Most of us are fully aware of the story of the Magi that is the root of the celebration of Epiphany. A caravan of astrologers, astronomers, and magicians arrives from the East (Persia) looking for the royal child that has been born. Their evidence is the star they have been studying and have followed to the capital city of Jerusalem. Their first stop is the royal palace where they expect to pay homage to this newborn, royal prince. What they find is a confused, apprehensive, insecure, and very jealous Herod.

It is providential, not simply ironic, that today is Epiphany.

Congress will be meeting in joint session to accept the votes of the Electoral College and formally declare Joseph R. Biden to be President-Elect and prepare for his inauguration on Wednesday, January 20, as the 46^thPresident of the United States.

The current President does not wish to acknowledge that the majority of voters in this country voted for someone else. He has lost the election. Fifty states have certified their votes. Many have counted and recounted and recounted their votes again. In over fifty different court cases, no valid evidence has been submitted to warrant overturning the election. In each case, the arguments have been dismissed. Yet, our twenty-first century Herod continues to plot against the duly elected successor that has been chosen by the people.

Will we see twenty-first century Magi that will choose to “go home by another way?” Will our elected Congressional leadership and representatives acknowledge and pay homage to the duly elected President-Elect and then bypass the White House and instead return to their offices, their homes and their districts leaving Herod to rage on his own?

The psalm for today in the lectionary reading is Psalm 72, a coronation psalm, written (according to the superscription) for the coronation of the young Solomon. 

¹       Give the king your justice, O God,
            and your righteousness to a king’s son.
²       May he judge your people with righteousness,
            and your poor with justice.
³       May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,
            and the hills, in righteousness.
⁴       May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
            give deliverance to the needy,
            and crush the oppressor.

It is an appropriate psalm for the inauguration of a new president.

It is an indictment of the current administration.

It is a sobering reminder for us of what our expectations as people of faith should be from our national leadership. Justice. Not self-interest or self-aggrandizement. Justice with righteousness. Justice for the poor and needy. Defend the cause of the poor – those out of work due to the pandemic. Stand up for them; create opportunities for them to work at jobs that pay a living wage. Give deliverance to the needy – those about to lose their homes or about to be evicted from their apartments because they are unable to work; those who are unable to put food on their tables because their job has been eliminated, or lost to the pandemic, and their unemployment benefits have run out or are insufficient to cover rent, food, and health care costs. Create a health care system that is affordable and available to all. Crush the oppressor – hold those accountable that take advantage of the poor, or persons of color, or use their positions of power to line their own pockets rather than help “the least of these” among us or to put down those that are different from themselves.

¹²     For he delivers the needy when they call,
            the poor and those who have no helper.
¹³     He has pity on the weak and the needy,
            and saves the lives of the needy.
¹⁴     From oppression and violence he redeems their life;
            and precious is their blood in his sight.

¹⁵     …

         May prayer be made for him continually,
            and blessings invoked for him all day long.

On this Epiphany, may our prayers be for all those who govern us – those about to leave office and those about to take office. If our leaders live up to their promises and deliver the needy, have pity on the weak and needy, and rescue the oppressed from violence, we will be a truly blessed nation. We are not there now. Not even close. 

We are called to be a praying people, a people praying “continually,” that blessings might be invoked on our leaders and our fellow citizens “all day long.”

Blessings & Peace,

Pastor Ron