[I wrote this during the long hiatus, in January 2013. I don't know why I didn't post it then. In any event, straight from the draft archives, here it is, dear reader.]
On the Day of Epiphany, 2013
"Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Proverbs 9:10; Psalm 111:10)
"God is love." (1 John 4:8)
These are perhaps the two most misunderstood truths found in the Scriptures. And they are all the more puzzling because they are statements that belong together. The Day of Epiphany is about coming to a realization about these statements. Just as the Day of Pentecost and the time afterwards is about coming to live according to these statements, being able to say: "Fear of myself is the beginning of wisdom." and "I am love."
But let us stick with Epiphany, so that we might be prepared for Lent and Easter (which need to come before Pentecost, for the effect to take hold in us, anyway).
We hear of the Three Wise Men, following a star so that they might find Jesus, the Christ, and pay him homage--worship him. These wise men were not kings, but Magi. What is a Magus (the singular of magi), you ask? Well, we get the word magician from the word magi. So, these "three" men were magicians. They used magic to find their way through life, they used hocus pocus to advise rulers and common people. They were astrologers. They were augurs. They searched the stars for supernatural wisdom. They used magical spells and techniques to control the events of and the people in their lives. They were sorcerers...warlocks. Even the gifts they brought to Jesus were the demonic tools of their trade, materials that they believed had magical properties, materials that were used to cast spells and peer into the future. The star they followed was a symbol in their pagan belief system. And through that star, God called them to be near to Jesus Christ.
It is hard for us to understand how offensive it was for these wise men to stand before the Messiah. Sorcery was against the Law. The three wise men were pagans--gentiles--who were unclean. And without being purified, without converting to the true belief in the one God, while they were yet sinners, they came and stood before Immanuel, God-on-Earth. They entered the Holy of Holies--even in their demonic state of being. And they came because God called them. They came because God invited and welcomed them. They were called because God even loved them.
This Gospel passage for Epiphany is paired with Paul's words to the Ephesians (3:1-12). Paul tries to explain to the Church that in Christ Jesus, the gentiles have been made heirs with Israel. How, because of Jesus, those who were far off have been called near. And that is the mystery of the Good News about Jesus: God's overwhelming love for the whole world.
It is a love that we do not share. It is a love that we refuse to have in our hearts. And by "we" I mean Christians, a body of which I am a part.
Oh, we do love--our family (sometimes), our friends (most of the time), our spouses (with some effort), etc. Many Christians even get to the point of loving those who are in need. Many give to the poor, feed the hungry, heal the sick, visit the prisoners---all out of love. Some Christians even make it to loving the stranger. Some Christians will help a person even if they don't know whether that person is worthy of that help or not. We, at times, give money to the street beggar, never knowing and never giving a thought to what the person will use the money for---out of love. But only a few Christians progress enough in their own soul to love even the enemy.
Let me give you a clear example. A great majority of Christians in our culture and country see Muslims as enemies. For the sake of argument, let me allow what is not true, let me say what is summarily false: Muslims are our enemy because they are terrorists who are taught to bring terror in the world. And let me say something that is truth: Muslims are seen as enemies because they do not believe that Jesus Christ is God--they are not baptized, they do not receive Communion, and they do not hear the Word rightly preached. Something else that is true: Muslims have killed our Christian relatives in wars that Americans have waged in Islamic lands.
The task of the Christian faith is to love these same Muslims.
Yes, the ones that do not believe and who are not baptized. Yes, the ones that are terrorists. Yes, the ones that have killed our relatives.
Why? Because God loves them. (And if you need another reason, then our task is much larger and harder than I anticipated.)
Remember, God invited the Magi who were demonic and unclean (God's own enemies) to be near his Son. He welcomed them, he insisted they come, dragging them across the known world. God didn't convert them in order to bring them, he brought them because he was excited to show them what he was doing--whether it converted them or not.
Who are we that we are not required to do the same? To love in the same way?
We are called to participate in God's love in such a way that we love even our enemies. What's more, we are to love them while they are enemies.
Returning to our example: If you love a Muslim person only once they have converted to Christianity, then you are not loving an enemy but a friend--you love your Christian family, not the gentiles. If you love someone after they had repented of killing you child, then you love an enemy that has become something besides an enemy--perhaps a friend, perhaps not quite that far. But to love while they are Muslim, while they are killing your loved one...that is loving your enemy.
Jesus loved us before we were Christian. Jesus loved us while we were killing him. And yet how we groan under the burden of being like him in this respect, the burden of following---of imitating---him.
It is only when we love the enemy that we truly begin to understand the Gospel.
It is only when we love the enemy that we truly begin to love Jesus.
It is only when we love the enemy that we truly begin to love those we love.
It is only by learning to love the enemy that we truly begin to learn how to love our own selves.
God loves his creatures.
Jews, Gentiles and Pagans alike.
God loves even the atheist.
God loved the three wise warlocks.
God loved even King Herod.
Such is the strength and power of God's love.
Does that frighten you?
It does me.
And so it should.
That is the beginning of wisdom: God is love.
For, until we are frightened by the power of God's love, we will never truly begin to understand what love is. Therefore, we shall never understand who God is. Our epiphany about Jesus will never come, and we will never truly appreciate that God loves even us, while we are yet sinners.
What is the gospel? God's love is awesome. Amen.
[Next up, from the draft archive: a two part blog entitled, "The Joy of It: To Wait" and "The Joy of It: That God Waits for Us." Wait for it...]
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