East Meets West: A Christmas Story

I used to get confused about the star in the Nativity scene: did the magi see the star in the east, or did they come from the east and see the star in the west? I don’t think I’d ever heard anyone say “star in the west” but then there’s the semi-popular “A Star in the East” tune. However, it does say “rise us up shepherd and follow.” So maybe the shepherds’ flock(s) were to the west of Bethlehem and they were the ones who saw the star in the east?

Unfortunately, Matthew is the only source we have (biblical one anyway) that gives details of the visit of these wise men. Yes, it’s true we don’t know how many there were; and though many believe they came from Persia, Matthew only says “the east.” Gee thanks Matthew. Throw us a bone dude!

So it is clear that they did, indeed, come from the east. And though we usually picture a star hanging in the sky in a particular direction that they “followed” (like a fixed point for a direction to take), stars move position from night to night. And we know it would’ve taken them many many days to get where they ended up, including a pit stop at Herod’s place to ask, “Say, you haven’t seen a king around here have you? Not a king like yourself, but you know, a real king.”

So either it hung rather low and remained stationary in a western direction, or they read stars like a lot of astrologers do/did: they interpreted it. In other words, it wasn’t like a beacon calling “Over here! This way!” but more like a symbol with a message in it giving them the details they needed for what to look for and where to go find the foretold king.

The first church split ever was East and West in 1054

Either way, I love that it brought east and west together. It is amazing, not to mention frustrating, how historically we are divided by directions and territories. The broadest sense could be the global east vs the west as in eastern countries like India, Iran, China, etc vs western countries like Canada, the US, France, etc. Then in a country there can be east coast vs west coast or easterners vs westerners. East side of town vs west side of town, usually divided by a river, railroad tracks, or a highway. You can even have a division on a campus in this manner. So, in the nativity scene we have two cultures coming together, and I have no doubt they were as different, strange, and perceptively threatening to each other as we tend to be today, or even more so.

Growing up I had a worldview that saw most of the world not knowing this Christ child and, therefore, would be destined for hell. That is, unless we go visit them all and fill them in. But here’s a story where very knowledgeable and influential figures from another culture who take their cues from their own medium (astrology; also note they weren’t visited by a Judaeo-Christian angel) and end up in one of the most iconic scenes in the Christian faith. Yes it was two years after the shepherds, but they are still a part of the story. And they worship! Now, maybe this means that no matter what the culture or point of origin, everyone will eventually bow down to Jesus. But is there a chance that it could also mean that those from the other side of the world / the river / the street may have another way to get to the destination we’re all seeking?

Nah, probably not. I mean we’ve always held that for this all loving God to allow Muslims or atheists to live in heaven would just not be fair. The loving thing to do is send them to a place of torment for all eternity. So we cannot be pluralistic.

But we can hope the Christ child is, can’t we?

Congratulations West Side Story. This is your week.

And the Oscar goes to…

Best Actress: Rita Moreno as Anita in West Side Story. I actually haven’t seen this movie yet. Nor have a I seen Rebel. Yet. But I heard a powerful story about Moreno and the actors playing the Jets gang in an intense scene in this movie. Look it up on the IMDb page under trivia.

Best Actor: James Dean as Jim Stark in Rebel Without a Cause.

Best Quote: “I don’t believe in surrenders. Nope, I’ve still got my saber, Reverend. Didn’t beat it into no plowshare, neither.” — John Wayne as Ethan Edwards in The Searchers.

And for your Christmas listening pleasure: A Star in the East by Harry Belafonte.