By Nigel Guthrie, Priest Vicar
In Church, the new calendar year always begins with the story of the visit of the Magi, as told in the second chapter of St Matthew’s Gospel (verses 1-12). It is a story rooted in Old Testament prophecies, not least from Isaiah chapter 60 verse 3: Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. And verse 8: 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.
But in St Matthew’s gospel, the Magi have a striking, even shocking role. Matthew frequently relates his gospel to Hebrew prophecies, but here the message is unmistakable: Jesus has come for those outside the Jewish faith as much as those within it. The people who Luke pictures around the infant Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the shepherds, were probably all Jewish. But here the Magi are certainly gentiles. They were looking for ‘The King of the Jews’, but not necessarily for their own king. Yet when they arrive their hearts are deeply warmed. They are ‘overwhelmed with joy’. They kneel in homage and their gifts are received, not with suspicion but in fulfilment of the ancient prophets.
If Luke shocks us by showing that Jesus came firstly for the poor (in the person of the shepherds), Matthew leaves us in no doubt that Jesus has come for the whole world (as represented by the Magi) – and is willing to receive the world and its gifts.
The Church of England begins a new chapter this year with the installation of Dame Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury. Many of us will hope that her appointment represents the turning of a page on some of the demons that have haunted the Church in recent years, not least the tragic occasions of abuse that have sullied our reputation. But I also hope that it will mark a regaining of a broader confidence in our faith and traditions, and in the value of a truly open and generous Church. When faith groups (or any other groups) come under fire, there can be a tendency to close ranks and avoid further damage. And it is not hard to detect signs of a hardening of the attitudes of some within the Church of England, not least to those who are different or indeed critical of the Church.
But if we are to continue as a Church for the nation we must nurture our generous side! What attracted me to ministry in the Church of England was the understanding that we are here for everyone – even for those without a confessed faith, or of a different faith. I strongly believe that God works through us when we remain faithful to Christ and I pray that we may all make it our mission to help our part of the Church (whether parish, cathedral or diocese) be as generous and outward-looking as possible.
So, please spare a thought for the Magi as the year progresses; those complete strangers who turned up in a foreign land and whose hearts were opened by their encounter with Jesus and whose gifts were received by Him. Who are the ‘Magi’ we might welcome and receive this year?