Folk Art Wiseman #1: Welcome! We are known as Los Tres Santos Reyes.
Folk Art Wiseman #2: We recognize your weariness as we too were once where you are. But now we reside on this lovely piano.
Folk Art Wiseman #3: Do you, by chance, play the piano? It would be wonderful to hear someone tickle the ivories for our enjoyment.
Wiseman #2: Alas we are not able to play because our fingers are attached to our arms which are attached to our sides.
Folk Art Wiseman #1: Ah! We know of which you speak. But your fingers are attached to gifts just as ours are.
Wiseman #3: (Long pause as he stares at his arms) Oh my, you are right! Our fingers are attached to gifts. We've been so busy bemoaning what we do not have that we have not noticed what we do have!
Folk Art Wiseman #3: Yes it has been said that he who knows others is wise but that he who knows himself is enlightened.
Wiseman #2: Tell us about these gifts we possess. Are they for us?
Folk Art Wiseman #1: FIrst, tell us of your decree.
Wiseman #1: 'Go - not knowing where. Bring not knowing what. The path is long, the way unknown.'
Wiseman #2: And so far our path has been very long and our way very unknown.
Folk Art Wiseman #3: You are bringing fine gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.
Folk Art Wiseman #1: My name is Melchior and I offered gold to the child who would be King.
Folk Art Wiseman #2: My name is Caspar and I brought frankincense to the child who would be priest.
Folk Art Wiseman #3: My name is Balthasar and I brought myrrh to the child who would one day die for us.
Wiseman #2: Oh thank you Your Most Knowledgeable Ones. What a joy to know our own gifts! Can you tell us where we will find this child?
Melchior: Seek counsel from those who are on the straight path. Be wary of those who are not.
Caspar: Look for the bright star in the sky. It will lead you to where you need to be.
Balthasar: And enjoy the rest of your journey!
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1 comment:
Roberta, how beautiful and beautifully done! Last night, where our daughter and son-in-law worship, we attended the (amazing and wonderful) "Old-time Country Christmas" show. Near the end, the pastor said that there is a straight line from the cradle to the cross. I agree, and yet I don't. There is a straight line from the manger to the resurrection - from God-Among-Us to eternal life and to the Kingdom Now. The cross was because of men's refusal to love, but the Kingdom would come, would be here with us, without the cross too. Only there wasn't enough love. As amazed as Mary was by Jesus' conception, and as moved as she was by delivering life (as any mother would be), how much more amazed must she have been to have three philosopher-scientists from a different culture show up (Zoroastrians, probable) saying that this little bitty blue-collar kid would be a King. And then there were the shepherds. So Mary "pondered all these things in her heart," as your wise men now are doing. Doesn't matter what the gifts were; they saw that the gifts are there! That's part of finding the love!
Keep it up, and peace to you! -
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