Following the Star: The Wise Men and the Journey of Faith

Every year at Epiphany, our nativity scenes gain renewed attention as the figures of the Wise Men—sometimes referred to as Magi or Kings—take their place beside the Holy Family. Their arrival marks one of the most intriguing and symbolically rich moments in the Christmas story. Although the Bible provides us with only a handful of verses about them, the Wise Men have captured the Christian imagination for centuries. But beyond crowns, camels, and carols, what might their journey have to say to us today?

St Matthew tells us that the Wise Men came “from the East, ” guided by a star that signified the birth of a king. These visitors were likely scholars—astronomers, philosophers, men who dedicated their lives to learning and searching. They were not Jewish, nor familiar with the Scriptures in the way the priests of Jerusalem were, and yet they were the ones who recognised that something extraordinary had happened. Their story reminds us that God’s call reaches far beyond expected boundaries. Christ, from the very beginning, draws all nations to Himself.

Their journey was long, uncertain, and undoubtedly costly. Tradition imagines them crossing deserts and mountains, facing cold nights and burning days, driven only by a sign in the sky and a persistent hope. In this way, the Wise Men stand as models for all who seek God. Faith often begins with a question, a prompting, a sense that something is shining just ahead. Like the Wise Men, we may not have the full map—only a light pointing us onward. Yet God honours the sincere seeker.

When they finally arrived in Bethlehem, the contrast between their expectations and reality must have been striking. They had been looking for a royal child; instead, they found a humble home and a young family living in simplicity. But they were not disappointed. Instead, they knelt. They recognised holiness not in splendour, but in vulnerability. Their worship draws our attention to the quiet, often hidden ways God comes into our lives—not always with grandeur, but with gentle, redeeming presence.

Their famous gifts—gold, frankincense, and myrrh—speak with symbolic depth: gold for kingship, frankincense for worship, myrrh foreshadowing suffering. These offerings remind us that true worship involves giving what is precious. For most of us, the gifts we bring are not exotic treasures but the offerings of daily faithfulness: time spent in prayer, kindness given freely, burdens borne with grace, and resources shared generously. These are the gifts Christ still receives with joy.

Finally, the Wise Men returned home “by another way. ” Having encountered Christ, their journey could not continue unchanged. This small detail carries a profound truth: meeting Jesus sends us out in a different way. We may return to the same workplaces, the same homes, and the same routines—but with renewed purpose, deeper compassion, and clearer direction.

As we celebrate Epiphany this year, may the story of the Wise Men inspire us to be seekers of truth, bearers of generous gifts, and travellers willing to follow God’s leading—even when it takes us by another way.

With every blessing for a peaceful and happy Christmas.

John Scott