We Are Star Stuff

I'd like to begin this Epiphany Sonshine reflection by describing one of the most beautiful sights a person can see. For this photographer, it involves getting up very early in the morning - before dawn, when there are still stars visible in the sky. The sun has not yet risen, but you can see its light on the eastern horizon. Little by little the stars begin to disappear. Soon there is only one left and it is not a star. It is the planet Venus. Finally the light of the sun overcomes Venus, the Morning Star.

Something like this happened to the Magi when thy came come from the east because they had seen a "star." We don't know exactly what the star refers to. The Chicago Planetarium once had an exhibit titled "The Star of Bethlehem." They reconstructed the heavens around the time of Jesus' birth and speculated that the star may have referred to a comet, some configuration of planets or perhaps the Morning Star itself. Whatever it was, the star led to Jesus. But when the Magi found Jesus, things changed. Jesus was like the sun rising at dawn. The Wise Men no longer needed stars and planets. They now had the bright, life-giving sun.

The poet Lope de Vega wrote a beautiful poem about this. Its title is: “The arrival of the Magi Kings.” Lope de Vega describes how the star guided them in the dark night, but when they found Jesus, the stars faded. Here is a translation of Lope de Vega's poem into English:

You Kings, who come from the East,
are searching the night sky
looking at the their beautiful lights.

Do not follow them now
for where the sun is
the stars have no light.

The Child shines upon you.
And where the sun is
the stars have no light.

Lope de Vega is thinking about the practice of astrology. It was something that attracted him, but he realized that if he was going to follow Christ, he would have to give up astrology. A famous astronomer named Carl Sagan said, "We are star stuff." That is a poetic phrase and it is true as far as it goes. The matter that forms us was ultimately forged in the furnace of stars. But, unfortunately, Sagan meant it in an absolute sense: We are only star stuff. However, I like the phrase “We are star stuff.”

As Christians, we admit that we are material beings, but we believe that we are something more. When we encounter Christ, his light overwhelms even the stars.

Sometimes darkness enters our lives and we find ourselves lost and confused. In those moments, keep in mind that are “star stuff” filled with light of the divine. The best part of the wondrous Magi story comes at the end: they left us a promise. For at last they found what they were looking for. And so will we.

Immanuel watches over us as we reflect: “While the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” (Job 38:7).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who look to the morning star to guide us each day to be a true sign of God’s love here on earth.