26 My Monologues with Joseph, Mary and the Boy Jesus (Lk 2)

26 My Monologues with

Blessed Joseph, Mary,

the Parents of Boy Jesus (Lk 2)

Oh, Blessed, Joseph, Mary,

the Parents of Boy Jesus,

An Yearly Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, especially during the Passover Festival is a much cherished dream for every Jew.To make it a Family Pilgrimage was all the more exciting as well as very exacting indeed, Wasn't it?

Usually, in those days, the pilgrims travelled in larger caravan groups mainly for safety sake. It would have required about four days for a family to travel from Galilee to Jerusalem, covering a distance of about eighty miles/ a hundred and twenty km, right?

Remember, your unforgettable, highly risky trip to Bethlehem twelve years ago with your son who was ripe and ready to be born even on the way. You just managed to make it to Bethlehem in the nick of time, right?

Remember it was no picnic, rather a  very panicky trip for you both,

Don't you?

After your return from Egypt, as per the Narratives, you all must have made every year the annual Passover Pilgrimages to Jerusalem without any fail, haven't you?

Needless to say a pilgrimage with your twelve year old son was a very significant one, right?

Naturally you all might have thought it would be much easier than the previous ones, Didn't you?

Yet you were only partly right!

It is hard to anticipate what is in store for us, right, Mother Mary?

Though the 'Bar Mitzvah' ceremony marking the rite of passage of a Jewish boy from an adolescent to young adult has been traditionally conducted on his Thirteenth Birthday, was this pilgrimage in connection with the religious ceremony of 'Bar Mitzvah' of your son, Boy Jesus?

So think some of our experts.

Probably this Pilgrimage might have been the last of the family pilgrimages with all three of you together, right?

Oh, Blessed Joseph,

You must have felt terrible as you became aware of the missing Boy Jesus, Didn't you?  

Did you feel it a failure from your part as the 'father' figure and as the head of the family?

Did Mary scold you, blaming you, for missing Boy Jesus?

Did you feel terribly bad and guilty for not paying sufficient attention to your foster son?

Or, did you pass the buck to each other or to others as it is hinted in the Narratives?

If so, it wouldn't have been anything new as our First Parents had done it, hadn't they?

It's innate in our human nature to pass on the blame, Isn't it?

Usually, failures have no takers and are left fatherless and abandoned as orphans while  successes have many parental claimants and patrons, right?

That's the way of the world, you know it, don't you?

I was just giving full vent to my imagination.

Oh,  Blessed Joseph,

Ever Since the appearance of the

Angel, you have met with a series of setbacks and hurdles to your plans.

By now, you must have been accustomed and used to them, right?

Oh, Blessed Joseph,

In your case, you had been meticulously taking care of your wife and your foster son.You had been following them always like a silent shadow and faithfully stood by them like a silent sentry. Guided and encouraged by the Angel, you had been doing it for the last twelve plus years with utmost faithfulness and joy, didn't you ?

Initially it wasn't easy at all for you, right?

Oh, Blessed Joseph,

Though you did rightfully doubt and painfully decide to abandon your betrothed fiancee, assisted by the the angelic intervention, you grew out of it and you had become so  marvellously transformed into a loving, caring husband to Mary and a Foster Father to the Boy Jesus.

You did it:

with your living faith,

with your enduring perseverance, with your generous flexibility,

with the divine blessings and guidance, right?

Oh,  Blessed Joseph,

the more I think of you,

the more I reflect on you,

the more I meditate about you,

my fascination for you,

my admiration for you,

my love love for you,

my veneration for you,

keep on increasingly growing.

Oh, Blessed Joseph,

You and your life

keep making me aware of:

my own need to grow in accepting the harsh realities of my unrealizable dreams and plans.

Oh, Blessed Joseph,

You and your life

keep making me aware of :

my own need to grow in adjusting to the changed circumstances as well as to the unchangeable situations in which I find myself in my daily life.

Oh, Blessed Joseph,

You and your life

keep making me aware of:

my own need to grow in playing the second fiddle in those situations where I am supposed to.

I know it's an everyday struggle,  

may be a lifelong struggle,

and I need to begin every day anew.

Oh,  Blessed Joseph,

When I am made aware, this is the last time you are present and seen in the Gospel Narratives, it makes me a bit pensive.  

Often I keep wondering:

What happened to you ever since?

How long were you with Mary and Jesus?

How and where were your last days?

Though I may never get a satisfying answer to these questions,

one thing I am sure your final years, months, and moments were laced with beatific happiness and peace filled contentment surpassing even that of the Grand Old Simeon whom you met in the Temple as you and your wife brought the Baby Jesus for dedication, don't  you remember?

Oh,  Blessed Joseph,  

I want to keep striving after and struggling for similar final days and moments for myself.

During my years of sojourn and travels all around, I chanced to come across a Garage Sale where I found  a statuette of You and Boy Jesus hugging each other. The Boy Jesus was trying to raise himself up on his toes to reach up to you and threw his arms around your sturdy neck and you in turn was giving him a warm hug and cusping his head in your hands and you were planting a parental kiss on his forehead. His calm face was resting on your right shoulder.There was a touch of joy and relief on your face!

The inscription below read,

'Finding each other in the Temple.'

I just loved it.

And have it on my desk ever since!

Oh,  Blessed Joseph,

You are an inspiration indeed!

You are rare angelic inspiration!

Thank you!

Oh, Blessed. Mother Mary,

as you were returning after a very soul satiating Pilgrimage to Jerusalem, all on a sudden, it was all topsy-turvy, right?

The moment you realized, your son Boy Jesus was neither with any one of you nor with your relatives, you must have been frozen with fear and must have been terribly worried about his whereabouts, right?

Yet another 'sword'  seemed to be  piercing your heart.

Those were paralyzing, spine-chilling moments for a mother whose one and only son has been found missing.

Weren't they terrible moments for you, Mother Mary?

Oh, Blessed Mother Mary,

As per the Gospel Narratives it was your nature to treasure every experience and every event and ponder over them. Nobody shall ever know the thoughts and feelings of the agony and the ecstasy that keep milling in your mind, right, Mother? Possibly, you might have thought something in the following lines.

"Oh, my Yahweh, Adonai, my Almighty, please keep my son safe, may he not be harmed in any way, may nothing untoward happen to my son.

I don't know:

Is it due to my negligence that he is missing?

Am I an uncaring mother?

Have I failed in any way as a mother?

Is it my fault, that my son has been found missing?

After our return from Egypt, we were having the best of days as a hard working family... my husband is very loving, caring, understanding, and hardworking breadwinner....

Despite our, one of a kind, unique situation, assisted by divine guidance, we have been doing very well. My husband has been very adjusting and highly accommodating.

But why my Yahweh Adonai, why?  

Why do problems, troubles, and trials keep following us one after another...

Thirteen or years ago, when your Angel appeared and I said the 'fiat' ('Yes') to Your plans...

Little did I think of so many problems would be coming along..  

Sure, i did expect problems..

But not to this extent and severity.

So far we have been able to survive them with your active assistance. Thank you,Yahweh. . Adonis.. I know this one too will be behind us.

But, Yahweh, don't You see the innate yearning of the Human Nature to shun problems and to avoid trials.

It is this very same Human Nature in me that's asking You these questions and appealing to You for help. I never ever thought so much trials and troubles would accompany us. Like  the innocent, yet tormented Job, I come to you, I call upon you. Though initially silent, finally You heard the cry of Job. I know for certain You, Oh, Yahweh Adonai, You will not let me down. But to live through these excruciating moments I need to feel Your Presence here and now! I take this pain filled moments once again to renew my 'fiat' my 'Yes'  to You,

Oh, my Yahweh Adonai."

Oh, Blessed Mother, these are my imaginations indeed which help me to understand you better and to make my personal Pilgrimage of faith and growth a bit more steady and fast.

Thank you, Oh,  Blessed Mother!

Oh, Dear Boy Jesus,

Oh, Boy, you got guts, haven't you?

You have the gumption too,

to engage those senior Pundits of Jewish Religion and Law,

to engage them single hand. Sure, you do have the vigor, the valor, and the wisdom in discussing and debating with the doctors of Religion and Law.

The clarity of your wisdom and the rarity of your courageous conviction did impress everyone who listened you. Your superb performance did amaze them.

But Oh,  Dear Boy Jesus,

While you were having very lively theological colloquium in the Temple, your parents were frantically searching for you, right?

With bated breath they hurried back.

Their agonizing worries could have been avoided, had you informed them of your intention and interest in staying back, right?

I wonder what made you to stay back without informing your parents!

Did it happen inadvertently?

I doubt.

As they traced you back and sighed with relief and asked you a very pertinent question,

"Son, why have you treated us like this?

Your father and I have been anxiously search for you."

which any parent in the given situation would have asked.

You did shock them once again

with your answer,

"Why were you searching for me?" Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"

It sounds very curt and uncourteous an answer, unbecoming of a boy of your age and of your culture, and of your time, right?

The biblical pundits have tried to explain it way, rather than explain it..

But all the confusion was avoidable had you given them a polite answer!

Normally in situations such as this, an apology would have been very appropriate.

So they think.. me too.

You might have had a theological point or two to convey by beginning to set yourself apart.

Some are of the opinion that those words were put into mouth so as to project you as the Son of God.

Some hold the view that it couldn't have been said by you as those words cast a shadow of disrespect towards one's parents which is against one of the Ten Commandments, right?

Well,  Dear Boy Jesus,

I have yet find a satisfactory answer...

I shall keep waiting..

But in the mean time I want to find solace in the subsequent verses..

"Then he went down to Nazareth and was obedient  to them."

It shows you did not continue to be defiant to your parents, rather obedient to them.

How I wish I could give up some of my stubborn attitudes, actions,  and reactions! rather than get stuck with them.

Oh, Blessed Joseph, Mary, and Boy Jesus,

I love to spend some time in silence gazing at you and keep admiring your ability to adjust, to accommodate, and to be patient and courageous with one another!

And keep growing in holiness and wisdom!

Amen

JoAchen

Wednesday, January 21st, 2015

Joachenmonologues@gmail.com

Facebook:

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Blog:

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PS

Dear Reader,

These Reflections are neither pure scientific exegesis nor are they any highly theological explanations. They are my devotional meditations mainly meant for my personal renewal and spiritual growth. They are a part of my, 'Prodigal Priest's' journaling on my Pilgrimage to the Home of our Heavenly Father. You are welcome to share them.

Dear Reader, I keep holding you in my prayers and I request you to include me in yours.

I plan on uploading a Reflection each on 7th, 14th, 21st, and on the 28th of every month. If you do not want get these Reflections via email, please send a note and your email id will be deleted from the mailing list.

Thank you!

25 My Monologues with the Venerable Simeon and Anna (Lk 2)

25 The Venerably, Happily aging Blessed Simeon and Anna (Lk 2)

Oh, venerably, happily aging Blessed Simeon,

Whenever I think of you, the memories of my minor seminary days pop up in my mind. As a part of our Night Prayers, we were taught to sing your Canticle in Latin.

"Nunc dimittis servum tum Domine.... in pace"

("Now Lord, let your servant go in peace.. ")

Oh, venerably, happily aging Blessed Simeon,

Though you spoke in your vernacular Aramaic /Hebrew, somehow I have taken a liking for the Latin translation of your Canticle. In the minor seminary Latin was taught.

The Latin phrase,

'Nunc dimittis...' meaning, 'now let (me) go"

has ever since been a fascination for me and has been indelibly inscribed in my mind.

As I age along in terms of the years I have lived, earnestly I wish and want and even fantasize to grow up like you and reach a grace-filled grateful, happy, and content state of body, mind, and soul, where, like you, someday I would love to say spontaneously my,

"Nunc dimittis..... Domine.. in pace"

"Now Lord, let your servant go in peace"

Oh, Venerable, happily aging Blessed Simeon,

Rare indeed are people like you who are so grateful, happy, and content in the sunset years of their lives and are ready

to say  gracefully their '

Nunc dimittis.. Domine...in pace"

Many a times,I myself, along with many others, feel like quitting this world when met with severe disappointments due to an incurable disease or on account of an acute financial crisis or due to a badly broken relationship issues or as a reaction to abject failures of any undertakings etc.

Our wish to quit in desperation is far from your 'Nunc dimittis.. Domine.. '  

You said it with delight and not with dejection, right?

On the other hand, some of us, though terribly unhappy and disillusioned, yet grudgingly want to hang on to life for ever or so.They too are no where close to your graceful and grateful attitude towards life and to you unique "Nunc dimittis.. Domine... ,"

Oh, venerably, happily, aging Blessed Simeon,

I wonder:

whether I am or I will be willing or ready to say:

my 'Nunc dimittis..' as you did!

In fact, at times, it has been the other way around. Often enough I am tempted to continue to live as if my life on earth is for ever. And to make it worse, in certain situations when I had felt terribly hurt, horribly lonely, and  deeply disappointed and badly felt abandoned like Job or Jeremiah, I have had fleeting moments of death wish out of utter dejection. It was a sort of running away.

Oh, no, it was nothing like your graceful and joy filled 'Nunc dimittis'.

Oh, venerably, happily aging Blessed Simeon,

you are different, you are on a higher level of life! You are one of a kind, you are indeed so unbelievably unique! The grace, the joy, the happiness, and the peace you exude are often foreign to me. To be frank, I am very envious of you! Even though as a senior priest I am inching towards seventy, unlike you, I am afraid,

I am totally unprepared to say

my 'Nunc dimittis.'

Often I find myself with an ungrateful heart and an unsteady mind along with an unsettled life and am unwilling to say my 'Nunc dimittis.' It my endeavor to keep trying to reach that stage when I am happily and gratefully able to say my ' Nunc dimittis...'

Oh, Venerable, happily aging  Blessed Simeon,

The Gospel Narratives describe you as a  righteous and devout person. So you must have been a very upright, a very just, and a very pious a person.Though nothing about your personal life is mentioned, the couple of your known qualities like, your righteousness, your devotedness, and your total contentment with the life you had been living, would help me to draw a very vivid mental portrait of your personality and of your life.

Oh, venerable, happily aging Blessed Simeon,

You were  neither a Pharisee nor a Sadducee.

If you were so, it would have been explicitly mentioned, right? While you were genuinely righteous, the Pharisees were self-righteous. While you were deeply devout they just pretended to be so. You didn't hold any political or religious office, did you? Probably, you were  not extraordinarily rich, yet you were financially secure and without much undue worries, right?

It is quite probable that you had been happily living out your life as a great grand father, Weren't you?

Oh, venerably, happily aging Blessed Simeon,

It is amazing to see you bursting out with joy as you caught sight of the Baby Jesus and instantaneously recognizing and proclaiming him to be the long awaited Messiah! Remember, Mary and Joseph had initial difficulties in  accepting and believing even when the Angel had announced it to them. They raised questions and entertained doubts, Didn't they? Strikingly, in your case there was no angel to make any announcement. You didn't need one, Did you? Yet inspired by the Holy Spirit, as soon as you saw the Baby Jesus, you were certain that he is the promised Messiah, right?

Wasn't it a spine tingling experience of beatific joy to have held the Baby Jesus in your arms?

This was the moment you had been waiting and hoping for, dreaming of and praying for, right?

Every fiber of your soul was satiated and saturated with the Heavenly Bliss and every pore of your body was glowing and your heart was overflowing with a rare feeling of  Heavenly Peace, right?

No wonder, with an elated enthusiasm you were able to say so spontaneously and so joyfully your 'Nunc dimittis'!!!

Oh, venerably, happily aging Blessed Simeon, you stand out as an ever shining example of a gracefully aging and graciously willing human being who gladly sings his 'Nunc dimittis'.

Will I ever be able to make it my  Swan-Song  too?

I shall and I will keep trying to prepare myself to sing my own 'Nunc dimittis'.

Oh, Venerably, happily aging Prophetess Anna,

You were a widow, you were a childless widow, and you were an eighty-four year old childless widow, a widow for sixty plus years or so! Could there have been anything worse for a woman of your time and of your culture?

Oh, venerable, happily aging Prophetess Anna, you were married to your man as a teenager and lived together as  a married couple just for seven years and becoming a widow for the rest your life did not demolish your indomitable spirit.You could have ended up a basket case, totally dejected and fully withdrawn. As a young  widow, you could have been thrown out  on to the streets and  could have been abused and left in the lurch or you could have been dumped as a slave. But none of the above horrible things happened to you, right?

Oh, venerably, happily aging Prophetess Anna, You held on and held out with dignity and positive defiance.Yet there was no bitterness or rancour on account of your very early widowhood and the subsequent hardships attached to it. You never drenched your life in self-pity.You had successfully dealt with your bitter past and placed it behind you, Didn't you?

Oh, Venerable, happily aging Prophetess Anna,

You seemed to have been living attached to the Temple and happily serving the Lord day in and day out, right? You were held in high esteem as a prophetess in the line of Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah in Old Testament. In fact you might have been the one and only prophetess in the New Testament that we know of, right?

Oh, Venerable, happily aging Prophetess Anna, Your unwavering devotion and your unceasing worship in the Temple are the impeccable credentials of your unflinching faith in the Lord. You were so thrilled to see the Baby Jesus and recognized him to be the promised Messiah, Weren't you? So profusely, you thanked the Lord for giving the Messiah.You proclaimed him enthusiastically as the Messiah to all others around. as per the Lucan Narratives, in fact, you are the first one to preach the Good News of the arrival of the Messiah, Weren't you?

Oh, venerably, happily aging Prophetess Anna,

You are a miracle indeed! So beautifully and positively, you did handle your griefs, misfortunes, and tragedies in your life, Didn't you?

You haven't even a speck of hurt feelings towards your God. When I look back to my life,  occasionally, I still nurse the feelings of being deprived of my mother soon after bringing me into this world. At times I do feel unjustly treated by the Lord. It keeps reminding me that I have to continue to work on my healing! You do inspire me with your life oozing with openness and optimism.

Thank you!

My Lord and My God, as an Infant baby,

You were a joy to be gazed upon with awe,

You were a thrill to be held in arms,

You were a miracle baby to be pondered on.

I want to spend some time in silence and imagine you being brought to the Temple and greeted by the venerably, happily aging, and saintly Simeon and Anna.

My Lord and My God, I began this Reflection  with:

"Nunc  dimittis.. Domine."  

of the the Night Prayers

recited way back in my minor seminary.

I want to conclude with finishing line of the same Night Prayers,

"Into your hands oh Lord,  I commend my spirit. "

In Latin we sang,

"In manus tuas Domine, commendo spiritum mum."

"Nunc dimittis Domine.."

"In manus tuas Domine, commendo spiritum meum"

Amen

JoAchen

Tuesday, January 14th, 2015

joachenmonologues@gmail.com

Facebook

My Monologues

Blog:

www.my-monologoues.blogspot.in

PS

Dear Reader,

These Reflections are neither pure scientific exegesis nor are they any highly theological explanations. They are my devotional meditations mainly meant for my personal renewal and spiritual growth. They are a part of my, 'Prodigal Priest's' journaling on my Pilgrimage to the Home of our Heavenly Father. You are welcome to share them.

Dear Reader, I keep holding you in my prayers and I request you to include me in yours.

I plan on uploading a Reflection each on 7th, 14th, 21st, and on the 28th of every month. If you do not want get these Reflections via email, please send a note and your email id will be deleted from the mailing list.

Thank you!

24 My Monologues with the Three Kings

24  My Monologues with the Three Wise Kings

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
Blessed you are and fortunate you have been
to be a part of the Celebrations of First ever Christmas the world had been waiting for!
For you, an honor and a privilege it had been.
Along with those, simple, sincere Shepherds,
Deserve you do,  Oh, Wise, Venerable Kings!

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
The Illiterate Shepherds and you Wise Literate,
The Poor Shepherds and you Richie Royals,
The Simple Shepherds, from the nearby fields,
You, the Venerable Royals from far off lands
You both came to worship the Messiah Babe
How Blessed, how Fortunate you both are!

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
The Shepherds were near yet unaware
Though from far off lands, you were aware.
Yet, you the Wise and Venerable Royals
And they the simple and illiterate Shepherds,  
both of you were there for the First ever  Christmas, the birth of the Messiah King.

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
The Shepherds were told by the Holy Angels,
You Kings were guided by the Bright Star,
Whether you were Kings or Shepherds,
Whether you were from far or near, rich or poor
Whether you were wise or otherwise,
You both had Openness and Simplicity, right?

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
Though a bit late to arrive as you had to travel
quite a few hundred miles, if not thousands,
you all must have felt blessed, happy, proud,
and privileged to have been there, right?
Contrary to your expectations, there wasn't much of a celebration as you thought, right?

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
Weren't you all dismayed at the first sight?
No Royals, No Purple, No Palace, No Parties!
Despite all the the preaching of the prophets and waiting for ages by the sages and saints!
Weren't you all shocked by the shabby sight
of the surroundings, of the Manger and crib?

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
You bet, it's all quite a different sight now!
You would be shocked to see our Christmas,
Celebrations as we have it in these days,
We have lots and lots of fun, frolics, food and drinks of all sorts for our Christmas Gathering
We have Celebrations and parties galore!

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
Have you ever thought of coming once again for the  present day Christmas Celebrations?
If so, why don't you all come over, right away?
Sorry, sorry, I  am having seconds thoughts,
Oh,  No, No, don't  come.. Better not....!
Or else, you get shell shocked to your spine!

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,   
You know, these days we write and speak all sorts of things about you all, some of us say you were not really Kings, but just some Wise Men, some others hold that you were Twelve and not just the Three! We keep on searching and researching, about your age, about your race, about your religion, and your Region etc.

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
Those of us interested in doing the research may they be successful and be of service
to many a millions of ordinary folks like us.
Sharing the faith and conviction of millions,  
I love to believe happily and hold firmly that
You are both Wise and Royal to your fingertips,

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
You risked your lives and your Kingdoms.
You risked your power and your positions.
You risked your families and your friends.
You risked the comforts of your Palaces.
You risked the command of your armies.
You risked everything just to see the Babe!

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,.
You followed the knowledge your scriptures,
You relied the inborn intuition of your hearts,
You believed the prophecies of holy men of old
You left the safety of your familiar surrounding
You trusted the guidance of the heavenly Star,
You placed your trust in the Divine Providence.
Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
You dared the dust and heat of the arid desert.
You braved the howling desert winds
You spent nights and days in the open desert
You moved on and on, unmoved by hardships
You marched on with unmatched endurance
How I wish!, that I could persevere like you all!

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
When unhooked your attention from the Star,
When you heeded to your human inkling,
You lost your way, you lost your destination.
When you thought Palace would be the spot,
You were walking into a wicked King's plot.
I too have relied on my thoughts and got lost!

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
The Gospel narratives never called you kings
You are called Magis, more of scholars, seers,
Yet, you are more Regal and Royal than Herod
You are more kind and kingly than many a king
You are more Global, Noble, Loyal Trio,
You are really regal, royal, Wise Kings!

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
They call you, Melchior from Persia
Gasper/Jasper from far away India
Balthasar/Balthasar from nearby Arabia
Your Offerings to the Babe Divine are symbolic
Gold of Royalty, Frankincense of Deity Divine
And Myrrh of embalming and Human Death.

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
You are the 'Manifestation' of Meekness,
You are  the 'Symbol' of Simplicity,
You are the 'Sign' Submission to the Divine,
You are the 'Epitome' of Pilgrimage of Faith
You are the 'Embodiment' of Human Endurance
You are the 'Epiphany' of Human Quest for God

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,

As you were returning from Bethlehem, didn't you feel something similar, 'we thought the Messiah King would have to be born in a royal palace and we were proved wrong. Proudly or naively, we relied on our calculations and promptly corrected and humbled we were.'

Oh, the Star of David, the Star of Bethlehem,
I want to be a Manifestation of your Meekness
I want to be a daily Symbol of your Simplicity
I want to be a Sign of Submission to the Divine
I want to be an Epitome of Pilgrimage of Faith
I want to be an 'Embodiment' of Endurance
I want to be an Epiphany of Yearning for God!

Oh, the Star of David, the Star of Bethlehem,
When the Wise, Venerable Kings came to you
it was to witness Your Divine Epiphany
in the humble form of a Helpless Babe, me too         want the eyes and hearts of the Three Kings

to see You the Divine in the most helpless, innocent form of  the Babe of Bethlehem,

Oh, the Star of David, the Star of Bethlehem,
How I wish to be a daily Epiphany of your love, of your Cheerful love, of your Innocent love,
of your Unassuming and Unconditional love,
of your Forgiving and Forbearing Love.
But, Oh , Star of David, the Miniature, Mini
Herod in me often keeps holding me back!

Oh, the Star of David, the Star of Bethlehem,
For the Wise and Venerable Three Kings
you were the Symbol of long awaited Hope.
While for Herod you were a sign of Despair,
for  the Three Kings, You were the New Dawn
While for Herod you were the Dead End!
while for the Three Kings You were a Blessing,
for Herod you seemed to be a Curse.

Oh, the Star of David, the Star of Bethlehem,
As I look into my life, I see a number of Kings
ruling over me and running my life:
At times King Herod ruthlessly rules over me!  
It makes me sad and dispirited!
Sometimes the Three Kings takes over my life.
I am glad and I want them to do it often!

Oh, the Star of David, the Star of Bethlehem,
At times, You, Oh, Babe,The Messiah King  You do rule over me and run my life.
I love it.. Oh, Babe, Oh, Messiah King!
Do come over and take over my life,
Run it as you please, even when I resist.
Run my life as a little Epiphany of your Love!

Oh, Wise and Venerable Three Kings,
With glowing faces, with glimmering eyes,
Hearts brimming over with Heavenly Joy,
You returned, cheerful and happy you went.
Some say, eventually you became Christians
and Gasper met Thomas and was baptised.
The Babe of Bethlehem became your King!

Oh, the Star of David, the Star of Bethlehem,
I want to spend some time in silence
in Your Presence, in front of the Manger!
Offering you my the Gold of Grateful Love,
Offering you my Frankincense of Adoring Love
Offering you my Myrrh of Suffering Love,
I want to  be an everyday Epiphany of  love!

Amen
JoAchen
Wednesday, 7th January, 2015
Joachenmonologues@gmail.com

PS
These Reflections are neither pure scientific exegesis nor are they any highly theological speculations. Rather, they are my devotional meditations mainly meant for my personal renewal and spiritual growth.They are a part of my, 'Prodigal Priest's' journaling, on my Pilgrimage to the Home of our Heavenly Father. You are welcome to share them.

Dear Reader, as I keep holding you in my prayers, I request you to include me in yours.
I plan on uploading a Reflection each on 7th, 14th, 21st, and on the 28th of every month.
If you don't want these Reflections via email, please send a note and your email id will be deleted.
Thank you!