Each Epiphany, I spend time with T. S. Eliot’s poem “The Journey of the Magi.” (See poetryarchive.org/poem/journey-magi/.) It powerfully captures the existential elements of this feast for me: difficulty, challenge, revelation, change. The poem relates, obliquely, the experience of magi traveling to see this Child. Their journey is difficult, and the change that seeing the Child brings is subtle and anything but superficially joyful. They return home, Eliot writes, where things are the way they always have been, where those around them are completely unaware of the light that the magi have seen. We may feel a bit of this after the Christmas season winds down. We store the decorations, set our sights on Ordinary Time—what next? What the poem hints at is that any uneasiness might actually be a good thing. If the astounding reality of the Lord of the Universe entering his own Creation as a Child doesn’t shake things up, have I really been paying attention?
Nick I will keep you and your moms speedy recovery in prayers this afternoon. Who recommended the Menotti opera" Amal and the night vistors"??? Just watched it over two hours but well worth . Found it on utube. Ken
Thank you Amy and all the LF friends!! You all have inspired me to be more aware of Jesus in my life. My prayers have always been so simple and I guess that’s ok, but I have been enriched by all of your writings. God bless you all!
Thank you!
Here is the Good News Paul shared with the Ephesians back then and with us, the Gentiles, today in Ephesians 3:6, "And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus." *** I say Amen!!! *** Do you know Jesus? *** Do you belong to Jesus? ******* Come join the magis and see the Light in Isaiah 60:2-3, "Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over You. All nations will come to Your light; mighty kings will come to see Your radiance!" Again, I say Amen!
This was so beautiful Amy, thank you for sharing it. I have never read that poem, but yes Sandy, that sight had T.S. Eliot reading the poem from a radio show long ago. Admittedly, I have always found the magi intriguing. I assume they were each from a foreign land. How did they make the connection and decide to go together? They were carrying treasure, but were also treasure hunters and returned on a different path - changed by what they saw and experienced. Did they ever reunite amongst themselves? Sounds like I need to do a little more research on Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar! Continued prayers for the health and healing of Nick’s Mom and for those who are feeling under-confident, unloved, alienated, alone or depressed. May they feel God’s light and the light the Magi carried with them.
Wonderful questions!
I love questions, Jane :-) What does the Bible say about the three wise men? https://www.gotquestions.org/three-wise-men.html
Continued prayers for the Ukraine. Father in Heaven, have mercy on us and on the whole world! You sent Your Son, the Prince of Peace, for the salvation of the world. We pray that the Peace of Christ will reign in Ukraine, and for the conversion of Mr Putin. Please protect and send aid to those in Ukraine and all who are at-risk. We pray for peace – we who are working towards it and for all who are in danger from this conflict. We pray for an end to violence and war – we pray for wisdom for all leaders who have a hand in this. Lord God please help those in most need of thy mercy. Amen.
Reminds me of the saying, “Wise men (and women) still search for Him.”
Nick, just read your request from yesterday. Praying for your mom and your family. What a wonderful request you’ve made to the Lord! So thoughtful to want this relationship for your daughter and so important. Your unselfishness is admirable. Grandparents are very important for family nurturing and I pray that this will come to fruition for your family.
Thank you Amy. I would like to share something Bishop Robert Baron had in his daily reading about the Magi returning home-“ Finally, they returned to their home country by another route. As Fulton Sheen commented so magnificently: of course they did; for no one comes to Christ and goes back the same way he came!”. I found this comment by Fr. Sheen to be so appropriate! Prayers for all my LF peeps!
I love this Sandy! I sure wouldn’t return back the same way I came! Too many mistakes along the way :)
Amy, thank you for sharing this poem. I went to a site (don’t know if it’s the one you shared) and it actually had the voice of T.S. Eliot reading his own poem on the radio long ago! I felt as if I was right there with the Magi, searching for the true light of this world. It shows that one is never the same after meeting our Messiah. We see the world through a different lens for the rest of our lives. Have a beautiful Sunday everyone!
I love listening to Eliot reciting this poem! Glad you enjoyed it.
Amen! Lord thank you for this revelation of yourself to the world. We bring you the gift of ourselves in humble adoration. Receive us as we come, as we are, we pray.
Thank you Ken for this beautiful prayer. It covers so many intentions and desires that we want to share with our Father In heaven and the love we have for him.????
Amy thanks for the TS Elliot poem was great. Thanks for all of your reflections and contributions. You make the Living Faith site worthwhile. Living Faith family I wan to share an evening prayer I say every other night. Thank you God, for this day thank you for our family. We're sorry for the things we did that didn't make you happy. Help us to be better people, help us love each other. Help us honor you, our Father. Bless the people of the world. Bless our loved ones, far and near. Finally, we lift up to You This request for You to hear: (Insert any special intention) We love You, Lord Prayer Before Sleep Dear God, as I lay me down to sleep, relax the tension of my body; calm the restlessness of my mind; still the thoughts which worry and perplex me. Help me to rest myself and all my problems in your strong and loving arms. Let your Spirit speak to my mind and heart while I am asleep, so that, when I wake up in the morning, I may find that I have received in the night-time, light for my way; strength for my tasks; peace for my worries; forgiveness for my sins. Grant me sleep tonight and tomorrow power to live. Dear God, We thank you tonight for the good day and for the special way you take care of us all the time. Thank you for the fun times outside and the quiet times inside, and for helping us learn new things every day. Thank you for creating us special, exactly the way you wanted. Thank you for protecting us throughout the day. Forgive us for the wrong things we do. Thank you for loving us even when we disobey or try to do things our way. Help us to always choose your way, God, because it's always best. We pray for all the people who don't know you, and that they will come to understand your love for them, too. Bless our family and thank you for good times together and apart. Bless our friends and those we love, including our grandparents, our aunts and uncles and cousins. Thank you for our home and a place to sleep and good food to eat. Thank you for the Living Faith family. Help us rest well, give us peaceful dreams, and send your angels around our home to protect us throughout the night. Teach us to trust you and to love you more and more. You are good; you are great; and you are faithful, God. And we love you. Good night. A Child's Bedtime Prayer, 18th Century Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, Watch and guard me through the night, and wake me with the morning light. Ken
Thank you, Ken!!! Love your prayers :-) Especially, "We pray for all the people who don't know You, and that they will come to understand Your love for them, too." and I add, "I pray for all the people who think they know You, Lord, just because they go to church and do all the things right according to their own minds! And that they will come to know and experience You personally...from death to birth in The Jouney of The Magi, "This: were we led all that way for Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly we had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death, But had thought they were different; This Birth was hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death. We returned to our places, these Kingdoms, but no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation, with an alien people clutching their gods. I should be glad of another death."" Amen!
Smiles Ken for the prayer. The only prayer my mom ever taught me was the before bed prayer but mine was slightly different: “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take”. Strange that as a little child I never feared death because of this prayer. Loving the other posts of never being the same after experiencing Jesus like the wise men and their “different” route. Means we have the ability to change peoples inner lives if we bring Jesus to them through ourselves, what a wonderful use of my being! Prayers for all, and God’s blessings.
Thank you Ken, loved the prayers, especially the end day one which captures so many of the emotions we feel as we ready for what we always hope is a restful night’s sleep. Love reading these posts.
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I need You Father in Heaven to show me the way through my unhappiness and fears. I love You