"Where are the modern day magi?"

Epiphany of Our Lord, January 4, 2026

sermon by Intern Pastor Katie Insalaco

Intern Pastor Katie Insalaco

So today we’re skipping around a bit in the Christmas story. Last week, Peggy so beautifully preached on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, when Herod massacres children in his quest to destroy Jesus. You’ll remember that Peggy talked about how the Holy Family were refugees as they fled to Egypt to escape the atrocities happening in their homeland, a story so familiar for the 122 million refugees worldwide that she cited. But today’s story of the magi comes just before last week’s gospel. So, we’re going to rewind just a bit - I’m not entirely sure why the lectionary has us doing this.

In today’s gospel, we have the famous story of the three magi, or wise men, magicians, kings, or in Greek μάγος (magos). Scripture tells us that these men came from the East and eventually returned to their own countries. Meaning, they were probably not Jewish. I think this is a significant point in the story. They were outsiders. But they were not Godless, right? That star is usually interpreted as a divine flashlight pointing the way towards Jesus. God’s invitation to the new era, the Kin-dom of God ushered in through Jesus, was open to all. This was a completely radical idea for our ancient Jewish ancestors whose notion of the Messiah was someone who would come with military might to save the people of Israel. But here we have God calling people outside that faith tradition to come and worship God through Jesus - they don’t convert, they simply honor Jesus with their gifts. And then they go home.

Now, this story from Matthew is a realization of Isaiah’s prophecy that we heard in the first reading. As the magi aren’t mentioned anywhere else in Scriptures, I’m apt to think that Matthew incorporated them into his gospel to reflect the Isaiah prophecy. But whether or not the magi factually showed up or not isn’t the point. Matthew is telling the story of a Messiah who brings outsiders in and who is the fulfillment of ancient dreams. A Messiah who brings kings to their knees to worship God through him, even when their worship looks different from what we believe or expect. Paul echoes this sentiment in the second reading when he says “the gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 3:6). With the birth of Christ, the kin-dom of God is expansive and inclusive and the gates are thrown wide open for anyone who faithfully follows God’s light.

And the other thing that I think is significant about these magi is that they were resistants. They thwarted Herod’s scheme to kill Jesus by going home a different way. And it’s this little detail that most caught my attention this week. I wondered how faith traditions outside of ours are resisting empire and following God’s light today. Where are the modern-day magi? It was a topic I was excited to spend time with. I thought you might be, too. So, here’s what I learned:

I found an organization called Bend the Arc, which is “a multiracial, multiethnic, intergenerational movement of Jews and allies all across the country who are rising up to build an American future free from white supremacy, antisemitism, and racism.”^[1]. Their tagline is “You’ve got chutzpah? We’ve got work to do”. Bend the Arc publicly challenges policies and political rhetoric made under the guise of fighting antisemitism and exposes when Herod-esque motives are behind them. Jewish Voice for Peace is another Jewish organization actively resisting empire in its own way. It shines light on the plight of Palestinians in Gaza and is working through divestment campaigns to try to funnel money away from the government of Israel. Recently Jewish Voice for Peace organized a campaign demanding Washington State divest $2 billion from companies that profit from Palestinian genocide^[2].

From our Muslim siblings, you may have heard of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, because they were recently named a terrorist organization - without evidence to support it - in Texas and Florida. Islamophobia is nothing new in this country but modern day Muslim magi refuse to be coerced into strengthening empire. They resist being called terrorists, they resist rising discrimination, they resist religious persecution that tries to portray them as undeserving of God’s tremendous love for all of humanity. And, Zainab Caudry, Director of CAIR Maryland, honors Jesus in a letter published on Christmas Day just over week ago. He writes:

“As Christians around the world celebrate Christmas, they reflect on the birth of Jesus (peace be upon him) — a figure deeply revered not only in Christianity, but also in Islam.

Muslims honor Jesus as a prophet of compassion, humility and justice, one who stood with the vulnerable and spoke truth to power.

This shared reverence matters today more than ever.

Jesus’ story is one of being born into displacement. His family fled persecution. He preached mercy toward the stranger, care for the poor and dignity for the marginalized. These teachings are guideposts for how societies should treat those in need.

Yet, in our country today, our immigration system is contradicting those values….

In honoring Jesus (peace be upon him), let’s honor the values he embodied: mercy, justice and love of neighbor. Anything less is a betrayal not only of faith, but of our shared humanity.”^[3]

I think Zainab Caudry is truly a wise man.

Our Buddhist friends remind us that we must center our hearts and minds before we can take meaningful action. Let’s remember that our magi didn’t just pop on the scene. They presumably traveled for a long time following that star. They had some time to think. Did they leave when Jesus was born and arrive a couple of years later? Who knows? But speaking about resisting fascism today, Rev Myozan Ian Kilroy,  a Zen Buddhist priest and abbot at Dublin Zen Centre, says, “To sit down and meditate or kneel down and pray is possibly the most radical option we have. Finding silence and stillness brings us home to the reality of things – an interdependent world where compassion is the only reasonable response. This is not only non-doing and not causing harm, but it is also awakening to the deep reservoir of indefatigable love that wise action can be based on. It is touching again the divine spark”^[4]. “Indefatigable love” and “wise action” sound like our magi. So does the instruction to “kneel down and pray”, for our Scripture says that is just what they did when they encountered Jesus.

And, of course, there are our Christian siblings of other denominations who follow the star and resist empire. There are the Catholic bishops who publicly and vocally oppose dehumanizing immigration tactics, especially those in Florida who asked the governor and president, by name, to pause ICE activities for the Christmas season^[5]. (They were denied). There is the Episcopal Church who terminated its 40 year old agreement with the federal government to resettle refugees because it so deeply opposes the government’s classification of white Afrikaners from South Africa as refugees^[6]. Episcopalians have decided to take a different road. The United Methodist Church is organizing right now against nuclear testing^[7] and in favor of restoring funding to the EPA and NOAA^[8]. Like our magi, they dream that going back in the direction they came is dangerous.

And this is just a taste of how faith-filled people are following the light and resisting Herod. If I expanded my search to a global scale, we’d be here all day and night hearing stories about wise people from so many different faith traditions who bring their gifts to honor the Light that darkness cannot overcome. Stories from our modern day magi don’t cancel out the persecution, oppression, exploitation, and manipulation that feels rampant among those in power these days. But they do resist it. They tell the story of an alternative way out. They remind us to welcome the wisdom of other faith traditions into our hearts and homes just as Mary did. Epiphany is about revelation and insight. It’s an illuminating discovery. It’s an invitation to be transformed by the unexpected. So, friends, as you move through this week into a brand new year, I invite you to seek out the stories that you otherwise might not hear. Maybe listen to a different radio station for a while or try a different news feed. Find prayers that resonate with you from other faith traditions and try them out. Follow the light into spaces you might not otherwise enter. You may just have an epiphany.

I’ll close today’s sermon with a Hindu Peace Prayer from the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence:

I desire neither earthly kingdom, nor even freedom from birth and death.

I desire only the deliverance from grief of all those afflicted by misery.

Oh Lord, lead us from the unreal to the real; from darkness to light; from death to immortality.

May there be peace in celestial regions.

May there be peace on earth.

May the waters be appeasing.

May herbs be wholesome and may trees and plants bring peace to all.

May all beneficent beings bring peace to us. May your wisdom spread peace all through the world.

May all things be a source of peace to all and to me.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti (Peace, peace, peace).^[9]

Amen.

^[1] Bend the Arc: Jewish Action. “Bend the Arc: Jewish Action.” Accessed December 31, 2025. https://www.bendthearc.us.

^[2] Jewishvoiceforpeace.org. “Media Roundup: ‘As Our Bodies Have Gotten Weaker, Our Spirit and Resolve Have Gotten Stronger.,’” July 29, 2025. https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/2025/07/29/media-roundup-as-our-bodies-have-gotten-weaker-our-spirit-and-resolve-have-gotten-stronger/.

^[3] Chaudry, Zainab. “CAIR Letter: Jesus Taught Mercy and Love. Our Immigration System Is a Betrayal.” Cair.com, December 25, 2025. https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-letter-jesus-taught-mercy-and-love-our-immigration-system-is-a-betrayal-baltimore-banner/.

^[4] Kilroy, Rev Myozan Ian. “How Does a Buddhist Respond in a World Where Might Is Right?” Irish Times, March 16, 2025. https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2025/03/16/how-does-a-buddhist-respond-in-a-world-where-might-is-right/.

 ^[5] Gervasini/CNA, Tessa. “Florida Bishops Call for Immigration-Enforcement Moratorium over Christmas.” National Catholic Register, December 22, 2025. https://www.ncregister.com/cna/florida-bishops-issue-pre-christmas-letter-on-immigration-enforcement.

^[6] Jenkins, Jack. “Episcopal Church Refuses to Resettle White Afrikaners, Citing Moral Opposition.” NPR, May 12, 2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/05/12/g-s1-65988/episcopal-church-white-afrikaners-ends-partnership-u-s-government.

^[7] GBCS. “Action Alert: Stop Nuclear Testing.” Accessed December 31, 2025. https://www.umcjustice.org/latest/action-alert-stop-nuclear-testing-8326.

^[8]GBCS. “ACTION ALERT: Urge Congress to Fully Fund the EPA and NOAA.” Accessed December 31, 2025. https://www.umcjustice.org/latest/action-alert-urge-congress-to-fully-fund-the-epa-and-noaa-5785.

 ^[9] Xavier.edu. “Hindu Prayers.” Accessed December 31, 2025. https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/hindu-prayers.