Oh God, We Could Use a Decent Epiphany

Radiant God, light for all people and all places,
by the guidance of a star you led the Magi
to worship the Christ Child.
By the light of faith 
lead us to worship you in peace and love,
and guide us in your way.
We pray in the name of Christ, 
light of the world. Amen.

Joan McMurtry 1990 VU 86

So, a group of Iranians saddle up and head on a long and dangerous mission following a mysterious astronomical GPS. Their goal?  Enter Israel quietly and search out a child born who is two or three years old.

Members of a terrorist cell? Nope. The Magi, members of what was likely a Zoroastrian sect which combined astrology and astronomy searching for signs and portents. The Wise Ones of  2,000 years ago (scripture doesn't say they were men, nor how many) found the child Jesus after travelling from what would be modern-day Iran or Iraq. Christians recognize this brief appearance of the Magi in Matthew's gospel with the Feast of the Epiphany, today, January 6th. 

On the weekend American President Trump celebrated by authorizing the murder of the Iranian military commander, Qasem Soleimani , along with others. This was carried out by a drone or drones in Iraq without the prior knowledge of the Congressional Security House Committee, nor anyone in the Iraqi parliament. 

It appears that the emperor Trump is getting a buzz out of ordering stikes on "bad guys" and throwing out reckless threats toward other nations on Twitter.The serial draft dodger likes portraying himself as a military tough guy and besides, it diverts attention from his impeachment. The fears that his impulsivity would lead to dangerous actions appear to be coming true, and the rest of the world is watching nervously. 



What truly sickens me is that the same evening that Trump ordered these murders he attended a rally of several thousand people claiming to be Christians who acted as though he was the second coming of Jesus rather than a warmonger. There was the requisite gathering of right-wing evangelical leaders gathered around Trump as though in earnest prayer, with hands upraised and inclined toward him. To me this looks suspiciously like the Hitler salute. 

What a bizarre and deeply disturbing turn of events in a long series of disastrous moments in this presidency, all of which have been excused or extolled by people who seem to have abandoned worship of the true Prince of Peace. 

The Day of Epiphany celebrates those who literally saw the light and followed it to Jesus. God help us to find our way out of this darkness, and a reawakening of peace and justice in a nation that has lost its way.