Holy Spirit of God, help me always to take time to find the King of Kings...

 
1 John 4;1-6 & Matt 2:1-12

 
It took months if not years for the wise men from the east to find Jesus. “Why do that?” Their friends may have asked – just as the world asks us today –“You say you seek a King, but you don’t know where he is. You are trusting the testimony of ancient writings and signs of nature??! And this promise of Light in the world, what is that?? It’ll take precious hours (if not weeks and years as it was for the Magi) for the journey. It’s a waste of time!” But the three Wise Men from afar packed their treasured gifts for the promised King of Kings, the Messiah, loaded their camels, and left home.  Their journey was even more challenging than they expected. The star disappeared from their view when they arrived in Judea; the King of Israel seemed ‘off’ and of ill intent; there seemed to be no local astrologers reading the stars; the common folk of Israel didn’t seem to care that a King of Kings could be born in their midst; and eventually the house where they found the child was not only plain, but empty of other worshippers. But the journey was worth it! No matter the times of uncertainty, when the three travelers found the child, they realized that they were beholding God face to face. Truly the Child was worthy of all time, all worship and their priceless gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. In this present age, heralded by the mantra, I don’t have time, discouragements to the journey inward are just as plentiful as they were in the days of the first Epiphany. Wise men and women still seek Jesus, but we are perhaps just as few and far between as in the days of Herod. Will I, like the naysayers of Jesus’ day, turn a blind eye to his presence in my own life and times? Or will I, like the wise men from the east, take the time and effort to search for Jesus in the events, the places and people of my life – and find the Messiah, the King of Kings? Will I offer up the minutes, the hours, and perhaps the days it takes to not only seek, but find, Christ Jesus -– find the promises of God fulfilled? Holy Spirit of God, help me always to take time to find the King of Kings.   
 
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  (St Matthew 5:8 )
 
If you seek Jesus in all things you will surely find Jesus. And if you seek yourself, you will surely find yourself, but only to your ruin.
Thomas à Kempis
 
 
Soli ad gloriam Dei
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