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| Nativity scene at Beverly Church |
Today it takes me almost as much time to get to Beverly Road Church in Brooklyn as it usually does to get to my mom's place near Trenton, New Jersey. I'm a little anxious about being late as I walk up Beverly Road from the subway station. But I have to stop.
I walk into the Panaderia MJP, a Mexican bakery where I like to get a cafecito and a pastel or galleta on my way to church. And today, the little shop is filled with tall stacks of freshly baked rosca de reyes, the traditional Mexican bread for el dia de los tres ryes magos, Three Kings Bread.
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| Rosca de reyes |
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| Baby Jesus |
When West Park was at its multicultural peak, we shared a rosca every Epifania. And actually did have our parties 40 days later. We would send someone to the Bronx or El Barrio to bring one to our service. But here I found las roscas right on my way to church. It was very clear...I needed to take one to the Beverly Road Church. The storekeeper smiles as I try to balance my cafe, my rosca, my bag and my guitar.
Geraldine smiles when I present her with the rosca and tell her the story. And smiles again when she sees I've brought my guitar.
We begin the service with praise songs and a new Epiphany hymn and soon enough it's time for my reflection....
Since this is our first time together since Christmas, Happy New Year! SO...it's the 12th...and last...day of Christmas. Also called Epiphany. For our Latinx brothers and sisters it is el dia de los tres treyes magos,Three Kings Day...and they'll be parading through el Barrio today. Live camels and all. And by tradition, these were the guys who bring the gifts, not Santa. And tomorrow is Russian Christmas. So here we are...
I always loved 3 kings day. That 12 days after the 25th we had one last opportunity to celebrate Christmas and to sing "we three kings" and that they get a day all of their own. It does get confusing. Our manger scenes tend to be mash ups, we put everyone in there together. Or if you've ever been to Radio City Music Hall, the live camels walk right up onto stage along with the shepherds and angels and donkeys and....But in the Bible they're two separate stories.
The details for Matthew come from the Old Testament. From Psalm 72:
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles
render him tribute,
may the kings of Sheba and Seba
bring gifts.
11 May all kings fall down before him,
all nations give him service.
And from Isaiah 60:6:
6 A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.
Notice only gold and frankincense....myrrh to come later....
One of my favorite experiences this holiday season was getting to see Amahl and the Night Visitors again. From 1951-1968 it was on NBC every year and my family always watched it. It was part of our annual Christmas. It's an opera by Gian Carlo Menotti about the kings stopping along the way on their journey at the cottage of a poor woman and her son who has a crippled leg. Over the course fo the night, a miracle occurs and the now cured boy leaves with the kings who are very clear that this new king has come for the poor.
This was a special production because it took place in a soup kitchen and the chorus included present and formerly homeless people.
And the kings were dressed like eccentric street people, one with his valuables in a wagon, another a shopping cart and another in a baby stroller. They reminded me of people I regularly encountered in my ministry.
And it was all fitting. As it said in Psalm 72 after the kings,
12 For he delivers the needy when they call,
the poor and those who have no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life;
and precious is their blood in his sight.
Matthew is clearly telling us this new king would have special care for the poor. For those who have been left out of so much of the celebration of this season. There's another angle here as well. That's the myrrh. It's added to the story because it's an embalming spice. That Jesus would suffer and die...
Scholars think that these three gifts were chosen for their special spiritual symbolism about Jesus himself—gold representing his kingship, frankincense a symbol of his priestly role, and myrrh a prefiguring of his death and embalming
(They've now discovered that frankincense can also help with arthritis...)
At any rate, the gifts say something about who Jesus is...
SO Herod knows this child is a threat and tries to trick the magi. But they go "home by another way" to avoid him.
James Taylor wrote a song about the Wisemen and it finishes....
Well it pleasures me to be here
And to sing this song tonight
They tell me that life is a miracle
And I figured that they're right
But Herod's always out there
He's got our cards on file
It's a lead pipe cinch, if we give an inch
Old Herod likes to take a mile
It's best to go home by another way
Home by another way
We got this far to a lucky star
But tomorrow is another day
We can make it another way
Safe home as they used to say
Keep a weather eye to the chart on high
And go home another way
Epiphany is from a Greek word meaning manifestation or appearance. And by extension, a sudden appearance in which all of a sudden you get it. (As in I've just had an epiphany....)
So what are we getting?
Herod IS always out there, trying to trick us. And as James Taylor sang, give an inch he'll take a mile...
Herod is so many things...for us, it's that seductive or manipulative or even coercive power that tries to take us off of our path. And in the process, betray or abandon others. Or even ourselves.
So we need to go home another way.
Maybe there's another sense about that as well...
so often we keep doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. And of course it doesn't happen.
We have a new year ahead of us. An opportunity to "start over" if you like. Maybe a time to look at how we've been rolling and think about how we might go home by another way. It's your choice, if you want it...
Let those with ears to hear....
I share how I first encountered Epiphany when I worked at St.Paul's Episcopal Church in New Haven and returned from Christmas vacation to find yet one more candlelit service. And about West Park and the rosca. And how I had brought one to share and that it was waiting downstairs.
And then I sang for them "Early on one Christmas Morn" by Frankie Jaxon and the Cottontop Mountain Sanctified Singers...and they even sang along!
We shared the bread and cup of communion. And our prayers. Now just time to sing "We Three Kings" and "Joy to the World."
This Sunday, there's spaghetti and meat balls to share. And homemade ginger beer from the Virgin Islands. And homemade cakes. And of course, the rosca. And this one has three Baby Jesus.'
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| One of the baby Jesuses |
Eugene (Evgeny) is sharing pictures from the Christmas party. He had taken it on himself to create a virtual winter wonderland in the social hall downstairs just as he had created the barbecue last summer. He is engaged in many repair projects and is documenting the life of the congregation with his photos. People are excited because the photo displays on the walls documenting their life have lain dormant, not added to for years. There is a stirring of new life here. And like so many other small churches, it is lay led, not clergy driven.
I have no idea who Eugene was back in Russia. But here in Beverly Church he has become a valued member of the community doing all he can to bring life. As I get ready to leave, he is at a back table, cutting and trimming photos.
I tell them I began the season with them the first Sunday of Advent so it is good to end the season with them as well. Geraldine says she could really feel the spirit today. Yes. A new year is underway.
Gospel Matthew 2:1-12
1In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:
6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”
7Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” 9When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
1 Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to a king’s son.
2 May he judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice.
3 May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness.
4 May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the needy,
and crush the oppressor.
5 May he live while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.
6 May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,
like showers that water the earth.
7 In his days may righteousness flourish
and peace abound, until the moon is no more.
10 May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles
render him tribute,
may the kings of Sheba and Seba
bring gifts.
11 May all kings fall down before him,
all nations give him service.
12 For he delivers the needy when they call,
the poor and those who have no helper.
13 He has pity on the weak and the needy,
and saves the lives of the needy.
14 From oppression and violence he redeems their life;
and precious is their blood in his sight.
First Reading Isaiah 60:1-6
1 Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
2 For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples;
but the LORD will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
3 Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.
5 Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
6 A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.
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