Reflecting on the Word

By Dr. Karla J. Bellinger

Good scribe, I am getting old. I must tell my story before I die: The porter began to push the palace door closed: “You are not of  the Chosen People. We do not want your kind here.” “But wait! We have seen a star. We have come to worship the king  of the Jews.” 

“Wait here.” 

They let us squeeze in through a crack. The room was heavy with  perfume, masking the stench of unwashed bodies. In the stale air, I  could not breathe. I longed to be back home, in the crispness of the  desert air, basking in the radiance of the stars and the moon. The  long trek to get to Jerusalem, to follow that star, just to have the  door slammed in our faces, to see this man . . . This was not the king  that we were looking for. 

“Go to Bethlehem. Find the child. Come back and tell us so that  we too can go and worship.” I smelled a lie. I smelled darkness, deceit  in these halls of power. My stomach felt like it was being stabbed.

She opened the door. “Come in. Welcome!” I smelled fresh bread.  (Some have pictured us coming to a stable—but no, we came to his  house.) The baby laughed and reached for us, holding out his arms. I  felt a surge of joy. The radiance of the star shone in his little smile, as  though he would be a ray of light in the vast darkness. I was happy  to give him my gift. They had welcomed us in. We were truly wanted  and loved! I felt sure that this king, small as he was, would open the  door for others as well. 

But let that putrid Herod foul this holy place? No. No. I just  wanted to go home. 

Consider/Discuss 

  • When have you felt unwanted, as though a door has been slammed in your  face? How does that feel different from the welcome of a that has been  door graciously opened? 
  • Jesus opened the door of faith to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. How  can we more fully appreciate that? How can we, in turn, generously open  doors for others? 

Living and Praying with the Word 

Gifts. Savior of the world, we bring you gifts. Yet all that we give  to you has already been given to us. You have clothed us in radiance.  Your star has arisen in our lives. We have nothing to give. So we pay  you homage and bow before you. Glory to you, O Lord! Your light  has shone upon us!

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