Martyn’s Mutterings – Teaching & Comments by Fr Martyn

Searching for Someone

In last Sunday’s sermon I mentioned that Matthew’s Christmas story of the Magi (the wise men) journeying to find the Christ child at Bethlehem has three important points about our own spiritual journey, which involve, seeking, journeying and meeting. In some ways, that is the summary of our faith: we seek integral knowledge that will complete and fulfil our lives and to do this we need to shift, journey and make pilgrimage, all of which is fulfilled in meeting Christ and, like the Magi, adore him. These themes continue in the Sundays of Epiphanytide.

Faith is a path, a searching for someone and an act of affirmation. Now these Christian values are also the needs of humanity. That is a key missionary point; we have a knowledge that everyone is seeking.

We all ask, “Where can I find true standards to live by? Whom can I rely upon to guide me? What are the principles and standards that help us to build a just and compassionate society?” Those questions persist until we meet someone or some system that can fulfill my personal searching and that of the rest of humanity. This is what the Magi were seeking, that is what the disciples seek in today’s Gospel.

The difference with Christians is that we believe it is found in a Person, not a political party, creed or doctrine. For us that Person we trust is Christ, the One who does not deceive or can be deceived. Many Christians down the centuries have found that to be so a reliable truth that they were prepared to live by it and to die for it. The reason, as I understand it, is the ever expanding horizon that life-in-Christ-offers. We continue to grow and mature our being in this world and the next as we attain to the fullness of life and person of Christ. By contrast, you can see in some political systems stagnation that eventually comes to a full stop. Marxism is a classic case – but its opposite, capitalism, is starting to show some serious cracks and flaws along with narrow rationalism. A gap is emerging as people wonder what else is there is that will motivate and fulfill them.

Today, the words of Christ spoken to the first disciples are also addressed to us and to all humanity: "What are you looking for?" 

Help us to embrace your will, give us the strength to follow your call, so that your truth may live in our hearts.                        Today’s Collect