Presenting Poetry
“Presenting Poetry”
Epiphany Sunday, Year C, January 6, 2019
Isaiah 60:1-6 Matthew 2:1-12
First Presbyterian Church of Sandpoint, Idaho
Pastor Andy Kennaly
On Friday as we were setting up for Dale Boeck’s memorial service, I was chatting with Dee down in Fellowship Hall as she was preparing the serving table for the reception time. I mentioned that I needed to get back home and do some sermonizing, because my sermon still needed prepared for Sunday. Dee said, “Just get up there and say, ‘Happy New Year! Let’s go have coffee!”
So, HAPPY NEW YEAR! But, I don’t drink coffee, so we’re out of luck on that part of it! Maybe some hot chocolate, or tea? I mentioned to Dee that it is Epiphany Sunday, so we should at least say something about the three wise guys who show up to give Jesus some gifts. Notice they’ve finally arrived in the Manger scene, having been across the way all through Advent. Most manger scenes, or creches, have them incorporated, but really they probably were not there, at a manger scene, for it says, “On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother.” They were in a house. We also see Herod ordering the slaughter of all children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or younger. So, the family was probably staying in Bethlehem for a while. Then the Wise Men come, because they had seen the star as a sign and followed it.
What about the three wise guys? Even though our songs say they were kings, nothing in the Bible says they are kings, so they are not kings! Probably from Persia, most likely astrologers or astronomers, scanning the skies and looking for signs of divine intent. They come to honor Jesus as a new king, a priestly figure with divine connections, and a future that would involve so much.
What are they giving as they present traditional gifts meant for royalty? The Old Testament book of Isaiah is often Christianized, where Christians look to the Hebrew Bible through the lens of the life of Jesus, in this case regarding the visit of the Three Wise Men from the East giving gifts to the young Jesus. But the Hebrew Scriptures share God’s grace in a different context, in this case regarding the destruction of Jerusalem, Isaiah anticipates it’s glorious rebuilding. Isaiah is about God’s faithfulness to the people.
We can debate whether or how to link this prophetic text with New Testament stories of Jesus, but rather than get pulled into heavy scholarly discussions and research, let’s recognize this morning that there is a specific link in the passages we read. Both in Isaiah and in Matthew there are two things mentioned as people from the east come to present gifts. The two gifts are gold and frankincense. In Matthew, Myrrh is also added.
Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. Gold is a precious metal, very valuable, and people tend to link the spiritual significance of this gift as a way of honoring Jesus as royalty, a king. Frankincense is a resin from a tree, and it has a connection to worship, showing symbolically the Priestly role of Jesus, even the link of divinity present in this child. Others point out that Frankincense also has medicinal qualities, helping with inflammation or the effects of arthritis. (https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/why-did-the-magi-bring-gold-frankincense-and-myrrh/). Myrrh is another resin derived from trees in the ancient near east and it is used for anointing, especially at the time of death. In that sense, it honors the unique role of Jesus as chosen, but also foreshadows his death. Three gifts, each of them very valuable, all of them customary to the times as something worthy of presenting to royalty. No wonder Herod, in his insecurities, becomes irrational and everyone is afraid.
As we look at Epiphany, which means, God with us, and celebrate the Incarnation, the holy within creation, the Christ embodied, the image of people coming to honor Jesus, opening their treasure chests, offering him gifts, gets us thinking about our own interactions with Jesus. How do we engage our spirit with the many ways God is revealed in our lives every day? How does Jesus become real for us? And if Jesus is real to us, then what do we present as gifts to honor this king who shows us the unity of heaven and earth and how to live without fear even in the face of death and suffering?
What are you giving, laying at the feet of Jesus?
One of the things I am trying to do more is write. With the rush of Christmas and all, writing has kind of slowed down, but with this new season, the new year, I hope to get focused on it again and I want to see if you wish to partner in this. What I have in mind involves poetry. Not your Junior High parsing and rhyming, but simply creating a few lines, some stanzas of poetic verse.
What I propose is a poetry exhibit. Let’s take January as a time to write one or two poems, maybe more, that explore the Living Christ in our midst. Not so much overtly religious, just everyday observations set to words. What is it in your life that you’re trying to make sense of, or explore, or appreciate? Write a poem and see how that art honors the life of those experiences. Poetry has a way of helping us with awareness, both internally as we learn, grow, and live into the dynamics of love, and externally as we deal with life in all its struggles and triumphs.
So during this season of Epiphany, God with us, write poetry as a way to honor God with us. At the end of the month we will collect them and create an art exhibit, posting up and showing the poems as a way of presenting gifts to honor Christ in our midst.
Like the wise men from the east, they needed to be observant. They were paying attention, looking for signs of divine participation, and seeking fulfilment of hope as they journeyed. They were open to inspiration, observant of their dreams as they hear a warning not to go back to Herod. They heed the message and their actions are transformed. They don’t hold back. These are very precious gifts they present to Jesus, extremely valuable, expensive, and not something they would want to waste or make a mistake by being careless. They were serious in their homage, their honoring. When it says in Matthew that they knelt down, this is a telling posture.
As we come alongside the wise men who seek Jesus, exploring what it is that we present in honor of Christ in our lives, we too can recognize this involves a journey, a process, taking hints along the way. Poetry is one form of art that helps makes sense of our experience. So, as a congregation, let’s journey together and write. If you don’t feel like you are a good writer and the negative critiques of earlier years still hold power over your life, get over it! Break through the blocks long enough to jot down a few words. If you don’t think you’re good at it, just use less words. But with poetry, make every word count. Every word has to prove it’s worth, and so every word is valuable. Don’t worry about rhymes, that’s old school; you don’t even need punctuation. Let the creativity flow as it will. You can always edit later.
Our Annual Meeting is on January 27th. Let’s have that be our due date to collect the poems. I, along with some other people who have yet to be decided, will create the visual display to present the poetry, like an art show.
So blessings on awareness, on being alert to Christ at work in the world in everyday life, and God with us as we present gifts to honor this living Presence in our midst.
To close I’d like to share a brief poem, one that I wrote last Friday:
Bearing Gifts, by Andy Kennaly, January 4, 2019
Your Spirit flows
our Muse tells us so
drawing mind and heart
together as we share
loving words which try
grasping mystery and truth
showing joy as we
crawl, dance, bow
We all have our own way of looking at the world. Let yourself see! Happy Epiphany! May God be glorified, now, even as forever. Amen.