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Star Talk

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There is a beautiful story that I would like to share with you. A powerful anecdote that you haven’t possibly heard from anyone before or haven’t read from elsewhere. Did you know that originally, the wise men that followed the Star of Bethlehem were not three but four? I told you, you haven’t heard this story yet. Let me break it to you gently…

 

 

The Wise men from the east were not really kings but are called Magi. Magis are astrologers from Persia and were well versed with the prophecy of the stars, which we now call Zodiac signs. They were called wise men because of their learned status, being educated and scholarly with their astrological readings.

When Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior set on a journey, the fourth wise man, Artaban was late in joining the caravan. Artaban was a very wealthy physician from Persia who, before following the three, divested all his fortunes for his epic journey on meeting the King foretold.

But when Artaban came to Bethlehem, he never saw the Child, for Mary and Joseph were already on their way to Egypt to escape and save the child from the wrath of Herod.

Persistent with his goal of paying homage to his King, Artaban together with his loyal aid, Ortones, set foot to follow the Christ-child’s steps. Until he met a band of Lepers where he found himself doing works of charity for them.

Every time he had the chance to meet the Christ, who were now in his public Ministry, Artaban was always hindered by so many fortunate accidents, most of whom came in the form of poor beggars, widows, prisoners, outcast and the sick asking for his help which he never refused. To cut the story short, He never saw Christ for he always miss his chance because of the numerous instances wherein he helped those people who asked for his help, unfortunately, which always comes in the way of his meeting with Christ.

When he came to Jerusalem on his 33rd year of his search for the Christ, he again came late for the Passover and witnessed from afar the crucifixion of a man who died on the Cross. The town’s people told him that the Man on the Cross was a king, crucified by the Sanhedrin. That was the time he realized that the Man crucified on the cross was the King he was looking for all his life.

Depressed, weary and stricken with poverty from his generosity to the people he met, he felt devastated with his fate and found himself outside of an unknown tomb and at the feet of a Man dressed in white who asked him:

“Artaban, why thou art downcast?”

“My Lord, I’am searching for the body of my king who was crucified and died, and whom I never found. Four years I have been searching for him, yet I failed to have a glimpse of him before I die”

“Don’t be troubled. I am the King you seek. You have seen me all the days of your search”

Artaban was surprised and asked the Lord:

“My Lord, when was it that I saw you?”

The Lord replied:

“When I was hungry, you feed me. When I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you welcomed me. When I was naked, you clothed me. When I was sick, you took care of me. and when I was in prison, you visited me. Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:35-40).

Artaban said in awe and in adoration:

“My Lord and My God”.

Many of us try to seek the Lord with our own concept of our personal stars. We always thought that the Lord would always show himself to us through such apparitions we heard about from saints and seers. We think that the Lord will come down from the clouds with his numerous angels and show himself to us in his glorified body. Or Better yet, speak to us from the church altar thinking that we are still in the biblical times. Though all of this happened and will soon happen, yet no one knows when.

We always ask for signs to make sure that He is with us and in us, listening and journeying with us. We sometimes feel that the best way to follow the Lord is to continue to search for him in our own personal stars—distant and unreachable.

Yet the truth of it all is that the Epiphany of the Lord, which we celebrate this week (or Three Kings so to speak) always happen in the ordinariness of our daily lives. The people we meet and who we always scorn, the beggars we ignore, the prisoners that we are afraid to visit lest we be robbed, the sick on the streets who we avoid lest we acquire diseases, or the mentally retarded and incapacitated garbage folks and grease men and women who roam our streets whom we fear so much as if they would stripped you of your clothes in broad daylight. This my friends are the chances that Christ offers us to see him in all his Glory. Though the money that we give is point well taken by the Lord, yet what matters most is that we show the people and strangers we meet the real meaning of being a good Samaritan.

Like I always tell my former students when I discuss about nursing, “you will never be happy with your profession if you do not know how to recognize the meaning of Love and Care to the people who needs you in hospitals and mental institutions”

The Lord shows himself in the ordinariness of our experiences and not in the grandiosity of what we always imagine his Epiphany would be. There in the Eucharistic Celebration is the absolute manifestation of His epiphany in the real presence of the Eucharist. Everyday he comes to us in all his Glory, humbling himself in the form of bread and wine so that He could always show Himself to us.

The Star that the magi followed two thousand years ago in search for the Infant King talks to us in a way that a candle flickers in the dark: “whenever darkness commences, it is not the Candle that will bring light to the whole surrounding, rather it only guides us in our way through the darkness. The true source of light is the sun.

Same with the star of Bethlehem: “the star is only the guide of the Magi to reach the true light which is Jesus. Follow the star, worship the true source of Light”

The word “STAR” when inverted spells the word “RATS”. This year of 2008, better known to the superstitious and fortune seekers as the Year of the Rat, challenges us to shine as stars in the sky, to guide and bring people to the source of true light, which is Jesus, and not as Rats, which are creatures of the night.

Let us be the Star of Bethlehem and shine for others, instead of being the rats of this year of 2008 in conquering every negative prophecy, which the year of the Rat foretells.

For whoever will put their faith on the stars, rather than the God who created it, will always become the fourth wise man.

Have A Blessed New Year Everyone!

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This post is greatly inspired in morsel by the 19th Century book by Henry Van Dyke titled “The Story of the other Wise Man“, the 1985 Movie for TV “The Fourth Wise Man” starring Martin Sheen and Charlie Sheen and the Homily of Reverend Fr. Bong Estramerra of St. Isidore Parish of the Diocese of Lucena.







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BluePanjeet Interactives 2007 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License










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  1. 6 Comment(s)

  2. MyAvatars 0.2
  3. By Thess on Jan 6, 2008 | Reply

    I rather seek the star source than fortune kapatid…. pockets full but heart empty of Christ? no can do.

    enjoy your Sunday! :smile:

    [Reply]

    bluepanjeet reply on January 9th, 2008:

    Kapatid I really admire you for your faith. In truth you are one of those who really inspire me. Such a golden heart. Hope I can meet you in person someday.

    bluepanjeet’s last blog post..Star Talk

  4. MyAvatars 0.2
  5. By K on Jan 8, 2008 | Reply

    Blue, so deep, as always that’s why I’m always lost of words to say. (oh now I can’t remember my last visit here, apologies on that).

    The year of the rat is very auspicious (according to the Chinese calendar) and they say the World Economy will bloom, well that’s a good news. In blogosphere, we will experience a lot of changes. More opportunities for bloggers who wants to monetize their blogs, more advertisers, more traffic, more blogs, more competition and end of the day, we realized, “whoelse is going to read our blogs”?

    As for me, I am The Dogs are friends with The Rats and I was told, I should not work hard this year.

    Cheers, blue.

    [Reply]

    bluepanjeet reply on January 9th, 2008:

    Kuya K, don’t worry ako din ang dami atraso sa mga kapatid na blogger because of my time constraints before.

    Sabi nga nila swerte daw ang daga ngayon. hardworking daw and very resourceful.

    wag ka masyado magtrabaho. you need time to relax. enjoy enjoy ng kaunti. uwi ka dito, naku masaya dito kapatid

    bluepanjeet’s last blog post..Star Talk

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  7. By Ambo on Jan 8, 2008 | Reply

    kapatid naiyak ako sa kwento na yan. :sad: You’re right, i haven’t heard of this story yet. Thanks for sharing kapatid. That means i am lucky this year coz i was born on the year of the rat? Oh been said that Rats has full of surprises this year. Can’t wait. :mrgreen:
    Ambo’s last blog post..Win 350 Entrecard Points Only Today

    [Reply]

    bluepanjeet reply on January 9th, 2008:

    (*abot ng sanitary napkin kay ambo haha). When I first heard the story, it really touched me. we often look for the Lord in extraordinary ways, but the truth is, The Lord is Everywhere. Just let me quote from the song “God In Us”

    God is in the weak, God in the sick, God in the crippled and lame, God the one and the same. God is in us…”

    bluepanjeet’s last blog post..Star Talk

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  9. By maline on Jan 9, 2008 | Reply

    BPJ, thanks for sharing this story. tama we need to worship the true source of light! You start the year right, by being a star for others who need enlightenment. Your site is a true therapy for those who have broken spirit. Keep it up!

    maline’s last blog post..100th POST - Part II - Thanks!

    [Reply]

    bluepanjeet reply on January 9th, 2008:

    Before maline I was asking my “other” purpose in blogging. Only last year did I realize that I serve all the bloggers who looks for the word of God in the weariness of their traversal in the blogosphere. Kumbaga sa bayan, ang hoetel ang nagiging kanlungan ng mga gustong magpahinga. Ang blog ko serves as a retirement for those who want to take a few moments of reflection (hehe sana ganun nga LOL). Thank you always for supporting this blog kapatid

    bluepanjeet’s last blog post..Star Talk

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  11. By thekingpin68 on Jan 10, 2008 | Reply

    Interesting video clip, Army. I hope and pray your testing goes well.

    Russ:)

    thekingpin68’s last blog post..A brief article on atonement theory

    [Reply]

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  13. By "SD! on Jan 24, 2008 | Reply

    :razz:

    very first time here, to say hello everyone,
    nice and intersting website.

    yala, BF homes,paranaque

    [Reply]

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