Father Tim Lemlin
I began this homily by asking myself a question. How is God revealed to me and through me? Apparently, this is my answer.
The story of the three wise men seems to capture our hearts. It's a story that we tell our children and we depict in our manger scenes. I learned recently that it was the poet Longfellow who gave these three anonymous magi the names Melchoir, Caspar and Baltassar. The gospel writer, Matthew, draws upon an inner craving that is common to us all when he relates this story.
The visit of the Magi is a story about a journey. It is a journey that we each need to make if we are to arrive at wisdom. It is a journey through analysis into synthesis.
Analysis is a dividing into parts. We see things as individual, unrelated segments. This is usually "either or" thinking. When we analyze anything we focus on one element at a time, breaking it down until we can go no further. This way of viewing life can be helpful. It can also be lethal.
Herod of history and of our gospel story is a lethal analyst. He has come into power by keeping the people focused on individual and separate issues. His focus is upon keeping his position of favor. Anything that threatens this singular focus is to be destroyed.
We don't have to look too far in our present day world to see examples of people who approach life in this way. The first place we can look is in the mirror. Analysis - keeping things separate from each other - is a way of life that we each know. The armed services use it to teach people how to kill other people. Businesses use it to get people to find ways to cause people in rival businesses to lose their jobs. People use it to justify their getting ahead at the expense of other people from whom they have legally or illegally stolen. Spouses use it to keep themselves from becoming too intimate with the person whom they married. People of faith use it as a means to keep what they believe regarding God separate from what they believe regarding everything else.
Synthesis is a whole made up of many parts. This is usually "both and" thinking. When we synthesize we see the connection between the parts. We see how things affect other things.
Until this past century, the universe was seen as separate entities. We now know that the universe is all connected. The action of one element affects all elements. St. Paul intuited this reality when he spoke of the Body of Christ, to which we all belong without exception.
Synthesis can also be detrimental if it is misused. When all we choose to do is see the big picture we can lose sight of the individual. Conformity - everyone living life exactly alike - can be demanded rather than uniformity - individuality blended with commonality. The institution and its survival can be emphasized to the detriment of the individual person.
The Magi's journey brings them to experience both evil (Herod) and good (Jesus). When they accept the message of a dream to return home by another route they discover wisdom. Their eyes are opened to see that good and evil both dwell within each of us. We can't get rid of either. But by living in the tension created by these opposites we uncover a third way - an alternative way.
Analysis and synthesis need to live in tension with each other. Evil and good are connected. When we attempt to destroy one, we end up destroying the other. Wisdom is the alternative. It is a third way that only comes to us when we are willing to remain in the tension and not choose one against the other. It is only with God's help that we can live in this way.
