A Gift for Epiphany

Today is Epiphany, the day traditionally set aside to remember and celebrate the journey of the magi, the wise men, to see the baby Jesus, bearing gifts.

And so I have for you today, a gift, a poem by Jan Richardson for this occasion. Enjoy.

Wise Women Also Came
by Jan Richardson

Wise women also came.
The fire burned
in their wombs
long before they saw
the flaming star
in the sky.
They walked in shadows,
trusting the path
would open
under the light of the moon.

Wise women also came,
seeking no directions,
no permission
from any king.
They came
by their own authority
their own desire,
their own longing.
They came in quiet,
spreading no rumors,
sparking no fears
to lead
to innocents’ slaughter,
to their sister Rachel’s
inconsolable lamentations.

Wise women also came,
and they brought
useful gifts:
water for labor’s washing,
fire for warm illumination,
a blanket for swaddling.

Wise women also came,
at least three of them,
holding Mary in the labor,
crying out with her
in the birth pangs,
breathing ancient blessings
into her ear.

Wise women also came,
and they went,
as wise women always do,
home a different way.


If you enjoy Jan Richardson, you might want to check out her blog post for Epiphany this year, and her on-line retreat for Women's Christmas (which some folks celebrate on Epiphany) at http://sanctuaryofwomen.com/blog/womens-christmas-the-shimmering-hours/