PERUGINO, Pietro - "The Adoration of the Magi" (Epiphany) - c. 1476
Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, Perugia
Readings:
AM Psalm 46, 97; PM Psalm 96, 100
Isa. 49:1-7;
Rev. 21:22-27;
Matt. 12:14-21
Isaiah 49:1-7
Listen to me, O coastlands,
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The Lord called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, ‘You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’
But I said, ‘I have laboured in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Lord,
and my reward with my God.’
And now the Lord says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honoured in the sight of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—
he says,
‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’
Thus says the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
the slave of rulers,
‘Kings shall see and stand up,
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’
If we believe that the Scriptures are God's living word, then the "you" in the passage refers not only to God's people Israel in Isaiah's day, but also to God's people today. And who are God's people whom God called by name? Who are God's people who were formed from the womb to be his servants? You and I, and when you and I and the multitude of God's people gather in God's name and labor in God's name, then surely we shall be "as a light to the nations" so that God's "salvation may reach to the end of the earth".
He has told you, O mortal, what is good;(Micah 6:8)
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
PRAYER
O God, who by the leading of a star manifested your only Son to the Peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
And oh my! Isn't Perugino's painting a manifestation of the glory of God? The infant Jesus seems to raise his hand in blessing over the kneeling Magi-king-wise man. And so Jesus blesses you and me today.
Image from Web Gallery of Art.
UPDATE: Today is also the anniversary of Ann Fontaine's ordination to the priesthood. Read about her call to serve God as a priest at The Daily Episcopalian at the Episcopal Café.
Congratulations and blessings, Ann. May you have many more happy years serving God and God's people.
And the anniversary of my ordination as a priest. Stars are fascinating to me. We used to put blankets out on the lawn and watch the stars at night. Often when I look up at the Wyoming night sky I feel like I can fall off the earth into them. For my ordination story read here
ReplyDeleteStar mysticism is a huge part of my fictional work.
ReplyDeleteMany blessings, Ann, in your ongoing ministry!
Hugs, Mimi, on general principles.
Paul, general principles hugs are the bestest. Thank you, mon cher.
ReplyDeleteI think I majored in astronomy in college because I loved looking at stars (and because it was as close as I could get to the science fiction which has informed a great deal of my theological world view -- think CS Lewis if it is comforting -- but also so much more)
ReplyDeleteI also remember each year at Epiphany an Episcopalian college friend, Donnie, who didn't celebrate Epiphany because, as the revelation of Christ to the Gentiles, he felt it didn't apply to him who had converted from Judaism. He died of AIDS and altho he was a conservative gay Republican, I mourn him on Epiphany every year.
Blessings and hugs.