Week 4 - The Magi
When the Magi arrive, Jesus is almost two years old. The visitors are mystics or "wise men" who have travelled from somewhere east. We don't know how many of them there were but we know they brought three gifts to Jesus.
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Matthew 1:18-23, 2: 1-12 (The Message)
The birth of Jesus took place like this. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. Before they came to the marriage bed, Joseph discovered she was pregnant. (It was by the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t know that.) Joseph, chagrined but noble, determined to take care of things quietly so Mary would not be disgraced. While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made (more…)
Mary, Joseph, sheepherders, scholars and Herod are all part of the one story but each responds in a different way; each has a different experience of waiting. Who do you most identify with? Why?
As you light your four candles this week think about the characters and what you need to work on to become more, or less, like them as you follow Jesus.
(Note that on Christmas day you can light your central Christ candle.)