FOLLOW THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM, FOLLOW THE STAR OF JUSTICE
Writer : Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan “For we observed His star at its rising, and we have come to pay Him (Jesus) honor.” Matthew 2:2
One of the interesting narratives of Christmas is the visit of the Magi. Saint Matthew tells us in his Gospel that they observed the rising star and followed it until it stopped where the star was. (Matthew 2:9) This star of Bethlehem is interpreted as a miraculous astrological event of symbolic and pedagogical significance. It is a sign sent by God to the Wise Ones so that they would find their way to the manger where Christ was laid.
We do not know much about these Wise Ones, called the Magi, except that they came from the East, and they were carrying three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matt. 2:11) They were certain that the sign in the sky signaled not only a heavenly but a miraculous earthly event.
As they made a stop in Jerusalem, they became aware that neither the political nor the religious authorities saw this star in the same way. No one shared their goal of paying homage to a newborn king, the One who would become known as King of kings and Lord of lords. No one in the halls of power shared their mission to spread a message of hope, salvation, and liberation to the rest of the world.
As today we remember this singular event from long ago, we celebrate with heavy hearts. The whole world, not only the land of Jesus’ birth, is in turmoil. We see brutal offenses, systematic injustices, the erosion of the rule of law and the weakening of international legitimacy. In their statement of October 30, 2024, the Elders warned that failure to respect the rule of law risks the collapse of global stability. The Elders are an independent group of global leaders working for peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet, founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007.
Their message was that every day we hear language that reveals how the powers of this world are preparing for a Third World War. Of course, these threats do not come only in words but also in action. All around us there are bloody battles, ethnic cleansings, genocides, the possibility of nuclear war and the re-emergence of colonialism. The ones who sit on the thrones and in the halls of power do not see the star of Bethlehem. They do not have a vision of peace based on justice. They can only see their narrow national interests and share only the desire to retain their seats of power.
Although the horrors in Gaza are most often in the news, there are daily horrors happening in every country and on every continent. What kind of a world will we bequeath to our children and grandchildren, if moral values and the rule of law have evaporated in our societies? In their statement of November 22, 2024, the Elders warned that the war against Gaza is a stain on the world’s conscience, and that ending the conflict requires more than weapons. It will require an end to impunity for crimes committed against humanity, and a plan for peace that moves the region finally to a two-state solution.
And still…Christmas remains a miracle. We celebrate the birth of God among us, Jesus Christ, son of Mary, born in Bethlehem. It is a singular story, and yet it is not only the story of one tiny baby long ago. We celebrate because it is a story that lives today. Despite political upheavals, power games, occupation, evil alliances, and catastrophic consequences for our planet, Jesus is being born among us. God’s love is appearing in every cradle in every place where oppression and violence want to rule and in the places the world has forgotten. For this reason, we must not lose sight of the Star that rises in the night sky—the star of peace, the star of love, the star of hope, the star that shines brightly even in the fog and darkness of war.
And when we see the star, then what? When are eyes are opened once again to recognize God’s work in the world, then what? Then we do not stay put in our comfortable seats of power but instead follow the Magi. We will follow where the star leads us, even if it means angering the authorities, or inviting ridicule, or visiting places and people most have forgotten. In this Christmas season in particular we are invited to keep the star of Bethlehem in our sights and to proclaim hope in a world that is starving for it. We are asked even to join the heavenly choir of angels singing, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth!” (Luke 2:14)
In his address to the International Peace Conference in Munich in 1999, former President of Costa Rica, Mr. Oscar Arias Sánchez said, “It is imperative that governments, civil societies, and ordinary citizens make a collective re-commitment to the basic values that give peace meaning: compassion, tolerance, and justice. For as the martyred Salvadoran Bishop Oscar Romero once said: ‘The only peace God wants is peace based on justice.’ Remembering his words, we must not only work for the silence of guns. We must dedicate ourselves to silence the cries of the excluded, the hungry, and the oppressed. It is only then that the beautiful words of peace will ring true for all but a privileged minority of human community. And it is through personal commitment from each of us that the foundations of a new culture will be laid, a culture which celebrates peace as a way of life.” (from “Pathways of Peace” by Jean Lesher)
Christians have recognized this culture of peace in both the manger where Jesus was laid and in the cross of Christ. Salvation is not just believing in the baby born in Bethlehem, but rather embodying what he embodied in the world. When steadfast love and faithfulness meet in our lives, when righteousness and peace embrace our family relations, business practices and in our nation’s policies, then God’s salvation is near at hand. When we work for justice, we make the way for God to be born again in our world.
Many have asked me over the years and especially in recent times, “What is the future of Palestinian and Arab Christianity in the Middle East, including Palestine?” The war in the Gaza and Lebanon has caused yet another wave of emigration of Christians, now especially from the town of the Nativity. Our younger generations have never lived in peace. This wave of emigration has caused great worry for us. The future of Arab/Palestinian Christianity cannot not be in war, violence or occupation. We believe in the promises of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. We believe and trust that there will be peace based on justice, we believe there will be equality for every citizen regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, political or religious affiliation.
We believe! And we will continue to follow the Star of Bethlehem, no matter what our numbers are. The Babe of Bethlehem calls us still today to one goal and one mission: to see peace based on justice realized in the land of the Incarnation.
Therefore, we are called to be Wise Ones! We are called to be peacemakers, brokers of justice, ministers of reconciliation, defenders of human rights, implementers of freedom of religion, and initiators of interfaith dialogue. These are not easy roles or simple tasks. However, as long as we keep our sights on the Star and follow it to Christ in the manger, our hope will be revived and our strength renewed.
Our hope is in the Living God, for as long as there is a Living God of justice there is hope for humanity everywhere. And just as God did not wait for the world to be in perfect harmony before being born among us in Bethlehem, we trust that peace based on justice will be born in the Holy Land sooner than you might think. “Peace I leave to you, my peace I give to you,” said our Lord Jesus. “I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid.” (John 14:22)
As you celebrate this Christmas, may your eyes be drawn to the Star in the night sky, and may you, along with the Magi, be drawn ever to Jesus Christ, our strength and our Redeemer.
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