So how do we get there? Where do we look for guidance on this journey?
We look to the idea of love. We aren’t living the life of love yet, but we are
inspired by the idea of love. This is represented by the Star which guided the
magi. Stars represent knowledges of goodness and truth. (See Apocalypse
Revealed 420; True Christian Religio n 205)
Think about what a star is: it’s a sun seen from a great distance. That’s what
spiritual knowledge is as well: love seen from a distance. “The reason ‘stars’ in
the Word means those cognitions is that they are tiny sources of light shining
in the night, which send out flickers of light at that time into our sky, even as
cognitions transmit glimmers of goodness and truth.” (Secrets of Heaven 4697)
It’s just a glimmer of love; just the idea of love. “I see Him, but not now; I
behold Him, but not near; a Star shall come out of Jacob; a Scepter shall rise
out of Israel.” (Numbers 24:17) So the magi began to follow the Star; just as we
begin to follow the idea of love. (See Secrets of Heaven 3762:3) And this idea of
love can eventually lead us to the Lord.
Our intellect is designed for this spiritual journey. We are capable of
looking at the idea of love, and then making plans for how to get there, just as
the magi made plans for their journey.
Both the magi’s journey and our spiritual journeys require commitment,
thinking ahead and patience. The magi had to bring provisions and maps for
their journey, as well as having thought ahead about the gifts they would offer
the Lord. We too need to think ahead about the ways that we will actually
practice loving the neighbor. This usually requires careful study of ourselves
and others.
It requires thinking ahead about the gifts we can offer to other people. It
requires commitment when the going gets tough. It requires patience with
ourselves and others. These are the capabilities and qualities of the magi
wisdom of our intellect.
Very often our spiritual journey will bring us face to face with our selfish
ego, just as the magi’s journey brought them face to face with Herod. And this
can be troubling. (See Matthew 2:3) Our ego and intellect might even seem
to be in alliance as we search for ways to love our neighbor, just as Herod
appeared to be in alliance with the magi as they searched for the Lord. For
example, we might practice treating other people kindly, and yet have selfish
motives for doing so. But that’s just part of the story; part of our story. And
even though our ego (Herod) has selfish motives, the magi still find their way
to the Lord.
When the magi find the Lord there is a kind of transformation: “And
when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary
His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him. And when they had opened
their treasures, they presented gifts to Him; gold, frankincense and myrrh.”
(Matthew 2:11)
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