I don’t mind getting help with my prayers, especially not from sources that have stood the test of time, such as the Psalms. And from some ancient Christian sources, such as the 6th Century Gelasian Sacramentary, from which comes this prayer for Epiphany Sunday (January 6, 2008):

"Almighty and everlasting God, who has made known the Incarnation of your Word by the testimony of a glorious star, which when the wise men beheld, they adored your majesty with gifts; grant that the star of your righeousness may always appear in our hearts, ad our treasure consist in giving thanks to you. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

The petitionary part of that prayer unlocked for me some insights into the story of the magii, who likely came from Persia, Rome’s imperial and military nemesis, to worship the Christ child with their gifts and pilgrimage. As Epiphany Sunday is also closest to Ethiopian Christmas, you will find some Ethiopian folk tales woven into my thoughts on the Epiphany of Christ to the gentiles, at Download new_year_2008.doc .

Matthew 2: 13-15

"When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’"

If you go to Egypt and ask around among our Coptic Christian brothers and sisters, they can point out to you sites where their tradition says that Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus found refuge from the murderous intentions of King Herod I. Since then, the need for refuge for the poor and the persecuted has only continued and increased as a by-product of empire. But even if your spiritual walk is only a pilgrimage in place, and even if your society gives you nothing to fear, there is a way in which we all live out the refugee pilgrimage of Jesus and his family. To find out how, check out the message delivered at Emmanuel Mennonite Church on Sunday, December 30, at Download flight_to_egypt.doc

A blessed, joyous and peaceful 2008 to you.

Mathew Swora, pastor