Matthew 2:1-3 tells us that “Jesus
was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Herod was king.
Soon afterwards, some men who studied the stars came from the east to Jerusalem
and asked, “Where is the baby born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star when
it came up in the east, and we have come to worship him.””
These visitors, called the Magi, Three Kings, or Wise Men are often depicted as traveling on the backs of camels. In the time of Jesus camels were widely used as livestock providing both meat and milk; their fur for textile production of fiber and felt; and for the transport of both passengers and cargo engaged in trade, travel, or war.
It may interest you to know that according to Wikipedia, the earliest camel appeared in North America 40 to 50 million years ago and was the size of a rabbit. The ancestor of modern camels migrated into Eurasia from North America over the Beringia land bridge between 7.5 and 6.5 million years ago. Superbly adapted to arid environments and amenable to domestication, the camel became intimately entwined with human cultures and greatly supported their development.
The stained-glass figure of the camel depicts a one-humped dromedary or Arabian Camel, the current species that is most common. She or he appears to be quite content.
Its burden has been laid down.
The arrival of the visitors searching for a king represents the introduction of Jesus to the wider world. And his message of love and forgiveness has given relief to countless people burdened by the weight of guilt, hate, and the fear of death.
Let us pray that we will recognize the burdens that we carry
and lay them down.
Let us be like the camel, putting our lives to good use for the benefit of that which is beyond ourselves.
Let us be vehicles to share the love in our hearts and the
teachings of our faith.
-----Peace be
with you, Cathy Crouse
No comments:
Post a Comment