P-3. A Light that forms a triangle and a twinkle throughout the universe announcing the coming of God to all people. A Light that shines in the darkness. A Light that enlightens everyone everywhere. A Light that is the Light of all people that darkness can not overcome. This Light had come to all the universe and warmed all with love. A Light that united all the people P-1 to P whatever. We have seen God!

Prayer
God you broke in and gave us Light. You shine your love on all hearts that we receive your Light. God in flesh and a great Light. A Light that brings the warmth of heavenly love to earthly people. A Light in Jesus our Savior. We come to honor, praise and adore you, for you have come to us to rescue us and save us from the darkness of our sin. May we be the vessels of your love to all the universe and to all those you give to us to reflect that Light of love you have placed within us. You are our Savior, you alone... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen