The magi came because they saw a star. We saw his star at its rising. It is obvious but worth pointing out that to see the stars you must enter the darkness. Martin Luther King, Jr. said “Only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.” Annie Dillard wrote: “You do not have to sit outside in the dark. If, however, you want to look at the stars, you will find that darkness is necessary. But the stars neither require nor demand it.” All of which informs our prayer. Often, for me and others I speak with, prayer is sitting in the dark. We wait for God to speak and all we experience is darkness. You can be sure the magi had to look for many days, years to see the star at its rising. It was their fidelity in looking for the star that led to them eventually seeing it. If we are willing to sit in the darkness of prayer the star of God’s presence will be revealed to us — in God’s time, not ours.
