Stars and Seekers after Truth
Unlike the writers of the horoscope columns in our newspapers, these Wise Men were scholar astrologers, probably from Syria or Iraq. They believed that the stars controlled the destiny of human beings, but they were open enough to the Hebrew scriptures to be led to the amazing discovery of a star-child in Bethlehem.
They knelt before this baby, doing homage, because they realised that the stars did not control this infant, but that there was something of this baby which caused the night sky to respond! They preserved the child from the deadly schemes of Herod, and then they returned to their home country, ‘by a different way’. They were on a different journey after encountering the Child.
Who can doubt that the Holy Spirit led these wise men from the East to the manger? In fact, the Holy Spirit is at work in every human being, prompting each and every one to become seekers after Truth.
As a person responds to this prompting and tries to lead a good humane life, then the Church teaches that the Holy Spirit can draw them into the saving life of God. Thus, billions in China and India who have never heard the Gospel, can be saved. But, such persons do not savour the fullness of Truth as we do with the privilege of having the scriptures and the sacraments. Where it is possible, we are obliged to offer them the road map to the Truth.
We can take a moment to affirm our faith in the baby in the manger as the One of whom Dante spoke: ‘the Love which moves the sun and other stars’. Come, let us adore him.
© Fr Michael Tate; mtate@bigpond.com, www.liturgyhelp.com/calendar/date/2025Jan12/0/RefMiTa