For those of us who live with young children, watching Disney movies comes as a regular feature of family life. Just ask Kaheisha and Keith Brooks. They sat down with their two year old son Kenzo to watch Disney’s latest animated film Encanto when something amazing happened. Kenzo, their two year old, has dark skin and a full afro. As the movie progressed, Kenzo became fascinated with Antonio, a little boy in the animated cast. Antonio looks exactly like Kenzo. The little boy was dumbstruck as he looked at Antonio and thought that he was seeing himself in the movie.
Many of us who are white take it for granted that we see ourselves in movies, television and theatre. Only gradually have other people felt that same identification with persons portrayed in mass media. To feel seen in the media comes as a significant event in a person’s life. The emergence of women with power, the portrayal of black families on television, the introduction of lesbian and gay characters on a series, the fame of Amy Schneider, a trans woman million dollar winner on Jeopardy, all these breakthroughs mark a moment in our lives just as it did for Kenzo when he saw himself in Antonio.
In some ways, today’s feast of the Epiphany invites us to feel seen in the Magi. Most sets of Nativity figures feature white persons as the Holy Family, the shepherds and angels. However many sets, as does the one displayed under our altar, include one dark skinned magi. In a tradition going to St. Bede, Balthasar, the bearer of myrrh, is described as being “of black complexion with a heavy beard.” Perhaps Bede was drawing on some fanciful imaginings which the stories around the Nativity always elicit.
Each of us needs to feel seen in the Bible. Each of us needs to discover ourselves in the stories we hear. For centuries, Christians have played with the story of the Magi. The account from the gospel according to Matthew does not mention their names, neither do we know how many showed up. We usually place three Magi since the story describes three gifts. But we do not know their number.
We usually gender the Magi as male but these ancient astronomers could have been women as well as men. Such speculation involves more than feminist projections. If you pay careful attention to the gospel, you will discover that in the story of the magi and the follow up tale of the massacre of the Innocent Children, five times we hear the phrase “the child with his mother,” a decidedly feminist atmosphere surrounds the story. This feminine image invites us to see a scene shaped by women so female magi would fit into this story.
So let’s take another playful minute, let us allow ourselves to slip into Kenzo’s shoes, let us playfully imagine ourselves among the Magi. Most of us do not have secret stashes of gold, frankincense and myrrh in our homes. So consider for minute: What gift would you bring Jesus? Think of the gifts which God has given you. Some of you sing, others sew, or act, or design. Some plant flowers, others serve or lead, or read or prepare for worship. Each of us brings our own unique gift to the manger. What gift are you bringing?
Yes, the story of the Magi invites us to discover ourselves among those sages following the star. To stretch the boundaries of the story and to discover ourselves in our unique skin color, gender, giftedness as Magi. We too are invited to see the Christ and worship with our gifts.
In our focus on the gifts of the Magi, we sometimes fail to see the other gift of the Epiphany. While the gifts are given to the infant Christ, Christ is the gift given by God to the Magi. How often do we see ourselves as the ones receiving this gift of Christ at Epiphany? If we imagine ourselves as Magi, we too receive Christ.
Throughout the Christmas season, the church reminds us that we celebrate more than the birth of Jesus. We celebrate our own rebirth through Baptism, our adoption as God’s beloved children, our membership in the family of God. In a few minutes we shall remember that gift of Baptism when we renew our Baptismal covenant with God.
On this day of Epiphany, of gift giving, consider well the gift you have been given when God gives you Jesus, God’s Beloved Son. Consider well the gift you have been given as God’s Beloved daughters and sons. Consider the gift you will give in return. At Epiphany the gift giving does not stop.