After this second Sunday of Christmas, the church will enter the season of Epiphany. Epiphany officially begins on January 6. Epiphany is the time the church commemorates the coming of the magi as the first manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles. The magi, traditionally called the wise men, had discovered a new star shining in the heavens. They believed it announced the birth of a divine being. After traveling thousands of miles using the light of the star as their compass, they stopped in Jerusalem, the seat of King Herod the Great. Can’t you see the look on Herod’s face as they inquired of him, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage” (Matthew 2:2).
This news would have greatly disturbed Herod, be…