Great events come and go, and sometimes the people who should be aware and recognise such great events end up ignoring or failing to recognise such great events. One reason why they fail to do so is because of their mentality or way of thinking. Some people think that great events only happen in great or important places. Such people are unable to comprehend or accept such great events happening in what they perceive to be lowly or insignificant places. But sometimes, great events do happen in the most unlikely or least expected places.
We know that the Jews were supposed to be God’s chosen people. They were supposed to have been aware of the events that took place in the scriptures and the various prophecies foretold. However, it was the gentiles, the Magi, who recognised a great event instead. The Jews were ignorant and failed to recognise such a great event, possibly because they were so used to thinking about their religion in fixed ways. In their mind, God is found on sacred mountains, in the Temple and in holy places. The Messiah being such a great figure in the prophecies must be born into wealth and power. They were not prepared to accept the fact that God may choose to be born in a stable. Sometimes we too may be so fixed in our ways of thinking and are not open to new ideas. Whenever someone has an idea or suggestion, we shoot it down with our pessimism. Because of this attitude, we stifle growth and change and also put obstacles in the way God is trying to reveal His will to us.
Today’s Gospel challenges us to recognise the stars, especially the star that led the wise men or Magi to Jesus. Our God is a God of surprises and we must be open to Him choosing the way in which He wishes to reveal Himself. Whenever we follow the star, a sign from God, a new idea or a new direction, we may not know where it will lead us. Instead, we are asked to walk by faith, knowing and trusting that God will be there to help and guide us along the way. There may be times that we feel like giving up or we may encounter other distractions. But if we get lost, there is always the star to remind us of our direction and destination. The star isn’t our destination but points to us the way to Jesus, the Light of the World, who has come to show us the way to the Father. May we humbly and joyfully follow Jesus, our star, and remain in His care and love.