“Three kings from Persian lands afar..to Jordan follow the pointing star...” this beautiful, stately carol with a tune that makes you feel as though they are rolling along high up on a camel, travelling day after day, rising before dawn to follow the star... at a pace befitting stately kings and their royal entourage... the stuff of nativity plays...
But maybe this sixth century mosaic in Ravenna is more reminiscent of St Matthew’s nativity story...
here three Maji : astronomers...astrologers...political advisors...wise men ? ... we know so little about them...but these three are clearly not kings...though they are dressed in Persian clothes...the clothes of wealthy courtiers maybe, advisors to kings ? ...watching the stars, drawing up the all-important horoscopes that show the most auspicious day and hour for holding important events, setting off on a journey, fighting a battle, or indeed discovering the birth of an important new leader...all part of their repertoire.
Last Christmas in Luke’s Gospel we read of nearby shepherds and angels, but Matthew chooses to tell of more exotic visitors from foreign lands...visitors who blunder into the king’s palace, presumably thinking the old king has died and they are looking for his heir ?
OOOps ! a mistake that later on cost many lives... and made Joseph and his family flee for their lives, living as refugees.
No comments:
Post a Comment