visitors

 

In this photo released by Russian Orthodox Church Press Service, the Trinity icon by Andrei Rublev is displayed as Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill conducts an Orthodox service celebrating Trinity Sunday with Russia’s most famous icon transferred from a museum to Moscow’s main cathedral despite the keepers’ vociferous protests in the Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, June 4, 2023. The Trinity icon by Andrei Rublev that was kept in Moscow’s Tretyakov Gallery since the 1920s was moved to Christ the Savior Cathedral for the holiday on President Vladimir Putin’s order. Putin’s sudden order to hand over the 15th century icon to the church came despite protests from the Tretyakov keepers that the icon was too fragile to move. (Oleg Varov/Russian Orthodox Church Press Service via AP)

https://apnews.com/article/russia-trinity-icon-rublev-moscow-cathedral-c78adcee0c929208013c9936f9969291

Russia's most famous icon handed over from museum to church despite protests (Associated Press, June 4, 2023 at 9:27 a.m. EDT)

On Trinity Sunday on my way to church I heard on the radio that Russia’s most famous icon, by Andrei Rublev, was on its way from a museum in Moscow to a nearby church. This icon is frequently cited as an image of the Trinity, a showing in the persons of three mysterious angelic visitors to the tent of Abraham and Sarah at the Oaks of Mamre. It is a close-up, in effect, of the larger scene, one you can see depicted by Ghiberti on the doors of the baptistry of St John  in Florence, Italy (and replicated on the front doors of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco). 

Looking at the bigger picture you can see Abraham in front of the tent offering hospitality to the strangers, while Sarah peeks from behind the flap of the tent. They are receiving strange news from strange guests. The icon that focuses in on the three visitors shows them in harmonious relation to each other, a dancing image of God, (perichoresis, reciprocal coinherence) since as they are three, or two, or one, they are a “God sighting” as Reverend Billy calls it (theophany), a miraculous appearance or vision of the presence of God.  

The image is from the story in the book of Genesis (18:1-15, 21:1-7) of three strangers that come to the tent of Abraham and Sarah at the Oaks of Mamre, where their flocks and herds are pastured by the trees, and they greet the old man and his old wife, and receive hospitality. And then give her a blessing. There was to be a child, and a great promise.  

For God had said to Abraham, ‘As for your wife— I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ ‘And by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves.’

There are elements in this story that probably came across with particular power over the many centuries of the Jewish people. Three strangers arrive, receive hospitality, give a blessing, and tell of a child of great promise. Hard to forget, wonderfully told, a story for the ages.

On Trinity Sunday I wondered if Mary heard it, if it came to mind as she sheltered near Bethlehem with her newborn son. (Matthew 2:1-12) Because here again, there were, so many centuries later, a mother and a child of great promise, and three strangers who said, as those earlier visitors had said, “through this child a great blessing will come to his people, and to all the world.” 

The new mother: did she smile at this? Did she laugh? Did she laugh to hear the news or did she gently accept it or did she do both? What child was this? What parents? Now this one was already born, when the strangers, this time astrologers, Wise Men, Magi from the east, said to its mother, that this child would be a blessing to his people, and to all the world. Again three strangers, again a mother and a child. Again, a great promise, and in both cases that one promise has become fulfilled.

​​http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp6_RCL.html#ot1

http://www.lectionarypage.net/YearABC_RCL/Epiphany/Epiph_RCL.html

Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7)
Matthew 2:1-12

A version of this meditation was printed in the Arizona Daily Star, Keeping the Faith feature of the Home + Life section, pg. E3, on Sunday, July 16, 2023, under the heading, "3 visitors and a blessing."

The Wise and the Innocent

The Wise and the Innocent

Our story this Sunday, the second Sunday after Christmas, is a different story of the Nativity ... or of the early infancy of the Child Jesus. For it begins with representatives of the nations, people from far away, arriving in the court of Herod the Great with a humble request to see the child who has been born king. 

Somewhat awkward. The powers that be had not expected this. There had been 'messiahs' before, and champions of freedom, and there would be again. This however was not the arrival of a warrior. 

It was worse. The prince of peace arrived innocent. In the City of David to be sure, but a shepherd boy would be more menacing. This is an opportunity, the king concludes. To get in there right away and do the right thing ... by his own lights.

But he sends the seekers on their way and they do visit the child and his family, and surprise them with gifts. 

They begin to see the danger.

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night and thought, I know what I have to do? Right now?

Something like that happened to Joseph (and more than once). He took mother and child by night and fled.

What a beginning, and what an exit.

***

Stars you say? Or perhaps a great conjunction of planets. Somehow in the skies a cosmic event heralded, to the wise, an event with earthly import. And more importantly, an earthly event had cosmic significance.

Zoroastrians might point to this as the collision of darkness and light. Certainly the powers that be, with all their dark significance and mighty power, were troubled at this small glimmering of hope in a stable.

But not even the night belonged to Herod the Great. Not truly. For it was under the cover of darkness, over those self-same stars now slowly departing from their conjunction, that the holy family made its escape.

And when they return freedom will travel with them.

***

So the Christmas season continues after the birth of the Savior. 

After the angels depart. After the wise men go their way. So now what? Howard Thurman, a pastor in San Francisco, told us this way: 

When the Song of the Angels Is Stilled

When the song of the angels is stilled, When the star in the sky is gone, When the kings and the princes are home, When the shepherds are back with their flocks, The work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, To heal the broken, To feed the hungry, To release the prisoner, To rebuild the nations, To bring peace among people, To make music in the heart.

Now the work begins.

Now it is our turn, our time. The story of the child is not over, not yet.

When the family returns from Egypt they go not to Bethlehem but to Nazareth. And there Mary and her husband Joseph will raise the child. They will diligently take him to the festival in Jerusalem, Passover, the feast that means so much, and promises freedom as it celebrates the faithfulness of God. But soon, we will be hearing and celebrating - and trying to understand - the story of the adult, of Jesus coming out of Nazareth to the shores of the Sea of Galilee, and returning for that festival - with cosmic consequence.

For now though it is on us.

Can we join him, join Jesus, as he grows and matures into an adult and fearless faith? Into action prophetic and natural? As he simply does the right thing, the significant thing, which is the human thing to do? And realize how in each cup of water, each tray of food, each healed sore or sadness, we proclaim the glory? 

That God is with us. 

God is with us first as a fragile child, who must be wrapped up in his innocence and born far away. God is with us in the proclamations of the angels, the singing of the shepherds, the doting of a father?

God is with us in anger over injustice, and in doing something about it. 

How we treat each other, our environment, and the creation of which we are a part, shows that glory.

Perhaps it is as simple as calling a friend or greeting a stranger: how are you doing in these dark times? Do you see the light is coming back? What can I do to help you? Or how can we pray together? Maybe it is more political than that. Maybe it is more indirect, not knowing the impact of your gift or confidence.

But it is our time now. To do what Jesus will do, to learn who Jesus is, and who we are becoming in Him.

In Him, in his footsteps, rejoicing in what he is doing, we begin to heed the words of many prophets.

"To heal the broken-hearted"

"To make his pathways smooth"

To go ourselves to Jerusalem, in our hearts, to adore - and to get busy. Good trouble, indeed, is on the way.

• Jeremiah 31:7-14
• Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a
• Psalm 84 or 84:1-8
• Matthew 2:1-12
• Matthew 2:13-15 

https://fcjsisters.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/when-the-song-of-the-angels-is-stilled-howard-thurman/

http://edgeofenclosure.org