The True Fate of the Star of Bethlehem

Whizzzzzzzzzzzzsssssssstreakflasssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhh! In a perfectly soundless way, the flash of light more brilliant than any human had ever beheld struck across the night sky, following a roughly southeasterly trajectory.

Coincidentally, the Three Wise Men, Magi, or Three Kings, were having an evening together out in the desert. For one it was a way to get away from senators. For another it was a place to get away from the wives. For the third it was an escape from his generals. When they saw the falling star, they all mused on its spiritual significance. You would have to be mightily agnostic not to do the same.

Among themselves, they had no fewer than three great prophesies that the portent could fulfill. Each of them knew of a foretold coming of a Savior, a Son of God or Messiah who was more than a prophet. So they quickly agreed. “What we have just seen was either the portent of the new Savior or the actual man himself.” Seeing that they were the only authority figures on hand, or for a great reason to escape their offices for a great adventure, they decided to follow the falling star to the point where it fell to Earth, and there greet their new spiritual Savior upon arrival.

The bright traveling star had definitely been seen by local peoples as they followed the star. “It went that way,” they all pointed.

Clearly, what the Three Mages had seen was probably some sort of meteor, and what they might not have known was that meteors can cover a lot of ground.

They were not alone in the interpretation of legend of a Messiah, and so most of the local people blessed the Mages in their quest. Onward, they rode.

As they traveled, the villagers continued to encourage the Mages in their quest.

But as time wore on, the Three Kings were not so rallied to their cause.

“We have been on these blessed camels for nearly two weeks now,” one complained.

“None of those senators will know what to do as long as I am gone. Maybe they will know too well.”

“And I really miss my wife. Er, I mean my wives.”

In this spirit they were able to travel only a few more days. The only thing stopping them from returning home immediately was the realization that everyone in all the little towns on their return trip would be very much interested in the result of their journey, and were more or less expecting them to produce a Messiah of some sort.

As ministers or lords of their respective kingdoms, to fail at this endeavor could mean the end of their political careers. So they conspired to falsely anoint any newborn boychild at the earliest convenience. The end of their journey happened to be the town of Bethlehem. They walked into the first inn on the outskirts of the town as soon as they arrived. They asked the innkeeper if any boy children had been born in the area in the recent past and the innkeeper led them to the barn, where they met a young couple and their newborn child.

One jubilated aloud. “This must be the Savior we have sought!”
“Messiah, you mean. How can you tell?”
Quieter though, one doubted. “I thought he would be nobler of birth, or have a halo at least. You guys are mad. These are two mongrel beggars and their bastard child!”
“Nevertheless he will be our King. This quest has become ridiculous. The star pointed the way, it didn’t say that we would have to circle the entire globe of the Earth.”
“Globe of the Earth? The earth is flat!”
“Never mind.”
“He’s cute. She’s beautiful. I sure do miss my wife.”

So the three Mages ended their journey and headed home, telling the people along the way that they had met the child Savior in a faraway town, but never exactly which town it was. They pleaded with people to let the Messiah have a normal upbringing before assuming His adult responsibilities, and warned that certain tyrant kings might not suffer a young rival to live. This was very convincing, so the deception of the Magi was never discovered.

History has not decided whether the Biblical Jesus found by the Wise Men was the same babe, or if some other pretender among many prevailed with popular opinion. In any case, the anointed one rose to the expectations of his people, and benefited from the education financed by one of the wiser Wise Men. The faith that he founded grew into a worldwide complex of related religions, arguably one of the best efforts as far as human spiritual endeavors go.

But where did that meteor land? Perhaps God the Father truly did forsake his only begotten Son, because every now and then, if anyone were near, from a crevasse in the desert Red Sea Hills, one might hear a hollow, metallic sound emanating from a shiny metallic pod which is now almost buried:

Pang pang pang
Pang pang pang

Which is the only way our true Savior has to say:

Let me out
Let me out!

Copyright Princess Poysen Ivieee 2006