In the past two
hundred years, a new element has found its place in our Christmas celebration.
It is from the Christian practices and symbols in Mexico that we have adopted
this tradition. In the very early part of the 19th century, an American who
served the United States as an ambassador spent a tour of duty in Mexico. He
admired the dramatic beauty of the bright red poinsettia that grew rooftop high
and bloomed profusely at Christmas. He was awed when Mexican Christians told
him why the bright red poinsettias were a part of their celebration of the
birth and life of Christ. In Mexico, the story goes like this: The Bethlehem
star shone over the manger where Jesus was born. Its light so bright the earth
responded, reflecting that star light, receiving that star light, mirroring
that star light with a beautiful flower. Star shaped, radiant shaped, pure
white petals, golden star centers. In Mexican lore, it was always the Flower of
the Holy Night. It grew on earth as a creation to glorify and commemorate that Holy
Night "For the stars shout forth the glory of God." Then came the
tragic day when Jesus dies on the cross and the blossoms changed. Pure white
petals remembered the sacrifice of the Christ born when the star was over
Bethlehem. Flower of the Holy Night, star shaped, radiant shaped, blood red
petals, star flowers for the Holy Night. Now, everywhere, on cards and on
trees, in churches and in our homes, the poinsettia takes its place; reminding
us of a Holy Night, pointing to a Good Friday.
The star stands out
in significance as relevant and vital today as when God hung it in space. The
Bible tells us that God commissioned a particular star to serve as a travel
guide for a group of men from the East who had developed an interest in looking
for a child to fulfill a prophecy that in Bethlehem a ruler to shepherd Israel
would be born. They found Mary, Joseph, and Jesus in a house where they fell to
their knees, worship the child, and gave Him gifts. The star is a symbol of
God’s gift of direction to us. It is His travel guide to seekers who will look
and follow. The star led the wise men to Jesus, the Light of world. As we light
the tree and the star remember that Jesus is the true Light in a world of
darkness, He points the way to God.
May we remember to
honor Jesus this Christmas. Amen?