The magi, or wise men, observed a star in the East (Matthew 2:1-12). They interpreted it as a fulfilling of prophecy that the King of the Jews had been born. Unfortunately, they went to King Herod, who became frightened by their belief. Yet, Herod encouraged them to follow the star, so that he might learn of his future rival.
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“When they had heard the king, they set out, and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy” (Matthew 2:9-10).
The star stopped over Bethlehem. The magi followed the light and found Jesus. We, too, are called to not only follow the light, but also to shine the light of Christ in the world.
In the northern hemisphere, Advent coincides with shorter days and longer nights. The darkness of the longest night mirrors much of the heaviness we carry. We ask for healing for ourselves, but also for all of those who are hurting in our broken world.
Because God’s love for us is unconditional, we do not have to earn it. We open our hearts to divine grace and mercy as we pray Psalm 80:7: “Restore us, O God of hosts; let your face shine, that we may be saved.”
God is faithful. God’s steadfast love endures forever. We may not believe in looking for a new star or watching the sky for signs as the Magi did, but we can be inspired by the stars who continue to shine every night through the darkness.
Prayer: O God Who Is Love, thank you for your unconditional love. We want to be just as generous with the acts of love we give to others. May your love shine brightly through us. Amen.
Activity: Make and give a star
Give a star to someone who may need some encouragement this season, such as a busy worker at a store, someone dealing with a health issue or a person who is grieving. Your star can be a light of love, sharing a message that Jesus is the light of the world.
You could simply give out a gold star sticker with a note about why you think the person deserves a star. This is especially great for those you encounter who are being extra kind or helpful this holiday season.
If you’d like to hand out homemade stars, make them out of yarn and cardboard (instructions below).
Cardboard star
You will need:
Cardboard
Yarn
Tape
Scissors
- Cut out the shape of a star from the cardboard.
- Tape a piece of yarn to the back of the star and begin wrapping the yarn in whatever direction you wish. Cover the star completely or leave some of the cardboard showing.
- Tie a knot on the back of the star so that the yarn will not unravel.
