Advent 17 – 17 December 2021
Good morning,
We turn today to one of the most significant stories in the infancy narratives of Jesus – the adoration of the Magi. These were the astrologers, or wise men, from the East who observed a star rising, followed it to Jerusalem, and went from there to Bethlehem where they found Jesus, new-born king, with his mother.
We encounter again today William Dunbar who was an early student in St Andrews, determinant in 1474 and Master of Arts in 1479. He was probably born in 1460, the same year as St Salvator’s Chapel was consecrated. The following poem is attributed to him.
The sterne is rissin of our redemptioun
The sterne is rissin of our redemptioun [star]
In Baithlehem with Bemis Blyth and bricht:
The Sone of God in erd He schewis him boun [ready for action]
Amang His Angellis with a glorious licht,
As Hevennis Lord of maieste and micht.
Cum, mortall kingis, and fall on kneis doun
Before the King of lestand lyfe and licht: [lasting]
The sterne is rissin of our redemptioun.
All empriouris, kingis, princeis, prelaittis,
Heir nakit born and nourist up with noy, [trouble]
Leif all your wofull truble and debaittis:
Cum luik on the eternall King of Joy.
Ly all on the grufe befoir that heich grand Roy, [face]
That only King of every regioun,
Of Pers, of Ind, of Egipt, Grece, and Troy:
The sterne is rissin of our redemptioun.
Inclyne befoir the Christen Conquerour
Of every kith and kinrik undir sky, [kingdom]
The hie Makar, the michtie Salvatour,
The meik Redemar, most to magnify:
With reverend feir doun on your facis ly
And on this day in His laudatioun
And Redemptor Jesu all ye cry:
The sterne is rissin of our redemptioun.
We may nocht in this vale of bale abyd,
Our-derkit with the sable clud nocturne: [darkened]
The Sterne of Gloir is risin us to gyd
Abone the spheir of Mars or Saturn,
Abone Phebus the radius lamp diurn, [daily]
To the superne eternall regioun
Quhair noxiall skyis may mak no sojourn:
The sterne is rissin of our redemptioun.
All follow we the sterne of most brichtness
With the three blisfull oriental kingis–
The Sterne of Day, the Voyder of Derknes–
Abone all sterris, planeteis, spheiris, and singis, [signs of the zodiac]
Beseiking Him fra Quhome all mercy springis
Us to ressave with mirth of angell soun
Into the Hevin quhair the Imperiall ringis: [reigns]
The sterne is rissin of our redemptioun.
The poem speaks of the star which led the Magi to Bethlehem, as more significant than any other heavenly body. After all it led “three blisfull oriental kingis” to the “King of lestand [lasting] lyfe and licht.” Emperors, kings, princes and prelates are enjoined to “Leif all your wofull truble and debaittis” – no change there in our political life – and “luik on the eternall King of Joy.” In the final stanza, we too follow the star, the “Voyder of Derknes,” which has risen for our redemption. I love the comparison throughout between the apparent powers of the world, and the true majesty in Bethlehem.
To illustrate this risen star, a photo of Hearts of Light.
In the Martinmas Semester last academic year, the Chaplaincy organised a weekly gathering on St Salvator’s Quad in which people stood in hearts painted on the lawn, held lanterns and stood in solidarity with all affected by Covid around the world. Each week a different student or member of the Chaplaincy team led our reflections – with poetry, scripture, prayer and silence. The aim was to hold on to hope in the face of a worldwide pandemic with its multiple harms, illness and death, economic woes, isolation, mental health difficulties and decrease in regular provision of medical care. The symbol of such hope was light. It’s a symbol found in most if not all religions. With daily news of the omicron variant and growing restrictions on our lives, once again we are longing for images of hope. It seems to me that the journey of the Magi following the star to where a child is born is one of the most beautiful expressions of that hope.
Yours,
Donald.